Neutering 8 week old puppies......

the rspca policy (found on another forum)

Thank you for your enquiry.

Neutering at six weeks only occurs at our Greater Manchester Animal Hospital and only under exceptional circumstances.

David Yates, director of the RSPCA's Greater Manchester Animal Hospital, said:

"Neutering dogs at six weeks old may sound upsetting to people, but we can reassure them that it is only done in a limited number of cases, for absolutely genuine reasons, and with positive results - offering those animals a chance to be quickly rehomed and given a loving home.

In Manchester in the 80s/90s, we had a major over-population problem with cats and dogs - unplanned mating, large numbers being put down, animal centres saturated, high numbers of road traffic accidents and high incidence of mammary tumours. While these are still problem issues, early neutering helps counter them, and must be judged against the alternatives.

Our policy is based fully on sound, peer-reviewed science. There are many benefits associated with early neutering. In fact, it can be better for the animals' welfare - for example the surgery is quicker, there are fewer complications, and the experience is less traumatic when it's carried out on young dogs.

"All RSPCA dogs are neutered before they are rehomed, with the exception of a few breeds which some evidence shows are more prone to incontinence after spaying. By carrying out the procedure as early as possible, we reduce the time the animal has to spend in a stressful kennel environment and are able to get them settled into a loving new home more quickly.

"The RSPCA re-homes thousands of unwanted dogs and puppies every year, and we recommend neutering as a good way to help reduce the problem of unwanted litters. If scientific evidence showed that this policy was wrong, then obviously - obviously - we would reconsider. But at the moment we are dealing with a very real problem with a sympathetic, practical and scientifically-backed policy."

The RSPCA generally neuters 'owned' dogs at around 12-14 weeks of age. At the Greater Manchester Animal Hospital, up to 50 stray/abandoned dogs a year are neutered at six weeks of age."

Thank you again for your concern.

Kind regards
RSPCA Enquiries Service
 
Vizslak said:
Ah I see sorry, I thought we were talking a male for some reason. In which case, I'm not suprised. I personally would expect to see adverse behavioural effects from such early neutering in a bitch.
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I'll update the post on the puppy behaviour, classes start on Sunday, however I am likely to be at a show all day so will probably be next Sunday.
 
As sad as it is, or maybe just a shame? that the minority cant be trused to neuter a rescue, some folk are hell bent on breeding left right and center and being a rescue makes no difference to some complete thick headed money greedy morons. As much as I agree 8 weeks is to young, I also agree people are ignorant.;)
There is no real eveidence to suggest that the puppy is aggressive/snappy/nippy because of this early neutering, I have see many a display of early attitude from entire puppies and find the breed is more of a common denominator and the hands they are in. Breeding and living environment will also play a strong part.
Contracts are not fail safe either, we have contracted dogs where the adopters have decided they dont want their prized rescue neutering:rolleyes:, in bo cases we took legal action and removed the dogs, obs the dogs where so prized they where worth losing:rolleyes: and fair enough we don't neuter at 8 weeks, but we do now hang onto the puppy until its old enough to neuter, and we certainly may differ there too;) the puppy limbo always amuses me, I defintely think I would have seen evidence of this with the amount of dogs we deal with inc my own, the growth issue with larger breeds inc labradoodles if from a standard poodle of course is an issue here I believe. But all in all 8 weeks is to young, but neutering is best;):p
 
Our Dogs covers the behavioural problems of early neutering this Friday. Two things immediately spring to mind..the almost exact certainty that bitches will need Propalin for urine dribble..will someone taking on a rescue pay out for this forever drug?Will the insurance companies ,at some point ,refuse to pay out for this problem in early neutered bitches? Also,secondly,a dog`s growth plates are`nt firmly attached until ten months in my breed,probably later in bigger breeds.How will the body cope without the hormonal levels "instructing" the time of attachment?Again,will the insurance companies duck out of skeletal problems possibly linked to early neutering? They would be within their rights here,they won`t pay out for treatment related to non vaccination after all..:confused:
 
EAST KENT said:
Our Dogs covers the behavioural problems of early neutering this Friday. Two things immediately spring to mind..the almost exact certainty that bitches will need Propalin for urine dribble..will someone taking on a rescue pay out for this forever drug?Will the insurance companies ,at some point ,refuse to pay out for this problem in early neutered bitches? Also,secondly,a dog`s growth plates are`nt firmly attached until ten months in my breed,probably later in bigger breeds.How will the body cope without the hormonal levels "instructing" the time of attachment?Again,will the insurance companies duck out of skeletal problems possibly linked to early neutering? They would be within their rights here,they won`t pay out for treatment related to non vaccination after all..:confused:
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Don't normally but doggie magazines (normally get them 2nd hand off the trainer!!!), but think I might try and track down a copy on Friday.
 
I don't think insurance would get into such detail to be honest, I think you would have more chance of them refusing to pay out to an entire dog/bitch with direct un arguable conditions like pyometra and testicular cancer which is obviously in no doubt related to the dog/bitch being left entire.....where as incontinence is actually very popular in older entire bitches aswell as neutered and equally skeletal issues can also be seen in bad breeding/over exercise in puppies/miss matched cross breeds:rolleyes: so again very difficult for the insurance to prove this either. I have actually seen insurance refuse to pay out for a pyo, it was deemed preventible!
As it stands overall it's cheaper to insure a neutered dog.
Obs the argument is still, that 8 weeks is to young and waiting for growth is ideal.
 
Just resurrecting this thread.....

Today I picked up an 8 week old Australian Labradoodle puppy from a local family.
They bought him last Friday....but it turns out that their son is severely allergic.
The breeder refused to take him back - hence a FB appeal and him coming to me.
I have all of his paperwork and I am astounded to read that he has been neutered already :o
I have NEVER heard of an 8 week old puppy being neutered before? I have 3 other dogs and all were neutered at 6,10 & 14 months. I have absolutely NO intention of breeding - but to neuter this young seems barbaric to me.
Anyone else received such a young puppy that has already been neutered?
Poor little scrap...I am surprised that they found his plums to do the op....
 
I've not read all the posts on this thread, so this may have been covered, but just as with colts, early gelding will often result in the animal growing on beyond its true potential. I always find that over-sized horses, dogs and people too, those who are truly over their genetically dictated (right word?) height, are never truly representative and tend to be rather awkward and not that well coordinated. I know of a couple of greyhound dogs, as an example, and they were both cut VERY early, they are absolute monsters, but couldn't catch a cold.

Alec.
 
Interesting Alec - thank you.

My 4 year old Labradoodle is absolutely huge....but was neutered at 12 months. I suppose I am just worried that having his little plums done so early may have a detrimental affect.
 
Sad that rescues have to do this as people can't be trusted not to breed dogs. I had my jrt done at 12 months and wished I had waited a bit longer tbh. I don't think I will get my Lakeland terrier done. He's is only 8 months so too early anyway but as of yet he hasn't started marking the house etc and all the other dogs are neutered so I may just leave him. 8 weeks is just ridiculously young to neuter a dog :( it must be detrimental to their development in someway mentally and physically?
 
Always Henesy said:
Just resurrecting this thread.....

Today I picked up an 8 week old Australian Labradoodle puppy from a local family.
They bought him last Friday....but it turns out that their son is severely allergic.
The breeder refused to take him back - hence a FB appeal and him coming to me.
I have all of his paperwork and I am astounded to read that he has been neutered already :o
I have NEVER heard of an 8 week old puppy being neutered before? I have 3 other dogs and all were neutered at 6,10 & 14 months. I have absolutely NO intention of breeding - but to neuter this young seems barbaric to me.
Anyone else received such a young puppy that has already been neutered?
Poor little scrap...I am surprised that they found his plums to do the op....
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Sounds like a wonderful breeder, get's them neutered early, (this part I am assuming) charging a fortune a cross breed dog that they haven't even bothered to have the necessary tests done on the hair to confirm if it's an anti-allegry dog, and then won't take the pup back.
Joe Bloggs public needs educated in general about buying puppies and what questions should be getting asked of the breeder and what should be getting looked out for when visiting the puppies.
Just wondering with the comment about finding his plums to do the op, it's a very good point, would this make the op more invasive as clearly they wouldn't have dropped??
 
Always Henesy said:
Interesting Alec - thank you.

My 4 year old Labradoodle is absolutely huge....but was neutered at 12 months. I suppose I am just worried that having his little plums done so early may have a detrimental affect.
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I've offered my views on canine neutering before, and ad-nauseum so there's little point in repeating myself!

If a dog is to be castrated however, then I would think that 12 months was quite soon enough. My point about particularly early castration would really refer to puppies which would be pre-six months. At the pre-three month stage, regardless of my view of castration in general, I believe this to be needlessly invasive and approaching abuse. Dogs are growing at such a rate at this stage that to castrate before nine months would surely have a debilitating effect and I know that Aru is a qualified Vet, and am wondering if she has an opinion.

Alec.
 
This is a very interesting thread. I have come into contact with a couple of male dogs that were castrated at an early age. Both were extremely immature for their age, as if they were mentally in a perpetual state of puppy hood. Sad to see actually.

I think it is shameful that puppies that young are neutered. I would never buy from a breeder that did this and I would never knowingly use a vet that performed such operations.
 
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