UC Davis posted several studies recently showing that spay/neuter, especially early spay/neuter is a much larger cause if serious cancers than being left intact, not just cancers but ACL tears, structural issues, etc. Pyometra is definitely a concern if you’re not breeding but it tends to be seen more in older dogs, so spaying around 6 or so would easily prevent a lot of that and the dog still has had plenty of time to develop. Heck, in my puppy contracts if they are altered prior to 18 months of age, it voids the hip guarantee as a lot of evidence has lent itself to early spay/neuter drastically increasing chances of dysplasia.
I’ve worked at an animal shelter for the past 7 years, and I’ve seen both sides. I would agree that your average pet owner, particularly in areas where people are not as well off such as where I live, should spay/neuter as most of the people that show up at my work place could not keep a goldfish from getting pregnant. But I am 100% supportive of responsible dog owners keeping their animals intact for their health. Especially avoiding early spay and neuter, I see so many dogs altered young and they never grow up proportionate, which makes them more susceptible to injuries and breaking down over time. I see in my own boy, who was a early neuter.
