Early Neutering Linked to Osteosarcoma

[Vicky Whitney]

Gawd, just when you think you've discussed a topic to death and decided 
where you stand.  The question about a breeder's requirement for early 
neutering (8 weeks) of a new puppy was just brought up on another list.  
Responses have ranged all over the map.  Some owners feel they have seen 
positive proof that early neutering of males causes tall, weedy dogs, 
whereas here on the Berner-L I think the consensus was that any difference 
in height and substance was very negligible.  However, someone raised the 
question about early neutering having a link to osteosarcoma (article 
following).

If our European Berners tend to NOT be neutered, and have very similar 
cancer rates as our American Berners (where most are neutered before one 
year of age), that says to me that this is not an issue for us, particularly 
as I understand osteosarcoma is not a "big" problem in our breed overall.  
Am I mistaken?  Anyone have any additional information on this study and its 
interpretation?  Comments?

Vicky Whitney in Bozeman, Montana

Dog Study Suggests Hormones Linked to Bone Cancer
News Article: Dog Study Suggests Hormones Linked to Bone Cancer
WASHINGTON (Reuters Health) - A drop in sex hormones may increase the
risk of a type of bone cancer, according to results of a study conducted in 
purebred rottweilers.

The highly malignant bone cancer, known as osteosarcoma, has noticeable
similarities in both humans and rottweilers, researchers at Purdue
University reported at a meeting of the Gerontological Society of
America.
In a study of 745 purebred rottweilers, Dr. B. C. Beranek and colleagues
from the departments of veterinary clinical science and veterinary
pathology found that 15% of all the dogs developed bone cancer. However, the 
risk of bone cancer was 65% higher for castrated males and 34% higher for 
spayed females.

The risk of developing bone cancer was higher both in females spayed at
less than one year of age as well as males castrated when they were less 
than a year old compared with animals who were not spayed or neutered.

It is not clear why spaying or neutering had an impact on cancer risk,
but it may be related to their lower levels of sex hormones. More study is 
needed to determine if these factors play any role in human cancer.<<<



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