Age for spaying a bitch

PorkChop

PorkChop

Well-Known Member
Joined
11 June 2010
Messages
10,646
Location
Scotland
Visit site
Is it acceptable to spay a bitch before her first season?

I have spoken to my Vet with regards to this and he has said that they usually spay after their first season, but he would be happy to spay anytime over 6 months old. Are there really any benefits to waiting until after their first season, or later?

What are people's opinion on this please?

The breed of the puppy in question is Rottweiler.

Many thanks.
 
Personally, I don't spay till my bitch has had one, preferably two seasons. Hormones etc are needed to help the bitch grow and develop. It is easy enough to keep an in season bitch away from entire dogs during the 3 weeks she is in season. I must stress, this is my own personal view. My vet wanted to spay my Lab before she was 6 months old, saying it was an easier operation the younger she was. Therefore it would also be cheaper. I changed my vet...
 
I wouldnt spay a Rottie that young, far better to let her develop normally, spaying too young often leads to leggy individuals and can also cause incontinence.Rotties are quite a hefty breed and can develop hip and cruciate problems so I would want to have as much in my favour as possible. Our Lancashire Heeler which is a small breed and has had 2 seasons will be spayed March time which is half way between her next season.
 
2-4 months after their first season is what we suggest as being ideal, it is now believed that they need to have a season to gain the full benefit of hormones that are produced during the season, these hormones encourage the correct growth, development and physical maturity. where i work we will not spey before a first season because of the above, research has also shown that with every season the likely hood of mammary cancer increases slightly. leaving it till after the first season also allows means the bitch is bigger at the time of surgery meaning it is easier for the vet to be more accurate reducing the change of incontinence
 
Please read the following article by Christine Zink http://www.caninesports.com/uploads/1/5/3/1/15319800/spay_neuter_considerations_2013.pdf
This is a research based article about the effects of spaying and neutering dogs at a young age. Rottweilers that are neutered under 1 year of age have an increased incidence of developing bone cancer.
My first Flatcoat was spayed at 6 months before her first season and she developed bone cancer at 8 years old. I would never spay that young again but would wait until a bitch has at least 1 season if not 2 seasons.
 
Both my girls were spayed before their first season :o My Springer was spayed at approx 9 months, she is 3 now. My jrt was spayed at a similar age, she is now 13 1/2. Neither have suffered any adverse effects from it.
 
We tend to spay 3 months post first season. Although if requested we have no issue in spaying before the first season. There are pros and cons to both. Xxx
 
Everyone will have varied opinion, you have to make you own decision.
I would not spay a rotti until at least 14 months of age or any large breed as suggested to allow the growth plates to close naturally to prevent un natural growth and the risk of bone cancers later in life esp breeds more prone. I don't think I would go over 18 months mind as spaying younger imo still outways the benefits of not and I certainly would never not spay at all.
However.......
A small to medium breed I have no issues doing so before a first season or under a year.
This I base upon my own experience however. I deal with enough dogs now to see the ending/lasting effects of neutering to breed/size etc to have made an/my informed choice. (just my humble opinion though)
Funnily enough many years ago when they where pups I had 2 of my rescues neutered very young both large breed one a deerhound and they where my longest living dogs at 15 and 16 (I lost them both in the last 2 years) and never seen a vet in their lives (even though I work there) THIS said now I would wait longer with any large breed.
 
TelH said:
Both my girls were spayed before their first season :o My Springer was spayed at approx 9 months, she is 3 now. My jrt was spayed at a similar age, she is now 13 1/2. Neither have suffered any adverse effects from it.
Click to expand...

I would have no issues having either of those breeds spayed at those ages:)
 
I wouldn't spay a large breed until they are fully mature, and would always wait till after the first season no matter what the breed. I am still undecided when I will have Freya done, she hasn't had a season yet anyway, but I think I will probably leave her until she is 18 months - 2 years.
 
My crossbreed (lab x ? Some sort of terrier I think) was spayed at 6 months shes 13 on the 21st jan healthy (apart from her atopic dermatitis which she's always had) and as fit as a flea my lurcher bitch was spayed in the summer at 4 1/2 after her litter her daughter whom I kept will be spayed after her 1st season x
 
My bitch was spayed a few months after her first season. She became incontinent at five years old. She's on daily medication.
 
you reduce your risk of cancer significantly by spaying beore the first season-but possibly very slightly increase the risk of incontinence ( a risk anyway). Larger breeds males are more prone to bone tumours if neutered early-I haven't seen anything about females. With all this in mind I would be inclined to giver her one season and then spay.
 
I've had three whippets
All bitches all un spayed
First pts age 8 injury related
My black un age 8 in may in good health hav approx 8 mth cycles
Also I hav amost 3 yo not spayed
I think it depends on the breed of bitch weather to spay early or not I wud personally advice to spay after a second season if possible
Some whippets don't even hav a first season until well over a year old and not in heard if some going over the age if two having their first
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top