WSAVA guidelines address methods, risks, ethics of pet reproduction

The World Small Animal Veterinary Association's (WSAVA) has new global guidelines on surgical and nonsurgical approaches to sterilizing cats and dogs. The document, "WSAVA Guidelines for the Control of Reproduction in Dogs and Cats," published this May in the Journal of Small Animal Practice. It provides veterinarians all over the world with the latest scientific evidence for making science-based decisions regarding the management of reproduction in their patients.

The 136-page document covers current sterilization practices, along with explanations of newer approaches, both surgical and nonsurgical, and explores the health benefits and drawbacks of each method along with any ethical considerations.

Dr. Stefano Romagnoli, a professor in the Department of Animal Medicine at the University of Padova in Italy, chaired the WSAVA Reproduction Control Committee, which created the guidelines. Committee members pulled together hundreds of scientific publications covering all aspects of canine and feline sterilization and contraception, as well as health outcomes and decision-making processes.

The World Small Animal Veterinary Association guidelines on surgical and nonsurgical approaches to sterilizing cats and dogs are meant to aid veterinarians throughout the world in making science-based decisions about the reproductive health of their patients.

The WSAVA guidelines feature specific techniques and diagrams to assist veterinarians in performing new procedures. They also address the impacts on health, behavior, and longevity of gonadectomy and hormone-sparing sterilization.

"The best options for reproduction control in dogs and cats are the ones that have the least long-term health concerns," the guidelines state. "For owned pets, such a decision should be made on a case-by-case basis in consultation with the owner with due consideration of species, sex, breed, purpose and lifestyle of the pet as well as financial constraints."

For shelters, the guidelines say that cats and smaller breed dogs may continue to be gonadectomised by traditional means at traditional ages.

"Conversely, vasectomy and ovary-sparing surgery should be offered as an alternative option to gonadectomy following proper consultation with the prospective owners of large and giant breed dogs at risk," the document states, citing a May 2023 study in JAVMA that showed gonadectomy increased overweight or obesity risk for most dogs compared to intact dogs.

Surgical site infections are a significant concern in patients undergoing a procedure, but data on antimicrobial prophylaxis is limited and conflicting, the guidelines note. Given the dangers of antimicrobial resistance in human and animal medicine, the guidelines say prophylaxis should be avoided in routine sterilizations if they are brief, performed in a clean environment, and there is no other factor predisposing to infection.

All surgical procedures are painful; therefore, adequate analgesia is mandatory in every situation, the guidelines state.

"Management of surgical pain begins before surgery, is maintained through the surgical procedure and is continued afterwards. Multimodality management of pain is preferred. Local anesthetic techniques are particularly appropriate as they may provide excellent analgesia without causing systemic side effects," according to the guidelines.

The WSAVA Reproduction Control Committee acknowledged in an executive summary that besides health concerns for individual animals, other factors, such as practices at shelters and pet overpopulation also have to be considered.

Ultimately, the decision whether and how to spay, neuter, or sterilize an animal should be based on a thorough assessment of the individual animal's health and client preferences, the guidelines summary states.

"Veterinarians play a crucial role in guiding these decisions, weighing the risks and benefits to ensure the best outcome for the animal, the client, and the broader community," according to the summary.

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