The effects of sex and neuter status on trauma survival in dogs: A Veterinary Committee on Trauma registry study

Objective To determine the effect of sex and neuter status on trauma survival in dogs. Design Multi-institutional prospective case series, September 2013 to March 2019, retrospectively analyzed. Setting Level I and II Veterinary Trauma Centers. Animals Consecutive sample of 2649 dogs in the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Veterinary Committee on Trauma patient registry meeting inclusion criteria. For inclusion, dogs had to have complete data entries, be postpubertal (>= 7 months age in females and >= 10 months age in males), and have sustained moderate to severe trauma (animal trauma triage [ATT] score >= 5/18). Dogs that were dead upon arrival, euthanized for financial or unknown reasons alone, or that were presented by a Good Samaritan but subsequently humanely euthanized were excluded. Measurements and Main Results Data collected included age, sex, neuter status (intact, neutered), trauma type (blunt, penetrating, both), outcome (survived to hospital discharge, died, euthanized), and reason for euthanasia (grave prognosis, financial reasons, or both). Of 2649 eligible dogs, 56% survived to hospital discharge (n = 1469). Neutered females had a significantly higher survival rate (58.3% vs 51.3%; P = 0.03) compared to intact females, and neutered males had a significantly higher survival rate (56.6% vs 50.7%; P = 0.04) compared to intact males. There was no significant difference in survival between intact females and intact males (P = 0.87) or between neutered females and neutered males (P = 0.46). Mean cumulative ATT score was higher in intact groups and was found to be a significant predictor of survival (P < 0.01). Based on logistic models, overall odds of survival were 20.7% greater in neutered dogs. Conclusions Gonadectomy is associated with lower ATT scores and improved survival after moderate to severe trauma in both female and male dogs.

Automated summary

The study found that the sex and neuter status of dogs can impact their survival rate after moderate to severe trauma, with spayed females and neutered males having a higher survival rate. Being intact was associated with higher trauma scores and lower survival rates in both female and male dogs.