How old to spay?

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Polos Mum

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We've a puppy and vets have booked her in to spay next week (23rd Feb) she was born 29th Sept - so she won't even be 5 months, been a long time since I had a young dog - is this a little young?
 
Most informed opiion is spay at the age they have about finished growing. This is usually between 10 months & two years.
There are no advantages to spaying earlier & several good reasons for waiting.
 
2-4 months after the first season is believed to be best by most vets. each season creates a change in hormones and increases (very slightly) the risk of certain cancers. there is more risk of damage to other structures when they are underdeveloped (prior to first season) and urinary incontinence can occur more frequently-it is very rare if bitches are a bit older (post first season).
 
Three months after first season, or sometimes with immature breeds I have let them have two seasons. I don't understand this trend for spaying puppies.
 
I've just had Daisy done, and she's just over a year old. She's a small breed and I was recommended by my vet to have her done after her first season.
 
The vets I worked with preferred spaying before their first heat because the blood vessels were smaller making the procedure simpler and less prone to complications. They are also less likely to have other problems such as pyometra which makes the procedure difficult. A lot of shelters will do it as early as 2 months, there are no issues with this.
 
I had my ESS done at 6 months, she had not had a season. We always knew we never intended to breed so had to reason to wait, out vet said there was no reason to wait on medical grounds and he was happy to go ahead. No ill effects and would do the same again. I think much depends on your vet, some prefer one way, some another.
 
Three months after a season but not too close to a season.
Four & a half months will mean the reproductive system is not active wheras closer to six months a season could be imminent.

Spaying, or castrating, early can interfere with growth & development. The larger the dog the later it should be done - after first or second season.
The cancer risk the vets quote is not valid and has been disproved in the few studies that have been done. Certainly a spayed bitch won't get ovarian cancer a bit like castration preventing cancer of the testicles.
Some vets it seems like to get in early so they get the money rather than it going to another practice later on.
 
I was also advised to wait until after the first season. Although it was hard work keeping her away from male dogs when she had her season! She has just been done.
 
nianya said:
The vets I worked with preferred spaying before their first heat because the blood vessels were smaller making the procedure simpler and less prone to complications. They are also less likely to have other problems such as pyometra which makes the procedure difficult. A lot of shelters will do it as early as 2 months, there are no issues with this.
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shelters do it because there is then no risk of re-homing the dog and it ending up in pup, for them the extra risk (which is real but not massive) is worth taking.
my understanding is that the blood vessels are only enlarge during a season and for a week or so each side of it.
 
s4sugar said:
Three months after a season but not too close to a season.
Four & a half months will mean the reproductive system is not active wheras closer to six months a season could be imminent.

Spaying, or castrating, early can interfere with growth & development. The larger the dog the later it should be done - after first or second season.
The cancer risk the vets quote is not valid and has been disproved in the few studies that have been done. Certainly a spayed bitch won't get ovarian cancer a bit like castration preventing cancer of the testicles.
Some vets it seems like to get in early so they get the money rather than it going to another practice later on.
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I agree with all of this except the cancer risk-do you have some research that shows this?
 
its good to read people getting their bitches spayed.even though i breed poodles (toys and miniatures) they all get spayed after had a few litters whether they stay with me or get rehomed.i really could not deal with having an unspayed ex breeder or one of the pet ones about in season and risk an unwanted litters.spaying is a god send.
 
I would wait until she was 6 months personally, no problem with doing her then but super young there is an increased risk of incontinence post op - after 6 months its pretty negligible..
 
Personally I would wait until 3 months after the first season. My friend had a bitch (cocker spaniel) spayed before 6 months and before first season and unfortunately it got cancer and has now died. Vets said it was more than likely the spaying which 'brought out' cancerous cells in her?? That was their prognosis. I'd never heard that before. Maybe it would have happened whenever she was spayed. It has all been very sad.
 
SusieT said:
…….. there is an increased risk of incontinence post op - after 6 months its pretty negligible..
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There is an increased and substantial risk of incontinence regardless of the age, post op. It's the view of many that under the age of 6 months, it should be illegal.

Should you take the advice of your vet, OP, then what they and you are planning, at such a tender age, is tantamount to mutilation.

Alec.
 
Firstly.....just checking....that you have no intention of showing? (Effect on coat plus needing KC permission to continue showing.)

Secondly, I would personally wait until physical and mental maturity before spaying (when that is varies from breed to breed and is later the larger the breed).

Thirdly, I would wait until the bitch had had at least TWO seasons. Why? Because it is easiest/lowest risk to spay when the bitch is HALF way between seasons as then there is less blood in the reproductive organs. (The blood diminishes post season and then builds again prior to the next season.) The time honoured advice to spay two/three months after a season is based on the theory that all bitches cycle every six months. Sadly, they don't all read the same text book! :D Soooo, unless you know the frequency of when your bitch cycles it's impossible to know when she is half way and therefore when it is safest.
 
'There is an increased and substantial risk of incontinence regardless of the age, post op.'
There is an increased risk but it is not substantial - doing extra young increases the risk. After about 6 months the risk doesn't change.
Doing before the first season reduces the risk of mammary cancer. before the second doesn't reduce the risk as much but still reduces it somewhat, after the second season you loose the dramatic reduction in risk of mammary cancer.
 
Absolutely no scientific basis behind this, but we had Chlo done at 6 months, before her first season, on vet advice. She had horrendous hip dysplasia and all sorts of other problems (allergies, stomach upsets, eventual organ failure) and I do always wonder whether spaying early was a contributing factor.

Next time round, I will wait til after their first season at the very least.
 
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