How old to spay?

[HighFlyingBird]

All my dogs have been spayed by 12 weeks and all of them out lived their life expectancy by years. None of them have had infections or any major problem related to it.

My 15 year old dog now was spayed at 10 or 12 weeks and she has no medical problems and never has (besides grain intolerance in her later years).

[HighFlyingBird]

I fostered several mom dogs and sometimes their litters. They hate it. Make sure they prevent pregnancy.

[simplepeace]

Personally I will never spay or neuter before the age of 2 again. I would not recommend it for most people, because you must be so vigilant.
Actually, I have only recommend waiting for a friend who has a tiny chihuahua who will top out at 5 pounds, and never even goes outside alone for a minute. They waited until 9 months, and 4 pounds. Their vet agreed, and wanted to wait as well.

Someone I know is showing their first dog (male) and has people constantly saying let him off leash when they are in a field, for example, and they just won't take a chance. The dog has acreage at home and gets plenty of exercise. It really does take that kind of vigilance.
When they are done showing him he will be neutered right away.

My youngest (female) didn't have her first heat until about 18 months (no silent heats - no nothing) so I was paranoid for a good part of the time I finally had her spayed at 2 1/2 because the second one didn't show up by then. And I had 2 extra dogs in the house (not my own).

Honestly it wasn't that bad at all (know some are worse than others) my neutered males only paid any attention to her for 2-3 days, which was a great gauge. The underpants were needed for about a week, and otherwise it was the crate and I washed daily bedding.

I did have a dog who had urinary incontinence at about age 12 (spayed at 6 months - not super early) she died at 14 and most of that time I was able to keep it under control with herbs. But part of that time I lived in an apartment, and I was always madly trying to get her to sleep on a mat that had a rubberized back. She only leaked when she slept, however I have read that this could have been due to spaying at 6 Months. It was A lot more work than having a heat cycle.

It makes me a little nuts when people repeat old wives tales about neutering/spaying etc.... My GSD acts like a puppy (very goofy), and rarely marks, and he was neutered at age 2. I received SO much grief for waiting to neuter him (from people who had fat, pee marking dogs). I thought later I should have lied because no one could tell by looking. I had read it could help to delay his hip dysplasia, and I did everything I could to delay that. My vets have all agreed with my decisions to wait.

[maggiekate]

Originally Posted by SoCalMomma

I think we are going to do it at about 6.5-7 months. I have done a bunch of reading and I dont see a huge benefit of waiting. Her doggy mom had her first heat about 8.5 months, so I think its save to go about 7 months. If I see signs earlier, I will get her in. I dont want to risk her getting pregnant. She is never out of our sight, but you just never know. I hear male dogs from all over can smell it and will jump a 6 ft fence to get to a female..

So thank you all for your input.

I did it age 6 months to 5-why she was not for show so I went for her vet to do best for her life

[maggiekate]

Originally Posted by SoCalMomma

I think we are going to do it at about 6.5-7 months. I have done a bunch of reading and I dont see a huge benefit of waiting. Her doggy mom had her first heat about 8.5 months, so I think its save to go about 7 months. If I see signs earlier, I will get her in. I dont want to risk her getting pregnant. She is never out of our sight, but you just never know. I hear male dogs from all over can smell it and will jump a 6 ft fence to get to a female..

So thank you all for your input.

True way back a puppy a cute GS anyway what did we know: dogs from all over and the cat and a dog came to her rescue. The cat was on the tree, the dog a friend to her off they did go.

the dog got fixed and all was well as the cat did say we are friends why I did help!

[Scooby Snacks]

Originally Posted by Jellybean50

Have been going thru huge discussions and debates on this just recently.

I have a large breed this time around - Cane Corso (Italian Mastiff).

Breeders say to wait til 18 mos to two years! My vet wanted to spay her at 6 mos. I Googled, and read, and discussed every place online i could find, along with my vet.

Supposedly early spay in the large breeds gives a chance of bone cancer or smaller growth of the dog (THAT does not bother me, the cancer would of course).

My vet has been our family vet for 20 yrs. They have always given me great advice, included natural treatments, and not done things "for money" often not even charging full price. I do trust them very much. He's been chomping at the bit to spay her, since she's now 9 mos old. I finally scheduled it for next month.

She had a bit of an infection for a while (when she peed, there was a drip) but it healed. He had originally said that if it continued, we would let her have one heat and then spay. But it cleared up.

You will find many advocates for later spaying, but it comes down to you making your own choice. Do you want to deal with the male dogs and being sure NOT ONE of them gets near your female? The panties/diapers? I've heard it's a full-time job when they're in heat. (as for the moods - i've heard ex-tra clingy and lovey, and mushy lol)

Always have had my other females done at 6 mos. and they've lived long and healthy. Wish you the best in your decision.

Great Dane owner here. I've always spayed them young too (age 5-7 months). I know they say wait until later now, but there is contradictory information on everything nowadays, so I do what works for me and my pups. Ironically, the only Dane I've had trouble with was the one who was spayed older: my 6 1/2 year old girl was spayed at age 3, and she got fat right after the spay when she was svelte and sleek before. I have to measure her food and feed her twice a day to keep her weight under control. None of my other 6 Danes ever had a weight problem, and they lived long, happy lives.

[hiero2]

I find it odd - several responders describe a dog being in heat as messy. My mother was a breeder, so I was around bi****s in heat on a regular basis. I never saw it as a messy process. We humans, by contrast, have a very messy time with menstruation. I recall occasionally, but rarely, seeing minimal spotting associated with a heat.

On the other hand, every male dog in the neighborhood knew when a bi**h was in heat. And the boys would all vocalize, and they would try to get to her. So it wasn't trouble free.

As for behavior differences - neutering has major behavior changes. I've never seen any behavior change from spaying. I could not even guess why - but that is what I have observed.

I have neutered and spayed for many years - but I now find myself thinking that my dogs don't really benefit from this practice. AMOF, I'm thinking it isn't good for them. I don't like the behavior changes in the males - and I have come to think that if the males are so negatively effected - then what about the females? Just because I have not noticed a behavior change doesn't mean something has not happened.