14/07/2025
New Study Shows Testosterone Therapy May Help Neutered Dogs Feel Better!!!
A new veterinary study found that giving testosterone, Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), to neutered male dogs may help correct health and behavior issues caused by hormone loss (not so shocking to doctors that practice functional wellbeing: lifelong hormones matter!).
“Spayed and neutered dogs have been reported to have a higher incidence of obesity, urinary incontinence, urinary calculi, atopic dermatitis, autoimmune hemolytic anemia, hypoadrenocorticism, diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism, immune- mediated thrombocytopenia, inflammatory bowel disease, hip dysplasia, cranial cruciate ligament rupture, aggressive and fearful behavior, cognitive dysfunction syndrome, prostate adenocarcinoma and transitional cell adenocarcinoma. Musculoskeletal issues may be especially significant for large breed dogs gonadectomized before they have finished growing, as bone physeal closure is delayed,” says reproductive expert Dr. Michelle Kutzler, DVM, PhD, DACT, Professor of Theriogenology (all of her statments are backed by studies).
This group of symptoms is sometimes called “spay-neuter syndrome,” and in this most recent study, researchers gave weekly testosterone injections to neutered male dogs for 90 days. They tested different doses and monitored the dogs closely.
What they found:
* The treatment was safe, even at high doses.
* Testosterone levels returned to normal, without side effects.
* Hormone imbalances improved, especially the levels of a hormone called LH, which rises after neutering and may be linked to certain cancers.
* The dogs’ general health, behavior, and lab values stayed stable or improved (like Homer’s!).
This is the first published safety study using HRT testosterone injections in neutered dogs. It gives veterinarians a starting point for helping dogs who may be struggling with life after desexing.
h
A lack of safety and dosing information on restoring hormone levels in neutered dogs has hindered treatment of spay-neuter syndrome, the diverse set of health and behavior conditions resulting from the loss of gonadal hormones. The purpose of this study was to provide basic information on the use of...
