
08/15/2025
A new study in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association finds a correlation between early spay/neuter (less than 6 months of age) with overweight/obesity in some large breeds, especially Labradors and golden retrievers of both s*xes. Small breeds were not affected, and the results varied by s*x in boxers, bulldogs and German Shepherds.
It is one study, but it’s a large sample size (over 200,000 dogs) and deserves strong consideration. This study along with the repeated studies by UC Davis on large breeds being much more sustainable to joint issues such as cranial cruciate rupture, are reasons why we advocate for waiting to neuter large breeds until fully grown.
Read the full study here:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40367978
Results may facilitate more individualized recommendations for gonadectomy timing and proactive strategies (specifically diet and exercise) to mitigate risk of OvOb outcomes, while accounting for the broader context of individual dog and population-level benefits of gonadectomy.