Owners of female dogs

Hi there - we had ours spayed at 6 months. I did debate it for a while but my vet assured me any risks were negligible and the benefit of reducing the chance of cancer also reassured me.

On a practical level I was also worried about leaving it too long and then having to keep her in etc when she came into season as she's a Weimaraner and mental so needs to get out and have exercise! Hence we had her done at 6 months and she's now 5 and absolutely fine (still a bit mental though!)

It does depend a little on the size or breed of dog.

THe mammary cancer benefit is obtained as long as she is speyed before she has her 2nd season. The pyometra benefit is always there no matter what the age.

I speyed my boxer yesterday - and she is a year old and had her 1st season 3m ago.

I had my dog spayed after her first season. I was also surprised to learn when I took her to be done that she'd had a phantom pregnancy as well!

My h has grown up with dogs, and he says that the best time is just after their first season.

My mum got her dog done a few weeks after her first season.

I've had a few girl dogs and I always have them spayed after one season.

Riley was spayed before we got her - probably around 6 months, and possibly before her first season.

As a result she's very slightly incontinent and gets a lot of attention on her bits from every dog she meets. Spaying young also means the dog doesn't fully mature - you're left with puppy behaviour for the dog's life. While I love her to bits, I'd also love to know what dog she'd have grown into and I wish she didn't have to cope with the dribbly incontinence and attentions of other dogs.

All the reading I've done tells me that for any future dogs I won't spay until at least two - when the dog has got through adolescence, is fully grown and their bones have fully fused.

Hmmm. Thanks for the replies everyone. I don't think I'm any closer to making a decision but I do appreciate the feedback.

quote:Originally posted by Boop
Riley was spayed before we got her - probably around 6 months, and possibly before her first season.

As a result she's very slightly incontinent and gets a lot of attention on her bits from every dog she meets. Spaying young also means the dog doesn't fully mature - you're left with puppy behaviour for the dog's life. While I love her to bits, I'd also love to know what dog she'd have grown into and I wish she didn't have to cope with the dribbly incontinence and attentions of other dogs.

All the reading I've done tells me that for any future dogs I won't spay until at least two - when the dog has got through adolescence, is fully grown and their bones have fully fused.

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Spaying young doesn't mean that you are left with puppy behaviour. Also dribbly incontinence is a risk of speying no matter what age it is done.

It depends on the breed as to when they are skeletally mature - bigger dogs being older than smaller. If you wait until the dog is 2 and has likely had 2 seasons or more then the benefit of speying re mammary tumours is massively reduced.

I would say to Jersey girl - it really depends on the breed of your dog as to what I would advise.

MM - Thanks, she's a miniature dachshund. She currently weighs 7lbs and will be around 10lbs when full grown. She's 4 months now.

Well you won't get better advice than Monkey Mavis - she's a vet!

quote:Originally posted by Maxi
Well you won't get better advice than Monkey Mavis - she's a vet!

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Oh that's good! I guess I needn't have included my dog's stats!

Thanks Maxi

If she is a mini dachshund then she will mature at a young age - so I would say that letting her have one season and then speying is fine - but equally there would be no problem to have her speyed at 6m before the 1st season.

There is some thought that letting them have 1 season reduced the risk of urine dribbling - as they get the effect of the female hormones. However it is more an issue in larger breeds.

Spaying young does influence behaviour - it's one of the reasons many people promote spaying before hormone developments during adolescence.

As for the incontinence, my vet's opinion is that had Riley been allowed at least one season prior to spaying then she would be unlikely to have the problems she has now.

Josie was spayed at 6 months on the recommendation of the breeder and our holistic vet.

Thanks again to everyone for the feedback. ?

quote:Originally posted by Boop
Spaying young does influence behaviour - it's one of the reasons many people promote spaying before hormone developments during adolescence.

As for the incontinence, my vet's opinion is that had Riley been allowed at least one season prior to spaying then she would be unlikely to have the problems she has now.

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I speyed one of my dogs after she had her 1st season and she went on to get leaky bladder issues. The other, I speyed before her 1st season and she has no problems.

There is no hard and fast rule I'm afraid.

Monkeymavis, we've been waiting nearly two years for our cocker spaniel to have a season before we have her spayed. Is she likely to ever have a season now? Should we just get her done?! (she isn't pregnant btw!)

Thanks for any advice and sorry to jump on your thread Jerseygirl!

quote:Originally posted by FizzyLizzy
Monkeymavis, we've been waiting nearly two years for our cocker spaniel to have a season before we have her spayed. Is she likely to ever have a season now? Should we just get her done?! (she isn't pregnant btw!)

Thanks for any advice and sorry to jump on your thread Jerseygirl!

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She may have had a silent first season so she didn't really bleed so it wasn't noticed.

It may be that she hasn't - but she should have one soon - it can be as late as 2 in some. I have to say that getting her speyed would be wise. I would get her checked by your own vet and discuss the op with them.

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