Neutering, Opinions on neutering at an early age please Options

[Goldiemad]

I am a bit old fashioned in that I feel a bitch should be allowed to mature and have a season prior to being spayed. Personally I feel that if a bitch is done too early, she never fully matures and reaches her full potentional.

Nowadays it seems to be becoming the norm to spay at an early age. I would be interested in hearing your thoughts and experiences on this.

Rescues - Do you spay routinely prior to rehoming, or in the case of puppies do you allow them to be rehomed and then spay them at a later date?

[Dalsmum]

I have always allowed my bitches to have at least one season before neutering and will continue to do so.

So far I have had a bitch neutered at nine months, one at 5 years and one at twenty months.

[Fever]

I regret having my bitch spayed before her first season. I did so at the insistence of the rescue centre because I also have an entire male, but on reflection I could have handled the situation of the bitch's season quite adequately myself, without her getting pregnant.

[kimthecat]

Personally I feel that if a bitch is done too early, she never fully matures and reaches her full potentional.

Potential to do what?

Large breeds can suffer from spay incontinence if spayed before a season so that would be something to
consider.

Rescues - Do you spay routinely prior to rehoming, or in the case of puppies do you allow them to be rehomed and then spay them at a later date?

I'm not a rescue but (very) early spay on puppies is commonly done by Rescues in America and some rescues are in the UK are doing the same now. AFAIK studies have been done so the info is out there.
Its not something I would do my self but I would spay a bitch before her first season.
AFAIK, Our local RSPCA and dogs trust neuter before rehoming, both male and female dogs but not young puppies.
In my experience (some years ago) a percentage of owners who adopted from our local RSPCA were lax and the pups (and many kittens ) born from accidental matings ended up back at the RSPCA and sometimes the original dog too
Ali

[Jack2007]

Reports from the US where spaying at 7-8 weeks is relatively common suggest that the procedure is simpler and therefore less risky and that recovery times are quicker in younger pups.

Risks of mammary cancer and pyometra increase with delayed spaying.

I'm not sure if there are any health risks associated with a bitch "not reaching her full potential".

[kats n greys]

Cushna was spayed before her 1st season and she's absolutely fine- she'll be 11 soon and still runs around like a dog many years younger.

[Fever]

There is a risk of the urethra not developing fully if the dog is speyed too early.

[Goldiemad]

Potential to do what?

Sorry I probably didn't explain myself clearly. What I meant was do both physically and mentally.

I suppose as expected, we seem to have mixed opinions.

[PuddingAndPie]

ive had bitches spayed at 5 months no problem but i have a bitch now who will be spayed next month by the pdsa they wont spay a bitch untill she has had her first season

[GSDSian]

Potential to do what?

Sorry I probably didn't explain myself clearly. What I meant was do both physically and mentally.

I suppose as expected, we seem to have mixed opinions.

Rhomi was spayed before her first season. Both physically and mentally she has always been far more mature than her litter sister, who remains entire. I think as far as physical and mental maturity goes a fair amount of it is down to individual personality rather than at what age they are neutered.

[mum24dog]

I think as far as physical and mental maturity goes a fair amount of it is down to individual personality rather than at what age they are neutered.

Well said.
The widespread tendency to draw false conclusions drives me nuts.
Because Event B follows Event A is not proof that Event A caused Event B.
In this case the fact that an individual dog may retain more juvenile tendencies after being neutered young is not proof that the juvenility was caused by the early neutering.
You'd need an extensive and well designed trial (or preferably several trials) to discover whether the two are linked.

[T-DOG]

Rhomi was spayed before her first season. Both physically and mentally she has always been far more mature than her litter sister, who remains entire. I think as far as physical and mental maturity goes a fair amount of it is down to individual personality rather than at what age they are neutered.

Totally agree with this. My most mature bitch was spayed at 6 months old.
I have 4 bitches, 2 were spayed prior to first season, 2 were spayed after first season. In my dogs I dont think it made any difference whatsoever.

[Tracey s]

Shayla, my rottie, was spayed at 7 months old, before her first season and is absolutely perfect. We didnt/havent had any issues or problems. She is now 16 months old goes to training and is definitely reaching the potential of any young girl of her age

[Doglovinglou]

Spaying/neutering at an early can affect growth in large dogs, waiting until physical maturity results in normal bone development and the growth plates being fully closed.

There is also studies where cancer is actually increased by spaying/neutering early, especially in Rottweilers.


We're constantly being fed the "responsible owners neuter" and the "pros" to the decision, but we're rarely given the cons to neutering/spaying. Far to many people just think it's the done thing without no real thought going into their decision. Any surgery, no matter how minor it may be ( and it's not in bitches ) is a BIG decision and one that should not be made lightly.

I can understand why some rescues do pediatric spaying/neutering but i don't support it and would never rehome from such a rescue either.

My Tyler is entire, aged 5 years old and a great dog. I have no intentions of having him neutered as i don't feel there is a need to and i'm not willing to put my dog through surgery "just because it's the done thing". My other dog Missy is spayed, was done at 3 years old and had complications during her surgery. She lost a great deal of blood that the vet admitted they found hard to stem, she was very weak and we had to go back early the next morning to make sure there had been no internal bleeding.

I think the surgery is more important for bitches, but i will not spay/neuter any dog of mine before the age of 2 years old, and for male dogs i may not neuter at all depending on circumstances.

[Jack2007]

Can you give links or references for the studies you mention please?