Rise in complications after XL bully neuter operations

Concerns have been raised following reports that XL bully-type dogs have been experiencing unusually high levels of complications during neutering surgery.

The Government has added the type to the list of banned breeds contained within the controversial Dangerous Dogs Act (1991) following a number of fatal attacks by XL bullys in recent years and from February 2024 it became illegal to own an XL bully unless it has been granted an exemption certificate.

Owners of XL bully-type dogs that were 12 months or older on 31 January 2024 must have them neutered by the end of the month (30 June) for their dogs to remain exempt from the ban, but reports of unusual and unexpected bleeding of the dog type during the procedure have been causing growing concern.

Veterinary teams from across the country are reporting that XL bullys appear to have “more friable tissue” that “bleeds more readily”, with several of the dogs needing to go back to surgery to find the source of bleeding.

Adapting protocols

Practices are now having to adapt their protocols in the hope of supporting XL bully owners, with several adopting a system of extra team members “scrubbing in” and assisting with surgery while others are adding tranexamic acid (TXA) as well as lungworm testing where possible.

Teams have responded quickly to concerns and continue to adapt with the increased neutering workload.

When asked about the issue, Defra referred Vet Times to its existing guidance on the neutering of XL bullys, which does not include any exceptions in cases where veterinary professionals may be concerned that serious complications may arise during neutering procedures.

Currently, no open research projects are collecting data of reports of neutering complications as the breed is undefined genetically, but veterinary practices are urging XL bully keepers not to delay neutering, but to work collaboratively.