Assisting Decision-Making on Age of Neutering for 35 Breeds of Dogs: Associated Joint Disorders, Cancers, and Urinary Incontinence

Very interesting read. I asked the 5 best rated vets in my areas whether they'd spay at 6 months just to see what they said, 4 of them said they'd spay that early no problems. I went with the vets who said they wouldn't, they were my favourite anyway but it was interesting
 
SAujia, the vets in my practice will spay and neuter at 6 months if the owners want that. Like I said, many people are too irresponsible to have intact animals, especially bitches, in the USA. But they don't give people flack if they want to keep their animals intact.
 
Ffee will be off to be done as soon as there is confirmation of no more shooting this year. I don't think there will be I would just feel a bit silly having her out of action and suddenly get the green light. I kept her entire as a breeding proposition but I don't think she is quite sharp enough for me to want a pup from her.
 
splashgirl45 said:
very interesting article, my puppy is small and her breeds seem to be ok. i will have her spayed after her first or second season, preferably when she is over a year old..
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I will be following a similar path, won't spay before 18 months but my 10 month old Labrador still hasn't had her first season yet. If Clover and I handle the first season well I might let her have a second and then spay. Risks of pyometra mean I'd prefer her not to have more than two seasons. There is so much more to it than what I first thought. Until I researched I had intended to spay at 6 months
 
SAujla said:
I will be following a similar path, won't spay before 18 months but my 10 month old Labrador still hasn't had her first season yet. If Clover and I handle the first season well I might let her have a second and then spay. Risks of pyometra mean I'd prefer her not to have more than two seasons. There is so much more to it than what I first thought. Until I researched I had intended to spay at 6 months
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as mine is tiny she should be fully grown by a year, def dont want her done any younger than that. my collie cross was done at 2 1/2 the same as my lurcher as they are slower to mature so agree that it will be good for your lab to be done a bit later if you can manage to...
 
We had Luna spayed at 15 months. Ideally we wanted to wait until she was 18 months, but her seasons dictated otherwise.

Bo was 4 and entire when we got him. We knew when we got him we would neuter, and our vet advised giving him a few months to settle in first, which we did.
 
splashgirl45 said:
as mine is tiny she should be fully grown by a year, def dont want her done any younger than that. my collie cross was done at 2 1/2 the same as my lurcher as they are slower to mature so agree that it will be good for your lab to be done a bit later if you can manage to...
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If I can manage is the key part, I don't care about the blood it's just helping her through it and more importantly keeping her safe. If I could wait until 2 years then that would be perfect but like TheresaW posted above it does depend on when she has her first season. If she had it now, I'd let her have another at 16 months and spay around 19-20 months
 
SAujla said:
If I can manage is the key part, I don't care about the blood it's just helping her through it and more importantly keeping her safe. If I could wait until 2 years then that would be perfect but like TheresaW posted above it does depend on when she has her first season. If she had it now, I'd let her have another at 16 months and spay around 19-20 months
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Luna had her first bang on 6 months old. We expected her second at 12 months, and were happy to let her have a third to time it right. Her second was later, and although we kept her safe, it was a lot tougher on her than her first, hence we spayed a little earlier than planned. I will say it’s had no negative affects.
 
TheresaW said:
Luna had her first bang on 6 months old. We expected her second at 12 months, and were happy to let her have a third to time it right. Her second was later, and although we kept her safe, it was a lot tougher on her than her first, hence we spayed a little earlier than planned. I will say it’s had no negative affects.
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In what ways was it tougher if you don't mind me asking?
 
She was much more clingy more than anything. She’s quite an independent madam generally. We also still had our old (neutered) boy, and she wouldn’t leave him alone.
 
TheresaW said:
She was much more clingy more than anything. She’s quite an independent madam generally. We also still had our old (neutered) boy, and she wouldn’t leave him alone.
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That must have been hard for him as well? My breeder said my pups mother gets very clingy during season as well so maybe Clover will follow that pattern as well.
 
The urge to mate is as strong in bitches as in males. I would say generally the first season is a ‘doddle’ after that there is more blood, more emotion and more everything.
Ours were always done after the first until the last two.
 
This is an interesting article sd, thanks for posting.
Juno was slated at 18 months, after her second season. It was hard keeping her exercised away from other dogs for her seasons which seemed to be interminable, otherwise we would have waited longer.
Rocky has not yet been neutered, he was slightly too young when he was at the rescue, but we will be getting him done in the near future, he's now about a year old.
 
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Me too in leaving a male entire unless you have to neuter to comply with rescue rules I don't usually spay females as have never had a problem with seasons girls never altered and didn't know they were in season until the blood. Have had Willow spayed as she was under a general for a lump removal and it seemed a good idea at the time. It wasn't, worst decision ever made but each to their own
 
I also leave boys entire, but spey my bitches after 1 or 2 seasons unless they are breeding candidates. We definitely see a lot more mammary tumours in non speyed or late speyed bitches plus it's a pain with not being able to trial.
No real medical reasons to castrate, IMO, it's more behavioural.
 
surely if males are left entire they feel the need to mate? i find it really irritating when people dont want to neuter their male dogs but tell those of us with bitches we should neuter. i have all of mine neutered whether male or female but it still annoys me as it makes it more difficult for me to exercise my female while in season as i dont agree with neutering too early and its not fair to keep a bitch at home just because she is in season. i obviously choose quiet places at those times and avoid other dogs as much as possible, but people with entire dogs moan if i walk my bitch as they have to keep theirs on the lead otherwise he would follow mine..
 
There are far more cons to neutering males than reasons to do so. If you choose not to it is then up to you to make sure your dog is not a nuisance I have kept entires of both sexes at the same time in the same room of the house. Bit like stallions living next to mares training is key
 
I started leaving my boys intact about 15 years ago. I figure the only reason to castrate is if there is a problem that can only be fixed by castrating. That said Wojo was neutered at six because he wanted to kill Star. Rudy is still intact at 10.
I spay my girls either after they are done being bred or after a few heat seasons. I spay because I worry too much about a pyometra. I wanted to leave Freddie intact longer but between her being a hussy and Rudy singing love songs I did it after 2 seasons.
 
An interesting article! Laska was spayed by the rescue at just over six months old. She has a juvenile vulva and repeated urine infections. Would she have developed more if she had gone through a couple of seasons? I suppose it's a possibility.
 
jumbyjack, Laska would have almost certainly avoided those problems if she'd gone through a few seasons. It isn't an uncommon problem in bitches spayed before their first heat.
 
Thanks for posting this study - very helpful. We are currently deciding when to neuter our puppy, who is the son of our bitch. We don't intend to spay her for a while yet, if at all, but for us having both entire is completely impractical and just not fair on either. We are likely to need to get through at least one season with them both entire, but the question is how long after that first one?

For those who have kept entire dogs of opposite sexes, do you have any advice? It's a new situation for us so it would be much appreciated!

Also, any advice on when to neuter the male would be appreciated as well - there seems to be some strong opinions on this and a lot of experience too so I would be keen to hear thoughts.
 
I think the easiest way to keep the two is to keep them apart if you fully intend to neuter your dog then putting him in kennels might be the answer until he is old enough to neuter. I wouldnt neuter but make sure you have a safe space in your home so they cannot mix and use knickers on the bitch for the full time she is in season even if he doesnt seem interested. It is a very short time in the grand scheme of thing but it is a pain in the neck. Might be worth discussing the pros and cons of contraceptives too if it is just a delaying tactic. We crated the bitch in the kitchen and the dog in the living room and trained him not to fuss. He was a stud dog so was keen it worked well too well as he would only mate in one place and preferably without an audience unless it was a visiting bitch
 
There is a drug, I can't remember the name, that will keep the bitch from coming into season. I gave it to Sunny after her second litter so that I could do some trialing with her. AKC doesn't allow bitches in season to do much, conformation and some tracking tests depending on the test giving club. Anyway, the drug wasn't inexpensive but we did get one more litter from her and then I had her spayed.
 
We have always waited until about eighteen months with the bitches .
I always have a dog with don’t neuter although we have in the past when we have ended up with more than two dogs .
 
Apercrumbie said:
Thanks for posting this study - very helpful. We are currently deciding when to neuter our puppy, who is the son of our bitch. We don't intend to spay her for a while yet, if at all, but for us having both entire is completely impractical and just not fair on either. We are likely to need to get through at least one season with them both entire, but the question is how long after that first one?

For those who have kept entire dogs of opposite sexes, do you have any advice? It's a new situation for us so it would be much appreciated!

Also, any advice on when to neuter the male would be appreciated as well - there seems to be some strong opinions on this and a lot of experience too so I would be keen to hear thoughts.
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BITD neutering was not a thing and we all had entires together. We did until maybe 20 years ago. Just be vigilant about shutting doors and accept there will be stress for the few days the bitch is fertile.
If you asked my opinion, which you didn’t ?, I’d spay the bitch unless you intend another litter.
 
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