Best time to Spay

[Alex T]

Okay been thinking about this since we had Isis, and we are pretty much certain that we are going to get Isis spayed - she is just finishing her first season, but after Leannes post about Sassy and her incontinence and my mums dog having similar problems - when would you consider the best time to spay a bitch?

I know that spay incontinence is rare and could happen at anytime - just curious in your opinions!

[raindog]

We have always felt that it is better for the dog/bitch to have reached physical maturity before they are spayed/neutered. In simple terms, at about 1 year of age.

Mick

[Alex T]

Thanks Mick - greatly appreciated!

[Ice and Cripton]

When they reach maturity and have enough heat seasons to grow. There are pros and cons, does anyone know them lol?

[Bec]

Ok - this is just my opinion

I think it's a bit of a myth that female dogs need to have a season or two before they are desexed. Keeping in mind, there is very little to no research out there about early desexing and a lot of breeders and the vast majority of rescues (including the RSPCA) here in Australia and in America desex pups before they go to their new homes. That is, pups could be 8-10 weeks when they are desexed. I personally would not desex one of my pups at this age but I can understand why rescues and some breeders chose to do so.

There are risks associated with keeping female dogs entire and letting them have a season (i.e. pyro). The number of dogs who do have problems like spay incontinence are rare. Having said that, as I mentioned in another thread, my friend had her two bitches desexed at the recommended time (vets here advise you do it around six months of age) and both now have incontinence. However, they were also from a very poor backyard breeder and have other health issues too, so it's hard to say for sure what it was that caused it.

I don't know what I will do with a bitch in the future. Unless I was showing her she will definitely be desexed, but I'm yet to decide which age. I will probably wait until she's a good 12 months, although this does depend on the breed, as smaller breeds develop sooner than larger breeds.

Without a doubt when I next have a male I will not desex him until he has fully matured.

[ISDW]

I have spoken to my vet about this a lot. This is going to sound really harsh but, any of my own dogs that I am going to keep will be spayed (or neutered in the case of males) when they are fully mature. A bitch will definitely have at least one season.

However, the dogs that I get in through the rescue are spayed or neutered before they are rehomed, whatever age they are, except in the case of very young pups. It is something that I struggle with ethically, why am I treating rescue dogs differently to my own, but unfortunately you can't depend upon people to comply with rehoming contracts! I rehomed a lovely sibe/GSD pup at 10 weeks way back in December, with a voucher to get her spayed for free. She came back into me on Tuesday, 11 months old, still intact, has just finished a season and I hope to God no dog got to her!

It is a pain having a bitch going through a season, especially when there are males in the household, but I do think it is better for a dog to fully mature before they are desexed.

[Bec]

Yep, Karen, that's the ethical dilemma many rescues and some breeders face here too.

I know one breeder in particular who had a pup she bred end up in a puppy farm, he was rescued but was in the most appalling condition you can imagine and would have bred 100s if not 1000s of pups in the years he was there. He almost died and it was a miracle that he pulled through.

Ever since then every dog be it a pup or an adult that isn't going to a show/breeding home leaves her kennel desexed. I can't blame her for it after her experience.

From what I've read on various forums it does seem that it's far more common to desex early here than it is in the UK. Our RSPCA and most other rescues desex all pups before they leave, because you just cannot trust owners to do the right thing and desex them. And the last thing you want is a rescue of unknown heritage being bred from - so I can understand both sides of the issue.

[ZooVeteran]

hello,

Checking in different languages around the world, it seems now clear that dogs should not be spayed / neutered before 1 year, and it's even up to 2 years for some breeds.

Some research have been made already.

Can you confirm ?

Thank you.

 

[wolfpup]

I may be in the minority,  but my research leads me to believe that canines should remain intact until their growth plates have fused   -  which lends itself to the 1-2 year mark depending on the size of the dog  (the bigger they are the later they should be done).   My research leads me to believe that desexing too early stores up trouble later on with elbow/hip dysplasia etc, I also believe it makes them more prone to arthritis.   They need the hormones whilst they are growing.

I have never had a female dog, only ever males  so have never experienced the problems that come with females.   Marley is a rescue  (as is Mikey) - but he was intact when I got him  and is still intact at nearly 4 years old.   

[2Huskyfun]

Well I am the odd man out. LOL

I have found sooner is best. I spent years spaying and neutering as young as 7 weeks. Even my own personal animals. Never had issues and all of them grew full size and never had hip dysplasia, no cancers, nothing.

If anything waiting until after a heat cycle or two is when there can be issues. Heat cycles thickens it. Longer procedure, longer healing time, and the chances of having issues is way higher.

 Vets charge by weight here. So I truly believe this is to line their pockets and has nothing to do with the betterment of the animal.

 I have seen more issues with waiting for heat cycles and growth then getting it done as soon possible.

 

[BingBlaze n Skyla]

My girl was 2 years and 2 months old when she was spayed,  no health issues what so ever (that link to spaying) just remember when ever you decide to spay you need to wait till at least 3 months after her season ends before you can get her spayed 

[Emma]

When I was asking around different vets about spaying you would think they’d take a similar approach but I actually had different advice which made the decision even more complicated.  

[Luna-tic]

Dr. Karen Becker is quite clear that both sexes should not be spayed until they are around 2 to give time for their hormones to do their work in setting them up for life, if you start removing them too early it seems it causes problems in later life. Both bitches and dogs can be just sterilised, that’s tubes tied rather than complete desexing, all you have to do is find a vet willing and able to carry it out. Lot less invasive for a bitch and keeps them both intact.

here’s a video link for information or a link if you prefer to read - https://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2017/01/11/age-of-spaying-neutering.aspx


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[PaulG]

i have always said if you put a doctor and a vet in the same room and ask them does desexing  cause health problems is fun when you get to medical people  having an argument

I have seen a Doctor call a vet  dumb moron that knows nothing about Biology and should ask for thier money back from the place they studied at.

it is fact desexing cuases many health issues but vets completely ignore these issues and instead say oh they will feel better be healthier. some one i know was told that thier 8 week old playfull puppy was being Hormonal and Agressive and needed to be desexed as fast as possable to stop it being dangerous.  after talking to me my freind changed vets 

[2Huskyfun]

So I am kinda going back and forth with this one.

I have heard everything from desexing curing Rabies to it salving ALL behavioral issues.🥴

Good breeding and well cared for animals can have healthy long lives either way.

I think it is more how an animal is cared for in its younger years. Running a dog too soon (young) , puppies jumping off of high places, and not having the correct nutrients will cause more of an issue on the joints then desexing them. 

Them getting cancer is a crapshoot. I believe the chances of an intact male getting testicle cancer is higher (well, if he doesn’t have the equipment then it would be hard to get cancer there LOL)

Now I did have to neuter my male  “early” because of a nasty behavior. He would ATTACK his sister to mount her and then would attack anyone trying to get him off. All other behavioral issues took training. But I think neutering did help with his ability to not get so nasty which resulted in making training easier.

 I was not going to breed them so there was no need to keep them intact.

None of my dogs ever had any medical issues. All were over 100 lbs so it didn’t stunt their growth, non of them had any joint or hip issues, and lived to be in their mid to late teens. 

The issues and complications  I refer to is... higher chance of dogs getting out (hit by car, breeding unwanted animals) and at times being more aggressive (hormone related aggression).

Medical complications from having it done will be do to an  incompetent vet doing the procedure. Medical issues as far as joint or behavioral or anything else... I just haven’t witnessed it.

The number of dogs coming in with these issues have been 80% intact animals. 

 Which you could argue that most of the 80% are backyard dogs that were never properly cared for.

Just like we need to look at pups that were fixed before this 2 year mark and ask: what was their diet like, how old were they when the owners started taking them on long walks or ran them,  or what about their breeding.

I don’t know. I still think there is not enough evidence to say for sure either way. All I know is my personal experience.

 

 

 

 

[ZooVeteran]

Thank you, it's now so clear that the only correct way is to wait that dogs are adult. I wonder how can anybody believe anything else.

 

[Cali]

Hello all! I am a second time husky owner. My first was a beautiful, two year old Greyhound/husky mix that I adopted from a rescue shelter, when I was living in Alaska. Sadly, cancer took him from me after he turned eleven. He was healthy his whole life, up until two months before his passing. I now have a precious Siberian "chowsky." She is exactly six months old. She was spayed four days ago. 

The dilemma surrounding early desexing had me quite conflicted. I spoke to the vets, and all three advised me that it was time. I have had several dogs, mostly females, over the years. The four were spayed after full maturity. Half had very different medical issues, none relating desexing. One had hip dysplasia. I now have three females. Two are chow chow mixes, and both were spayed at 8-9 months of age. They are only three years of age, and quite healthy. My six month old puppy has also been healthy up to this point.

I am still conflicted and a bit regretful that I spayed her so young. Over the past two days, she seems to have entered another growth spurt. She outgrew her surgical suit overnight! As she was spayed only four days ago, has anyone any legitimate advice in regards to how this might impact her recovery and her future health? I will ask our vet the same, but after listening to those vets, (and then having done more research), my confidence is wavering. Had I found this forum a week ago, I'd have waited until she was at least a year old. Shame on me. Thank you for reading and thanks in advance for any advice! 

- Cali

 

[wolfpup]

I am so sorry for you and your pup  - and wish I had something to say to help you.     For future dogs please wait until the growth plates have fully closed  - around 18 months in a husky - up to 2 years in larger breeds.    Not only does this help prevent things like hip and elbow displaysia, But also the sex hormones do more for the body - especially as the dog is still so young  - not as important once the dog is sexually mature.   They do have a part to play in growth.

I have two boys,  both rescues - one I got at 3 1/2 years already neutered, the other I got at 12 weeks old  he has not been neutered and is currently 6 1/2 years -  never been any issues with him still being intact.      One of my old boys (also a rescue and neutered) still developed cancer in the testicle sac, so vets using this as a reason does not make any sense to me.    I know I am a cynical old biddy  - but vets get up to 2/3 of their income from repeat vaccinations (which are not needed) and desexing our dogs.

I truly hope your lovely little girl suffers no consequences.