When to spay?

[SAujla]

When is the best time to spay a female Labrador, the latest information seems to be to wait until after one season or even two, but on websites like Blue Cross and vets4pets they say ideally before the first season.

I have found the 3 best veterinary practices in Wolverhampton (my opinion based on facilities reviews etc) and my preferred choice St. George's Vets said to wait until after one season, my second choice Carmel Vets and third choice Connaught House both said to spay before the first season.

I'm finding it very difficult to decide, the balance between reducing the risk of certain cancers and preventing accidental litters against allowing the female to mature fully but ensuring she doesn't get pregnant and is safe during a season is a tricky one to decide upon. I'm leaning towards waiting until she's had one season but as I don't intend on getting a Labrador this side of Christmas nothing is decided for certain.

What do most people on here think and how did you look after your dog during a season?

 

[twiggy2]

It's not that difficult to stop a pet dog getting pregnant, she should not be anywhere unsupervised and you just keep her on lead during her fertile times
The cancer risk increases with each season yes but it is a minimal increase and for me the increased risks that can be associated with early spey are worth it.
My current lurcher is a 5 yr old very exuberant 'puppy' she has not grown up at all mentally and I have seen this in other dogs that have been neutered early, I believe it is down to the lack of adult hormones associated with reaching adulthood entire, I prefer my dog have the benefit of the hormones they naturally are geared to get to mature the body and brain, it creates a more well rounded and healthy dog.

 

[SusieT]

spay her when she is fully grown, don't worry so much about the seasons, so 12-18 months. I would not necessarily jump to use a vet practice necessarily that advised spaying a labrador before 1st season as this is too young for the current research imo - or go and ask the vets again what the reasoning is as they will be the ones who can see your dog, her growht etc.

 

[splashgirl45]

both of my last 2 bitches were not spayed till they were 2 1/2 as i intended to get it done after their 1st season but somehow they both ended up having 2 or 3. i just used to take them out in the car to our local walks so that they didnt encourage any male dogs to come to my house. i had flexi leads so they could have a bit of freedom without being able to get away. it was easily managed but a bit of a faff...

 

[Gillykat]

I like my girls to have a season or two before spaying them as then I know they are definitely fully grown. Some vets like to get folk to spay early to reduce the number of unwanted dogs and I was actually asked WHY I wasn't getting my whippet spayed when she was 5 months old (!). I had to stop myself from biting the vets head off (not the normal practice vet who is lovely) and saying ''Look - you're definitely getting my bloody money so don't panic!!!'' Even with my cats I like them to be at least a year old and have had a season or two (they've always been house cats and not allowed out until fully vaccinated & neutered) and the boys to have two well developed pompoms Thankfully my vet now knows my animal's welfare always comes first and there'll be no accidental pregnancies so she doesn't need to push neutering as she does with other, less responsible, people.

As to how I cope whilst the ladies are in season....dogs are kept on leads and I keep a walking stick with me in case any loose dogs try to get close (thankfully I'm in a rural area so not many) and the cats? House arrest until spayed and give hubby ear plugs

 

[Karran]

Just adopted a 8 - now 9 - month old collie. I plan on her following Mrs Spaniel into the flyball and agility rings and from what I've read, I'm best waiting until then to allow growth plates to fully develop and her to mature.
I will just time my walks accordingly to avoid other people for the duration or work on stuff in the garden with her.

It was the same for Mrs Spaniel only she came into season two weeks after I adopted her at 11 months old 🤦‍♀️

 

[GSD Woman]

Keeping them from getting pregnant isn't too hard, just keep them on leash. I have an intact male so I'm used to the crate and rotate thing. I did spay my young bitch after her second season because she was coming in every 4.5 months and I worry about pyometra. I had her preliminary hip and elbow rads done at the same time and her growth plates in her pelvis haven't quite closed. It was a risk I was willing to take since my boy can be a pain in the rear when one of the girls is in season.
The current advice for large dogs is 18 -24 months.

 

[Karran]

Just adopted a 8 - now 9 - month old collie. I plan on her following Mrs Spaniel into the flyball and agility rings and from what I've read, I'm best waiting until then to allow growth plates to fully develop and her to mature.
I will just time my walks accordingly to avoid other people for the duration or work on stuff in the garden with her.

It was the same for Mrs Spaniel only she came into season two weeks after I adopted her at 11 months old 🤦‍♀️

Just come back from dog walk and realised I meant to say I plan on waiting until after she's had her first season so she's had a chance to fully develop

 

[Annette4]

I had to spay Fizz after her first season as part of her adoption contract, I'd ideally wait until 2yo/2 seasons with any future bitches.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

We don't routinely spay our bitches, avoiding pregnancy is quite easy - you just don't leave the dog unsupervised. the advice to take the dog in the car to go for a walk is good as that avoids local dogs following the scent and camping outside your gate. Knowing that I have no intention of having an unwanted pregnancy, I then weigh up the likelihood of GA associated problems/after-effects against the likelihood of other problems caused by not spaying. We have had a lot of bitches over the years and nowhere near as many problems as vets suggest there will be.

 

[GSD Woman]

I worked with a vet who liked to rant about delayed spaying. She had a big thing about preventing mammary tumors vs letting the bitches mature saying that the number of ruptured cruciates wasn't really lowered by late spaying. She also did no dog sports and knew nothing about them, so...

 

[MurphysMinder]

I will always spay my bitches , nothing to do with unwanted pregnancies but more to prevent pyometra having lost one to this. However, I wait until they are at least 2 years old.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

We have always spayed out bitches but the right time is crucial.

Our lab was 2 1/2 when she was spayed and had a few seasons, she was mature and it did no harm. She is no different since spaying, mind she had keyhole and you wouldn't even know she had it done! She hated being in season, got really depressed so don't regret it. She also use to get pestered by male dogs every day, no matter what time of year... once she was spayed not a single dog paid interest again. During her season she was only lead walked or let off on our private fenced off land.. we did find it a bit of a pain to be honest. She had to wear 'dog pants' as had cream sofas and carpets, she also use to sit on the bed. She hated it, but had no other option as it would stain and drip a lot, even though she did try to keep herself clean. There wasn't 'tons' of blood but more than I expected to be honest.

My parents had their collie spayed at 6 months, I was mad but the vets drilled it into them it must be done. She is now 5 and so immature. She looks like a puppy and acts like one, is fit but no muscle is evident. She just looks skinny and lean. I am sure its all related to being spayed so young.. her mother was entire, and much chunkier and more mature.

I do highly recommend keyhole though, it was about £100 extra 3 years ago and was well worth it.

 

[rara007]

I’d give her a season but as you’ve found there is no ‘right’.

 

[TheresaW]

We had Luna spayed after her second season, she was 16 months old. I would have liked her to have been 18 months plus, but she’s fit and healthy now at 2.5.

 

[SAujla]

I thought most people would say to wait but I didn't expect pretty much everyone would say wait! I know not to make decisions solely based on the advice here but it does add a lot of weight to deciding to let the dog have a season which my instinct is to do. I didn't realise that early spaying can result in the dog never growing up either which is interesting to find out.

I do wonder why some vets suggested to spay at 6 months though and haven't taken into account the latest research,or maybe they don't feel its valid

 

[rara007]

The research is (still!) conflicting. There is no ‘right’ answer.

 

[Mynstrel]

Just to be the odd one out, over the years we've had 3 done before a season and never found a problem, the first 2 did agility at various levels until retiring at a normal age and the current one is the mentally the most grown up dog we have and a solid ball of muscle, she's the most petite looking of our pack but she's the one you wouldn't want to run into you.

Our vets have always said its an easier op for them to get over before a season and from our experience I've been given no reason to doubt them.

 

[{97702}]

Interesting thread! I had Millie lurcher done after what was assumed to be her first season (she was picked up as a stray on the streets of Leominster) - she was in season in rescue kennels so she was re-homed to me with the instruction that she should be spayed 3 months later (so mid-cycle)

I hadn’t had an unspayed bitch for years and I really didn’t want the hassle and mess of having one, so I was happy to have her done.

She is now around 3 (I assume) and still acts like a puppy! She is physically mature (whippet sized and very fit and active) but she is as mad as a box of frogs and has no ‘off button’ at all, she rags my big greyhound boy incessantly to play. Luckily he has the patience of a saint far more than I do with her!

Reading this, I wonder if she would have been different if I’d let her have another season before spaying her? It’s so difficult with rescues as it’s all guess work about how old they really are

 

[Moobli]

I spoke to my vet about when to spay my GSD bitch pup and she said the ideal would be just before she’s two years, as she gets to mature physically and mentally, but still gains the benefits of a spay such as less risk of mammary tumours, no pyo etc.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I have known more than one bitch suffer from lifelong hormone problems after being spayed.

 

[splashgirl45]

have had 6 bitches and all have been spayed after they were fully developed and none have had any health problems and all lived to a ripe old age.

 

[{97702}]

I have known more than one bitch suffer from lifelong hormone problems after being spayed.

Similarly I’ve never ever known of a bitch suffering hormonal problems after being spayed.... and I’ve known more than a few 😊😊

 

[Clodagh]

I only know of one who is now extremely urinary incontinent post spay, but that was done after two seasons so just one of those things. We have never had a problem with spaying anything, the only thing that is a bit sad is it not being good for their coat, which is a minor issue but I do prefer a proper coat to the fluffy ex spay ones.

 

[SusieT]

Pearlasinger- please do elaborate on what those problems were?

 

[{97702}]

I only know of one who is now extremely urinary incontinent post spay, but that was done after two seasons so just one of those things. We have never had a problem with spaying anything, the only thing that is a bit sad is it not being good for their coat, which is a minor issue but I do prefer a proper coat to the fluffy ex spay ones.

All my spayed bitches have amazing coats - as do my castrated dogs - shiny, silky soft and smooth 😊 I suppose it depends on the breed

 

[splashgirl45]

my spayed collie cross moults all year round and didnt before she was spayed so i think spaying has spoilt her coat but i would spay again as i feel she has had a better quality of life without being confined to on lead walking only for the time she would have been in season..

 

[dree]

I have known more than one bitch suffer from lifelong hormone problems after being spayed.

That is normally because part of the uterus has been left in.

 

[dree]

We currently have two dogs and two bitches, so keeping the bitches entire was unrealistic. I have always waited for at least one season before spaying. The dogs need the hormones so that the growth plates grow normally. If you spay too young, the hormones are removed, and very often you have a taller dog with thinner bones. (Although I do know people who spay at around 6 mths and they say they've had no problems. But not for me. )

Edit to add. Cruciate problems are on the rise, and when one leg goes, then the other normally follows. I didn't want to take that risk. I realise others are saying differently, but just my opinion.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Pearlasinger- please do elaborate on what those problems were?

One particularly springs to mind, a Westie who developed a form of alopecia and needed to take hormone tablets for the rest of her life, to counteract it. There are others affected similarly and other posters have mentioned cruciate ligament problems. And, of course a GA always carries a risk.