A scientific analysis has revealed a potential link between spaying and canine hemangiosarcoma. The study, which analyzed data from the Golden Retriever Lifetime Study, was published in Veterinary and Comparative Oncology.
The analysis revealed that hemangiosarcoma was an unlikely diagnosis in dogs younger than 8 regardless of neutering status. While older neutered or intact male dogs have a similar disease risk, the risk in spayed females increases as they age.
Study participant Dr. Alison Hillman stressed that further research is needed to explore the potential association between canine cancer and sterilization. She recommends using data from older dogs to help better understand causative factors.
“This information may also be of value in the context of translational research, as hemangiosarcoma is rare in humans and thus difficult to study,” said Dr. Hillman, a senior epidemiology consultant at Australia-based Ausvet. “Lessons learned through research in dogs may inform prioritization of investigations in humans, given the similarity between dogs and humans regarding the clinical and pathological features of this tumor and the relative similarity in genetics between the two species.”
In September 2022, 233 of the 3,044 dogs enrolled in the Golden Retriever Lifetime Study had been diagnosed with hemangiosarcoma, making it the most common cancer seen in the study. The grim statistics have remained static for nearly 30 years:
- The average survival time after surgery alone is one to three months.
- The average survival time with surgery and chemotherapy is five to seven months.
- 90% of dogs died one year post-diagnosis despite surgery and chemotherapy.
- The mortality rate is almost 100% two years post-diagnosis.
“This analysis serves as a fundamental research tool, with potential for further use by other scientists to generate hypotheses and design their own studies,” said Kathy Tietje, the chief program officer at Morris Animal Foundation, which funded the study.
“It also underscores the immense value of the study’s resources for scientists actively engaged in this field.”