Age for Spay?

[SnowDove]

I just found out from Daisy's "breeder" that her mom came into heat for the first time at six months... Ack!

I don't want to do it too early, but I don't want to risk a litter either - and I like to take her out to pet stores/dog parks/etc.

Soooo confused :(

 

[Caney Creek]

I just found out from Daisy's "breeder" that her mom came into heat for the first time at six months... Ack!

Ack is right! =/ Would hate to be faced with that situation... Caney's mom didn't have her first heat until 18 months, so we felt pretty safe waiting until 10 months for Caney. In all honesty though if I was in your shoes and it was my pup, I think I would still wait to spay, and risk letting her go through a heat cycle. It wouldn't be fun having to keep her indoors and "under lock and key" for a month but *I* feel strongly enough about the importance of waiting that it would be worth it. That's just me though... you'll have to weigh the options yourself and decide if that's something you are willing to do.

 

[elgerdes]

I'm pretty sure that my vet does spaying at 6 months. And when I inquired when my pup's mother had her first cycle, it was young, 7 months. Keeping her under lock and key isn't our issue, she is pretty much our shadow. It's the doggie diapers that would be the issue. We have enough issues to deal with!

Decisions, decisions. BTW- From what part of MN are you from Whiskers?

 

[whiskers]

Some dogs are really clean about it though and you hardly notice they're in heat! Lol I have a feeling that Juno would have been really good about cleaning herself. But yeah, its certainly not a highlight of dog ownership.
I am in Burnsville--so Twin Cities area

It's definitely not a light decision... plenty of things to roll around in your head.

 

[Roge]

My vet recomended I get Roge done between 9/12 months so I took her advise also said it helps calm them down, dont think that was correct he was still as mad as a box of frogs until he was 2 as was his brother whom my parents owne.

 

[SnowDove]

Okay, so what is the benefit of waiting longer on a female? I'm still confused... is it just so they achieve full growth? If they don't, does it cause joint problems?

 

[Caney Creek]

Okay, so what is the benefit of waiting longer on a female? I'm still confused... is it just so they achieve full growth? If they don't, does it cause joint problems?

Per the link I provided earlier:

A study of 1444 Golden Retrievers performed in 1998 and 1999 also found bitches and dogs spayed and neutered at less than a year of age were significantly taller than those spayed or neutered at more than a year of age.(2) The sex hormones, by communicating with a number of other growth-related hormones, promote the closure of the growth plates at puberty (3), so the bones of dogs or bitches neutered or spayed before puberty continue to grow. Dogs that have been spayed or neutered well before puberty can frequently be identified by their longer limbs, lighter bone structure, narrow chests and narrow skulls. This abnormal growth frequently results in significant alterations in body proportions and particularly the lengths (and therefore weights) of certain bones relative to others. For example, if the femur has achieved its genetically determined normal length at 8 months when a dog gets spayed or neutered, but the tibia, which normally stops growing at 12 to 14 months of age continues to grow, then an abnormal angle may develop at the stifle. In addition, with the extra growth, the lower leg below the stifle likely becomes heavier (because it is longer), and may cause increased stresses on the cranial cruciate ligament. In addition, sex hormones are critical for achieving peak bone density.(4) These structural and physiological alterations may be the reason why at least one recent study showed that spayed and neutered dogs had a higher incidence of CCL rupture.

Basically, since sex hormones influence bone growth, if those hormones are taken (through spaying/neutering) before the dog is done growing then the development of bones will be "abnormal." The idea posed in this article is that this abnormal growth of bones potentially increases a dog's risk of ligament injuries later on in life.


Again, this is your decision in the end, you need to take in all the information you can and decide what you believe to be the bigger risk. Not everyone believes the same.

 

[SnowDove]

Per the link I provided earlier:



Basically, since sex hormones influence bone growth, if those hormones are taken (through spaying/neutering) before the dog is done growing then the development of bones will be "abnormal." The idea posed in this article is that this abnormal growth of bones potentially increases a dog's risk of ligament injuries later on in life.


Again, this is your decision in the end, you need to take in all the information you can and decide what you believe to be the bigger risk. Not everyone believes the same.

Thank you! I was overwhelmed with the data provided and couldn't really grasp what was being said!

So, if I let her go through her first heat, it won't affect the spay? Can she only get pregnant while in heat, or at any time before the spay? If she wore a "diaper", could she still go to the park? LOL

I'm thinking I would prefer to wait until a year... I want her to be as healthy as possible!

 

[Caney Creek]

Thank you! I was overwhelmed with the data provided and couldn't really grasp what was being said!

So, if I let her go through her first heat, it won't affect the spay? Can she only get pregnant while in heat, or at any time before the spay? If she wore a "diaper", could she still go to the park? LOL

I'm thinking I would prefer to wait until a year... I want her to be as healthy as possible!

Going through a heat will not affect the spay procedure once you decide to do it. She can only get pregnant while in heat; once the heat cycle is over you will be good to go for another 6 months or more (heat cycles are generally every 6 months).

I don't know if I would take her to the park with a diaper on. While she's in heat I would limit outings to only places, and times of day, where there will be no other dogs. Dog parks would be a BIG no-no during that time... the other dogs would be all over her, and a fight could easily break out.

 

[BxrMommieNAZ]

Going through a heat will not affect the spay procedure once you decide to do it. She can only get pregnant while in heat; once the heat cycle is over you will be good to go for another 6 months or more (heat cycles are generally every 6 months).

I don't know if I would take her to the park with a diaper on. While she's in heat I would limit outings to only places, and times of day, where there will be no other dogs. Dog parks would be a BIG no-no during that time... the other dogs would be all over her, and a fight could easily break out.

You would also want to either take her out to potty on leash or watch EXTREMELY closely while you were outside with her as a male intact dog very easily could jump the fence and it only takes a second for them to tie. They can smell a female in heat for a very long distance.