3 Jun 2024
Association reveals new guidelines and highlights need for move away from routine neutering.
Paul Imrie
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Image © Michael / Adobe Stock
Vets are being called on to make a “paradigm shift” away from the traditional approach of routine spaying and neutering.
The WSAVA has just unveiled the first global guidelines in reproduction control and wants veterinary surgeons to ensure they arm clients with all the information they require to make informed decisions about their animals.
Guidelines have been developed by the WSAVA’s reproduction control committee (RCC) and published in the Journal of Small Animal Practice.
The WSAVA said the aim is to allow its members and vets worldwide to make science-based choices for the management of reproduction in their patients while safeguarding animal welfare and the human-companion animal bond.
Current practice is discussed, together with explanations of newer approaches, both surgical and non-surgical, with the benefits and drawbacks of each studied.
RCC chair Sefano Romagnoli said: “Managing reproduction is a critical and rapidly evolving area of companion animal practice. For many years, our default advice has been that dogs should be neutered and bitches spayed – but, in the light of new scientific evidence, it’s time for a paradigm shift in our thinking.”
Prof Romagnoli added: “Emerging scientific data shows that gonadectomy can adversely impact the health of some animals.
“It also shows that recommending castration in older dogs to reduce their risk of developing benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPC) may not be appropriate because, in fact, in some cases, late castration can actually increase the risk of prostatic carcinoma.
“We also have concerns about increasing moves to early neutering or for neutering to be used as a method of behavioural control.”
The free-to-download guidelines also call on vets to update their own knowledge and spend more time with clients advising on the options around surgical and non-surgical castration and options for individual animals. The committee’s work is supported by Virbac.
