Do traditional spay and neuter surgeries increase the risk for disease, including malignancy? Are there better alternatives? This just-published, first-of-its-kind study involving over 6,000 dog owners documents the truth about what I've suspected and observed for years. By Dr Karen Becker

It comes as no surprise that the most common procedure done in veterinary medicine is sterilization in the form of castration. Animal science students are exposed to the procedure fairly early in their undergraduate career, and most likely will be performing the operation themselves after graduating from veterinary school.