A Prospective Cohort Study Investigating the Impact of Neutering Bitches Prepubertally or Post-Pubertally on Physical Development

Moxon, Rachel; Freeman, Sarah L.; Payne, Richard; Godfrey-Hunt, Jasmine; Corr, Sandra; England, Gary C. W.

Abstract

No previous large prospective cohort studies have been identified that have investigated the impact of the surgical neutering of bitches before or after known puberty on their growth and physical development. This study was designed to examine the data on physical development, vulval size, and conformation for bitches neutered by ovariohysterectomy before puberty (PPN, n = 155) or after puberty (control, n = 151) using a prospective cohort study design. Data were gathered at six- and 17-months of age using bespoke physical assessment forms and digital images of the vulva. PPN bitches had greater changes in height measurements (mean difference = 2.039, SEM = 0.334, 91% CI = 1.471 to 2.608, p < 0.001) and smaller changes in the measurements of vulval length (mean difference = −0.377, SEM = 0.079, 91% CI = −0.511 to −0.243, p < 0.001) and width (mean difference = −0.221, SEM = 0.063, 91% CI = −0.328 to −0.113, p < 0.001) between six- and 17-months of age than for the control bitches. Although not significant, the PPN bitches were taller (mean 58.5 vs. 56.6 cm) and heavier (mean 28.3 vs. 27.3 kg) with smaller vulval size measurements (mean vulval length 2.8 vs. 3.2 cm, mean vulval width 1.7 vs. 2.1 cm) at 17-months of age. At 17-months of age, significantly more PPN bitches had vulvas that appeared juvenile (Yates’ Chi-square = 14.834, D.F. = 1, p < 0.001) and recessed (Yates’ Chi-square = 7.792, D.F. = 1, p = 0.005) at the physical assessment, and significantly more PPN bitches had vulvas that appeared ‘recessed/inverted’ on the examination of digital images (Chi-square = 9.902, D.F. = 1, p = 0.002). The results from this study suggest no contraindications to prepubertal ovariohysterectomy for large breed bitches. However, any longer-term health implications of these differences in physical development need to be investigated and better understood prior to recommendations being made.

Citation

Moxon, R., Freeman, S. L., Payne, R., Godfrey-Hunt, J., Corr, S., & England, G. C. W. (2023). A Prospective Cohort Study Investigating the Impact of Neutering Bitches Prepubertally or Post-Pubertally on Physical Development. Animals, 13(9), Article 1431. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13091431

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Apr 21, 2023
• Online Publication Date: Apr 22, 2023
• Publication Date: Apr 22, 2023
• Deposit Date: Mar 20, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 26, 2024
• Journal: Animals
• Electronic ISSN: 2076-2615
• Publisher: MDPI
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 13
• Issue: 9
• Article Number: 1431
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13091431
• Keywords: General Veterinary; Animal Science and Zoology
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/20008462
• Publisher URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/9/1431