The policy pulls together current research on potential long-term health and welfare impacts of neutering and ways these may be reduced, including different methods, delaying the procedure, or not neutering.
It recommends assessing male dog castration on an individual basis, taking factors such as age, breed and lifestyle into account.
Advice for cats is unchanged, with male and female cats still recommended for neutering at around four months of age, before sexual maturity.
The Associations say the general consensus is that male and female dogs should be neutered at around 12–24 months, when many breeds are considered to have reached skeletal maturity, to reduce the risk of developing orthopaedic conditions.
A joint FAQs resource has also been produced to summarise the conclusions and recommendations for practice teams.
BVA Senior Vice President Dr Elizabeth Mullineaux said: "The updated policy position brings together the latest evidence to support small animal vets with making context-based decisions on a case-by-case basis and what that might mean for discussing neutering options with clients."
BSAVA President Julian Hoad added: "The evidence base underpinning decision-making continues to evolve and although the policy position covers many key research outputs, ambiguities still exist.
"BVA and BSAVA have made recommendations based on existing knowledge and how best this can be applied in practical scenarios.
"The resulting aim of the policy is to support veterinary professionals in clinical practice by equipping them with the tools that help them in offering tailored neutering advice to pet owners."
https://www.bva.co.uk/take-action/our-policies/neutering-of-cats-and-dogs/
The BVA and the BSAVA have issued a statement in response to the launch of the RSA Preferred Referral Network.
"This is a business decision for RSA, in light of pressures facing the pet insurance industry - however BVA and BSAVA requested a meeting with the pet insurer earlier this year to discuss members’ concerns about RSA's policy conditions concerning cases for referral. We outlined the importance of the vet-client relationship, especially with respect to clinical decision making, and we emphasised that decisions must be made in the best interests of the pet-based on clinical indication and not be driven by cost. RSA refers to these meetings in their recent Q&A document (number 13). However, this so-called “engagement” should not be read as implying the two Associations complicity or acceptance of the changes. We stressed our concerns to RSA and would welcome opportunity for further input.
BVA and BSAVA actively encourage our members to make us aware of their concerns, and to keep us informed about how RSA’s new approach is working in practice. This will help us to continue to champion vets' voices on an issue that impacts our profession."