Free webinar to cover long-term impacts of surgical canine castrations

Registration is now open for a free webinar covering the long-term implications of surgical castration in dogs.

The event is being hosted by Virbac on 5 December and will start at 8pm when one of the world’s leading experts in companion animal reproductive biology, Michelle Kutzler, will explore the emerging evidence surrounding the effect of gonadectomy on long-term health.

Dr Kutzler is a professor at Oregon State University and a member of the WSAVA reproduction control committee. 

Luteinising hormone

Routine surgical castration removes the dog’s gonads, which eliminates the normal negative feedback provided to the anterior pituitary gland regulating luteinising hormone (LH) synthesis and release. 

As a result, LH concentrations can be more than 30 times higher than in entire dogs. When LH binds to its receptors, it causes nitric oxide secretion and cell proliferation. 

Following gonad removal, LH binds to receptors in the bladder, skin, thyroid, adrenal cortex, ligaments, subchondral bone, blood vessels, lymphocytes and behaviour centres of the brain. 

‘Increasing evidence’

In the webinar, Dr Kutzler will explore the role of LH on several neoplastic and non-neoplastic disorders that occur more commonly following surgical castration.

Neil Mottram, technical manager at Virbac, said: “The UK has the highest rate of surgical castration of dogs in Europe, but with new WSAVA global reproduction control guidelines expected to be published imminently, increasing evidence on the effect of surgical castration on long-term health and even the UK’s leading animal welfare charities updating their guidance on neutering dogs, there’s no better time to review practice neutering policies.”