When to spay

[Grey_Arab]

So my lovely little lady is nearly 5 months old, and she is going to be spayed but I am undecided as to when to do it...
either at 6 months, no season
or wait for a season and then another three months...
(the vets that we use say 6 months but dog trainer who I trust down to the ground says season)
So I was wondering what other peoples opinions are?
She is a labrador BTW

 

[Cinnamontoast]

I've always heard after the second season if you can hold off.

 

[MurphysMinder]

My concern with spaying at 6 months before a season is that you do not know if the season is imminent, which makes the spay a more complicated op. Also as she is a lab she won't be fully grown or mature at 6 months, so I personally would wait until she is at least a year old, and has had one or maybe 2 seasons.

 

[Bosworth]

I have just had my whippet girly spayed, she is 14 months old, and no season yet, but she is mature, and I have an entire bedlington dog. Keeping them apart would be stressful for her and I decided to spay to stop her being mated and to reduce the stress for both dog and bitch. Nonny was spayed on Friday and had her dew claws removed. She came round very easily and has not been in any discomfort following the op. Each situation needs to be assessed on its own merits, but I certainly would never have a dog or bitch neutered at six months as they are not mature.

 

[twiglet84]

We usually do after 1st season, larger breeds ideally should be left to fully grow an mature but then the risk of mammary cancers is hugely increased and not to mention getting a pyo

 

[blackcob]

I spayed at six months before a first season with no issues and would do so again.

 

[twiglet84]

We usually do after 1st season, larger breeds ideally should be left to fully grow an mature but then the risk of mammary cancers is hugely increased and not to mention getting a pyo whilst waiting for the right time to spay. we will spay for clients before 1st season, if there are Uncastrated males in the house or they dont want the dog having a season and bleeding round the house. There's no real right or wrong, there will be pros and cons for each. Xx you need to look at your dog as an individual and weigh up all the information. There is no set rule xx

 

[haycroft]

Me personally wud spay at least after 2 nd season n before the age of 7 ,,my bitch has had a pyo op age almost 8 ,my other bitch is 3 still unspayed ,will spay before 5 hopefully il breed her first
It can b common for whippets not hav a first season until up to the age of 2
This depends on the breed ,I don't like seeing bitches spayed too young let them allow to mature first

 

[PorkChop]

I have recently had this conversation with my Vet. We have a six month old Rottweiler and he recommended a few months after her first season.

 

[Crugeran Celt]

My vet advised to allow bitch to have a first season and then spay 3 months later at the earliest. My older dog didn't have a season until she was almost two so was late being spayed.

 

[satinbaze]

Before you make your decission please read an article by Christine Zink called Early Spey & neuter you can google it. She is an American vet and the article is all research based. Very simply though speying a large/medium breed before their first season can increase the risk of bone cancer, and other bone, ligament & muscle problems. Bitches speyed prior to their first season tend to be leggier as it is the hormones that tell the bones to stop growing. They also retain puppy like tendancies.
My personal opnion is to wait until she has had one season then have her speyed. I sam sure whatever your decission it will be the right one for you and her.

 

[LovesCobs]

I spayed at 7 months, no season. my vet was more than happy to and I had no problems. I would do it again

 

[SusieT]

no season, significantly reduces the risk of mammary cancer. If you want to wait til she's more mature, then after one season. Definitely don't let her have two as then you lose the benefits of reducing mammary cancer.