Spaying

[Boss Mare]

I am curious at why age you prefer to spay your female puppies? Spencer is a miniature dachshund, born 12/23/11. I have done spaying and neutering before but at 5 to 6 months. Also, laser or traditional? Is laser worth the additional charge?

Thanks!

 

[Ashley]

I get them fixed as soon as possible, here they wont do it before 6 months. no doubt I would go laser.

 

[anoki]

I would not do it before 6 months of age...yes, there are places that do it earlier, but I believe that to be very risky, too stressful, and not healthy in the long run for the animal. My vet won't anesthetize a dog/cat under 6 months of age unless it is a dire necessity.

I don't know enough about laser to give you any guidance on that.

~kathryn

 

[Riverrose28]

The last female I had spayed is my english bulldog, she was five months old and needed an elongated palate done at the same time. I had to take her to a special surgical center and the year was 2005, it was a two hour drive one way and cost $1500.. I retired from grooming and vet assisting back in 2001, and at that time I had not heard of laser speaying. You could please fill me in, as I've been wanting another female bully, but am afraid of the cost of spayin and the risks. Do they still need the long suture area, or just a small incision? Sounds like recovery time would be less, do you know if they would be under a shorter amount of time?

 

[Mona]

I like to have them done as early as possible. My vet won't do it before 5 months of age. I like to have them done no later than 6 months, but I do prefer the 5 months mark to help ensure they do not come into heat, as some breeds will come into heat at 6 months of age.

As for the lazer, I have no personal experience with that, but I think it sounds like a wonderful option. (it is not available through my vet)

 

[drmatthewtaylor]

I prefer 6-8 months old, but sometimes do them as early as 5 months.

Shelters and humane society's have been doing spays in dogs and cats as early as 8 weeks old for years now and most research doesn't show that its a great danger and may even be better than waiting. Although, like most things, there are some that disagree with this.

Dr Taylor

 

[disneyhorse]

Always aim for about 6 months old, but really it doesn't matter whether it's 2 months or 10 months as long as it gets done.

As for the laser, with my older cat I opted for the laser and didn't know whether or not it really was any better.

Far more important (if it matters a lot to you) is the SKILL of the surgeon. My youngest cat, she was spayed by what is reputed to be the best vet around, and he doesn't believe in lasers. When I got my kitty back, I was AMAZED at the size of the incision... it was literally one inch long. No external stitches, no swelling, nothing. No pain meds, no bed rest (usually I've been told to keep them quiet and from jumping up on things). The vet said "she's good to go" and she was. That changed my mind right then and there that it's the skill and care the surgeon takes, not what tools they use.

I guess that's really what matters with anything, be it artist, carpenter or doctor.

Andrea

 

[Boss Mare]

Thanks all for the replies, I will definitely take in consideration all of the advice given and discuss any concerns with my vet.

 

[Ashley]

I had my cocker done the old way and the boxer done with laser. The cut wasnt any different, however the boxer seemed to be in far less pain and healed quicker.

 

[Kaitlyn]

Knowing a lot of people in the competitive dog world (mostly sporting), I've learned that most of those people prefer to wait a little longer than the 6 months timeline that many seem to go by. I won't pretend to be an expert on the subject, but I believe it has something to do with allowing the dog's hormones to help the bitch mature both physically and mentally. The debate is usually whether or not to wait until before or after the bitch's first heat, weighing the risks of underdevelopment against the increased risks of uterine cancer were the dog to go through a heat cycle. I also know a fair number of both sporting and pet owners who choose not to spay altogether because they are convinced it can lead to a more aggressive dog (moreso than neutering a male dog). I can't say I have any personal experience to comparing the two, though.

I think that the conclusion most of the sporting people that I associate with have come to is that six months is not ideal, but rather an acceptable alternative for the owner that is unsure whether they can handle keeping a bitch separate from un-neutered dogs in the event that she were to go into heat.

 

[JMS Miniatures]

I have learned in school to try and do it before 6 months, its healthier in the long run for the dog and the earlier you do it the better. Once you go past that 6 months and a greater chance for them coming into heat the more chance they can end up getting cancer.

 

[Matt73]

The debate is usually whether or not to wait until before or after the bitch's first heat, weighing the risks of underdevelopment against the increased risks of uterine cancer were the dog to go through a heat cycle.

lol I may be reading this wrong, but how is waiting until after the bitches' first heat to spay going to up her chances of uterine cancer...seeing as she won't have a uterus after she is spayed?

 

[Mona]

lol I may be reading this wrong, but how is waiting until after the bitches' first heat to spay going to up her chances of uterine cancer...seeing as she won't have a uterus after she is spayed?

Actually is is the possibilities of developing breast cancer later in life that is the concern, and not uterine cancer.

 

[Matt73]

That makes more sense

 

[AnnaC]

Kaitlyn I was interested in your post as I was concerned that I might be the only one who doesn't follow the early neuter idea.

Over here in the UK a lot of thought is now being given to doing it later - the opitmum time being 3 months after the bitches first season to allow her to reach maturity - sort of midway between two seasons to allow her hormones to settle down after one season and before they start the build up to the next season.

Hormones control so many things and it appears that in quite a few bitches, early spaying can lead to an 'immature' adult animal - often they grow taller and have a 'weedy' appearance. This is also apparent in early neutered male dogs - again the thought is to leave neutering until the dog is a year to allow maturity to take place.

Just reporting what is being investigated over here (no knowledge of the subject myself) but the vets now seem to be pretty divided in their opinions. Incidently I do know that neutering will not necessarily prevent breast cancer - to do that you must have the breasts and milk glands completely removed which is not a nice operation!

 

[Mona]

No, spaying does not prevent breast cancer in females, it reduces the risks of it developing later in life.

 

[Mona]

Also, I should add, that I have had several dogs spayed and neutered before 6 months of age...the younger the better where I am concerned.

I have not experienced any "weedy" bodied/legged dogs as a result of it. Clyde, our Great Dane was gangly, but that was just the poor natural conformation that he was born with, and was not attributed to his being neutered. So although I am only one person with several dogs to base my judgement on, and not a scientific study, the findings for me and my dogs, do not agree with the gangly results of the studies you refer to.

 

[Boss Mare]

Just an update for anyone curious. I called more than a handful of vets in my area and they recommend in the 5 to 6 month range. Only two vets were willing to do it younger and will do it as soon as the canine has a rabies.. Usually around 16 weeks.

 

[Katiean]

I had my LGD spayed. If I remember right she was around 8 months old and had not gone through a heat. We spayed her then because we did not want her bred by a pit bull. I have not noticed any aggression because of being spayed. I also have 2 male Chins that we neutered on Valentines Day. They were 1 year old and 3 years old. I have only noticed a change in the 3 year old. He is now so attached to me I can't even go into the bathroom and close the door all the way or he will claw and dig at the door to get to me. However, I think it has more to do with the fact that I went back and got him rather than the being neutered. I say this because I got him when he was 2. He had already had 4 placements besides me. When I dropped him off at the vet he looked at me like "Don't leave me" or "What did I do?". When I went and picked him up, he very slowly waged his tail and I have been his one and only ever since. I don't think that spaying or neutering changes the level of aggression.