Veterinarians used to routinely recommend that your dog be neutered (spayed or castrated) at 6 months of age. That recommendation has been questioned in the past decade as information about the possible health consequences of early age neuter (or neuter at any age) comes to light. Jessica Hekman, DVM, PhD, will discuss what we know about the relationship of spay/neuter timing and changes in the risk of development of cancer and/or of orthopedic injuries such as cranial cruciate ligament disease (CCL tear). She will also talk about how spay/neuter can affect behavior, for better or worse. She will specifically discuss some recent studies and will detail problems designing effective studies to ask these questions. She will also cover alternative approaches to the traditional spay/neuter surgery. If you are wondering when, or if, you should neuter your dog, make your decision based on facts, not emotions. Learning Objectives: Interpret recent findings about spay/neuter outcomes in light of what those studies can actually tell us Make reasoned decisions about the risk of cancer/orthopedic disease and early spay/neuter List alternatives to traditional spay/neuter and compare their pros and cons to traditional spay/neuter RELAX about this decision!

Sponsor:Pet Professional Guild
Speaker(s):Dr. Jessica Hekman, DVM, PhD

Contact: Sharon Nettles
 Email: membershipcoordinator@petprofessionalguild.com
 Phone: 731-300-6520
 Web: https://petprofessionalguild.com/event-3702927