Early-age neutering in dogs and cats: advantages and disadvantages / Castração precoce em cães e gatos: vantagens e desvantagens

Prepubertal gonadectomy is defined as the surgical sterilization of immature male and female animalsaging from 6-to-14 weeks, and it is a less invasive, less traumatic surgery when performed prior to puberty thanin adult animals. In dogs, growth plate closure is delayed when surgery is performed prior to puberty, but thedelay is significantly longer when neutering is done at 7 weeks as compared to 7 months. External genitalia donot develop fully: penile and preputial immaturity and decreased radiodensity of the os penis are frequentlyobserved. Vulvar development is also often insufficient in bitches gonadectomised at 7 weeks. Heat productionis 28% lower in neutered compared to intact cats. A decrease in urethral diameter has been observed in neuteredfemale but not male cats. Effects of prepuberal gonadectomy on behaviour vary depending on species and sex. Ingeneral, excitability and degree of activity are increased in males and females gonadectomised at 7 weeks or 7months, and when surgery is done at 7 weeks animals are found to be more excitable if compared to thosegonadectomised at 7 months. Incidence of urinary incontinence in the canine population may increasesignificantly when gonadectomy is done prior to 3 months of age. The most important anesthetic and surgicalconsiderations concern fasting, the use of a warm environment, the use of short-acting inducing drugs, of volatileanesthesia. Prepubertal neutering is probably an acceptable technique for dogs and cats, although it carries some(minor) risks which should be explained in details whenever using it for client-owned animals.(AU)

Early-age neutering in dogs and cats: advantages and disadvantages / Castração precoce em cães e gatos: vantagens e desvantagens

Prepubertal gonadectomy is defined as the surgical sterilization of immature male and female animalsaging from 6-to-14 weeks, and it is a less invasive, less traumatic surgery when performed prior to puberty thanin adult animals. In dogs, growth plate closure is delayed when surgery is performed prior to puberty, but thedelay is significantly longer when neutering is done at 7 weeks as compared to 7 months. External genitalia donot develop fully: penile and preputial immaturity and decreased radiodensity of the os penis are frequentlyobserved. Vulvar development is also often insufficient in bitches gonadectomised at 7 weeks. Heat productionis 28% lower in neutered compared to intact cats. A decrease in urethral diameter has been observed in neuteredfemale but not male cats. Effects of prepuberal gonadectomy on behaviour vary depending on species and sex. Ingeneral, excitability and degree of activity are increased in males and females gonadectomised at 7 weeks or 7months, and when surgery is done at 7 weeks animals are found to be more excitable if compared to thosegonadectomised at 7 months. Incidence of urinary incontinence in the canine population may increasesignificantly when gonadectomy is done prior to 3 months of age. The most important anesthetic and surgicalconsiderations concern fasting, the use of a warm environment, the use of short-acting inducing drugs, of volatileanesthesia. Prepubertal neutering is probably an acceptable technique for dogs and cats, although it carries some(minor) risks which should be explained in details whenever using it for client-owned animals.