Neutering Dogs Too Young?

**areias** · 11-14-2005, 02:42 AM

I was went into the county shelter the other day (dangerous, I know), and noticed a 3month old male puppy that was neutered. Recently I've noted a lot of puppies being neutered earlier than 6 months. When I worked at the kennel I had started to notice it-a 3month old pup would come in, and would claim to have been fixed already.

I'm just curious if there's a new procedure out there, that you can get it done earlier than 6 months? Or is this dangerous? I'm just curious, to my own personal knowledge.

**IRescue452** · 11-14-2005, 08:53 AM

Around here its about 14 weeks or three months. I would never wait till 8 months with a dog or cat, by then they could have been through a heat cycle already. I say the sooner the better.

**ilikedogs** · 11-14-2005, 09:03 AM

There is one place you can go to get the procedure done.
southern florida animal hospital.

**poofy** · 11-14-2005, 09:48 AM

Here it is 4 lbs or 4 months, I will have Yollie done as soon as I safely can..

**Suki Wingy** · 11-14-2005, 10:06 AM

absolutley as young as it is ok to put them under anethstisia they can be neutered. After 6 months is a dangerous myth. Dogs usually have their ears cropped at around 11-12 weeks so that is when it is safe. The ANTI CRUELTY SOCIETY will not let any dog go before being neutered and I know they let 12 week old male pups go.

**Suki Wingy** · 11-14-2005, 10:10 AM

Originally Posted by Vette

I was wondering about that too. around here its 8 months.. or at least thats how long i had to wait before i could spay my two cats.

The Iowa State Veterenary clinic said BEFORE the first heat, and my dad's cat Shelby had hers at 5 months so they had to wait through it to do her

and they had her sister Maddie done right away. They were out of my step-aunt's 7 month old KITTEN who had escaped while still intact and gotten pregnant all because they belived the myth that you had to wait for a year. How does a year make sense to you? It doesn't to me if she could get pregnant and 7 months.

**xParisx** · 11-14-2005, 10:19 AM

I think it's about 6 months here. Im nout really sure.

x

**wolfsoul** · 11-14-2005, 10:29 AM

Here the dog or cat can be spayed/neutered as early as 9 weeks (as long as the testicles have dropped). It's alot easier on the dog's body because puppies heal alot faster. There are quite a few other benefits as well.

My vet doesn't like to neuter/spay large breed dogs less than a year. She realises that this increases the chances of certain cancers, but neutering beforehand increases the risk of bone cancer by even more. Alot of giant breed owners are starting to realise this, so it is becoming more common to wait until your large or giant breed is a year before spaying and neutering.

**AllAmericanPUP** · 11-14-2005, 11:09 AM

lots of shelters and rescues spay/neuter puppies and kittens as earlier as 8 weeks, that way they know the dog/cat will never reproduce puppies, because even with the best screening a dog/cat can still wind up into the hands of a bad person who doesnt get the dog fixed at 6 months and that dog/cat ends up having puppies/kittens.

**ParNone** · 11-14-2005, 12:11 PM

I do not believe in neutering before 6 months. Think of how important hormones are to a human's growth through puberty. Why would it be any different for a dog? I don't see what the major rush is, to do something that may be detrimental to my dog. I've waited to 6 months for all 4 of mine and it hasn't caused them any issue waiting and they've all had strong bones.

I talked with my vet on this subject and he has a policy of not neutering before 6 months for small to large dogs and 1 year for giant dogs, due to the need of hormones during growth.

Par...