Articles & Research Papers

Early Spay-Neuter Considerations for the Canine Athlete: One Veterinarian's Opinion by Chris Zink DVM, PhD, DACVP. Reviews several spay/neuter studies and suggests a much later spay date than the conventional suggestion of 6 months of age.

Long-Term Health Risks and Benefits Associated with Spay / Neuter in Dogs (PDF format)
This research paper finds that the traditional view of spay/neuter being beneficial to the health of dogs and cats may not be supported by the evidence.

Purdue Great Dane Vaccine Study - interesting results including increased immune response to specific bovine proteins (used in the vaccines) which may cross react with the dogs' own similar proteins and result in detectable auto antibodies in their serum.

Rabies Challenge Fund
The Rabies Challenge Fund Charitable Trust's goal is to determine the duration of immunity conveyed by rabies vaccines. The goal is to extend the required interval for rabies boosters to 5 and then to 7 years. This project depends primarily upon grassroots gifts for funding the costs of conducting the requisite vaccine trials.

Take the Titer Test: Testing a dog’s serum antibody titers can prevent overvaccinating
by Lorie Long
Originally printed in the Whole Dog Journal.