Spaying - at what age ???

[rickfayer]

My puppy has just turned 7 months old. I have heard many different views of at what age to spay. I have heard from 4 months to never, I also heard that there is a pill that stops the bleeding so you do not have to spay.
Time is flying and I need some good advise fast.
Thanks...

 

[BluwaterNewfs]

First of - 'the pill' you are talking about causes many side effects and unless there is a medical reason to not to spay and a medical need to stop the bleeding I would not give use.

THere are studies that say you should weight until the growth plates are closed before doing a spay/neuter so they get the benefits of the hormones. Vet usually tell you before the first heat lowers the chances of breast cancer.

The best thing you can do is talk to your breeder. Your breeder know their lines and their growth of their dogs the best.

 

[Jorge's mum]

I think you are supposed to let them grow first or at least have a first season, but I am not an expert.

 

[4ondafloor]

I wouldn't consider a spay for a female until at least two years of age.
A vet who isn't studied on the breed will tell you differently and I would be cautious about that.
Some do it earlier some wait.
Regardless of when it gets done the main thing, and I think all would agree, is to wait until she has reached her full growth.
There are a lot of threads in the history. Feel free to browse and read.

 

[BlackLightning]

We came across this issue with our vet a while back when Ayasha was about 4 months or so. The vet kept pushing to have her spayed at 6 months and cited the typical reasons vets do for spaying this early. She was worried about Ayasha's eventual size and the drugs it would take to knock her out at an older age. Our breeder and us have a different plan for Ayasha than our vet. We are waiting until she is much older, about 18 months to 2 years of age. We know this means going through a cycle, but we are much more comfortable with our decision based on our breeder's expertise as well as the threads I have read on here.

In the end, it is your call and not your vets. I had to put my foot down a bit with our vet and explain that while we appreciated her knowledge, based on our discussions with our breeder and their extensive knowledge of the breed we are waiting. At least she has let it go and is not persisting.

 

[Thule's Mom]

There's talk now that spaying/neutering too early has an impact on the instances of torn cruciates too. Then there's the coat problems with spaying too early. I'm told the thinking among some vets now is to wait until they're at least finished growing.

I don't think I'll ever spay another dog at 6 months again!

Deb & Thule

 

[Kelridge]

Its funny - the very FIRST thing my one Vet asked me when she met Luci for the 1st time was if I wanted to schedule her spaying for Oct (when she turned 6 months)...It was THE FIRST sentence out of her mouth! She never asked me any questions about what food I was feeding her - any vaccinations or prior dewormings she may have had done - did not even ask for a stool sample (I automatically brought one) The second was handing me a sample pack from IAMS dog food (and I feed RAW! g>).....as far as I was concerned, it was like talking to a Robot straight out of Vet school!

Needless to say, her next visits were with a DIFFERENT Doctor in the practice.....and he was SO much better. I did not want to say anything about the other Vet - but I make sure now that if I schedule an appt, I make the appt with the Doctor I want!

 

[courtney77]

We just spayed Steely at 13 months old about a month and a half after her first heat.

 

[CMDRTED]

We made a mistake and spayed Ethel too early, due to not knowing any better, Oreo came to use spayed at 13 months (rescue girl). Ricky turned 2 1/2, and will be k-snip-ped soon.

 

[R Taft]

we had to spay at fourteen months....If I had a choice it would be 18-24 months

 

[4ondafloor]

I urge you to read from the archives. There are some wise and noble owls (so to speak) here on NN that you can gleen some very valuable information from.

 

[Jorge's mum]

some rescues in the UK spay at 12 wks old- which I totally disagree with