Spaying at 9 months?????

[lana2408]

Quick question...is it bad for my puppy to get spayed at 9 months? We were thinking of not doing it, but now I have changed my mind...also, I think she just went into her first heat yesterday... :eek:

[anna_66]

Not bad at all, you actually could have done it quite a few months earlier (my girl was done around 4 months).
But if she's in heat now you'll have to wait till it's over to have her spayed.

[Logan]

Totally agree with Anna's thoughts. I'm sure your vet will guide you, regardless. I had my girls spayed at 5 months, before they ever experienced their first heat. Do it as soon as you can, safely.

Logan

[catnapper]

You definately want to spay her as soon as possible. Each time she experiences heat, she increases her risk of uterine, breast and cervical cancer (I believe I covered all the cancers heat increases)

Not only that, now she is attracting every intact male within a MILE. Yes, intact males can smell females in heat for a mile, and they will do whatever they can to get to her. Do NOT leave her outside unattended. Even if you've got a 6' tall fence, determined males will get to her. I've heard of males breeding a with female through crate wires! :eek:

My girls were always spayed at 6 months. It is a major surgery, but when they are younger, they recover so much quicker.

[Scooby4]

I am against early spaying. I believe you should wait until the first heat or the first batch of puppies. The male dog's testicles should be "dropped" before their nuetering.
There is another post on here discussing this exact point of the appropriate spaying/nuetering. There are 2 sides of that camp. I will agree there are benefits of earlier spaying/nuetering but my experience has NOT been positive with that course.
Dogs and Cats I believe need the time for their horomones to kick in. Since they age faster than humans, their teenage years happen around their first heat or drop in testicles. This time helps the animal develop appropriate levels of maturity.
Imagine if you never got to experience being a "teenager". Would your behavior be mature as it is today? I feel it is important that an animal experience the same bodily changes faced in the teenage sexually maturing stage. This allows the animal to develop it's maturity to it's age appropriate.
My cat got early spaying as recommended by the vet. The results have been NOT favorable. She developed "sagging breast" that have NEVER gone away. People assume she is "fat" but it is her extremely sagging skin that makes her appear that way. The skin is NOT tight at all to be "fat". Her maturity level is NOT kitten like but she not into snuggling or being a lap cat at all. My dogs got nuetered at a later age. They both did VERY well. It even helped the one dog greatly after getting nuetered at around a year. (He was adopted from the pound). Shaggy's sexual agressiveness dropped off 90%.
In my opinion, the early spay and nuetering trend is a reflection of animal activist who want to limit the number of unwanted animals in the world. I agree with 100%. That is because many owner's do NOT get their animals fixed at the appropriate time or at all. By convincing owner's to have the procedure done early while their adoptees are being treated for other things is more of a convenience. This assures the owner who may neglect their animal in the long run, that the animal doesn't reproduce making the situation worse. There are also some limited health benefits but that's not guaranteed the animal wouldn't have developed the diseases naturally anyways.
So I happily say it is a good time to spay your pet. I am glad you are doing it. You just may need to hold off until her cycle is over with. Lock her up tight!!!

[Jessika]

I believe in waiting as long as possible but not TOO long, perhaps before or after the first heat. Maybe at or around a year of age. My experiences with neutering/spaying before they are sexually mature have not been good experiences. As long as the owner is RESPONSIBLE and can keep their dog under control (especially females, if you choose to wait until after the first heat) then I feel that is best.

This is just MY opinion, however.

Of course early spaying for medical or health reasons (as in, retained testicles, etc) I am for.

Males and females fixed before they are sexually mature don't ever seem to be as sound physically as those who were fixed after their sexual maturity. I guess this is just an issue for show dogs though. If they're pets it probably doesn't matter either way ;)

[Crazy-Cat-Lover]

I believe in waiting as long as possible but not TOO long, perhaps before or after the first heat. Maybe at or around a year of age. My experiences with neutering/spaying before they are sexually mature have not been good experiences. As long as the owner is RESPONSIBLE and can keep their dog under control (especially females, if you choose to wait until after the first heat) then I feel that is best.

This is just MY opinion, however.

Of course early spaying for medical or health reasons (as in, retained testicles, etc) I am for.

Males and females fixed before they are sexually mature don't ever seem to be as sound physically as those who were fixed after their sexual maturity. I guess this is just an issue for show dogs though. If they're pets it probably doesn't matter either way ;)

Very well said. I totally agree with you! :D

[Suki Wingy]

I am against early spaying. I believe you should wait until the first heat or the first batch of puppies.
What should we do to the puppies? euthenise them?

I used to think that the earlyer the better, but that was before I even knew anything about it in detail. I still think that if they are not a show or working dog the bitch should be spayed before she has to go through a heat.

[VTJess03]

As to euthanizing the puppies, I am confused... :confused: I thought the previous comment was intended to mean that if you have an interest in continuing a breeding program for all the right reasons, then you should spay after the first litter of purebred, etc. puppies.

I had also heard a local wives' tale that said spaying before the first heat causes fat dogs later on, and that after the first heat was the best time to spay if you had no intentions of breeding your dog. I have not seen that to be the case, but there's been a lot of good discussion on spaying after the first heat that has convinced me.

We had Maggie spayed at about 9 months (the soonest appointment we could get to the time we adopted her and signed the spay agreement with the shelter), and Belle was done on the same day (she was closer to 11 months old). We decided on this because we didn't want one to be trying to play with the other during recovery and then causing stitches to come out or anything messy like that. We did not realize it, but Belle was actually in heat at the time the operation was performed (we did not know all the symptoms of the heat cycle). The vet told me when I picked the girls up that evening.

It is not (supposedly) a problem to do, but it does require more supervision after surgery. It is imperative to not let any male dogs near her since she still smells like she is ready for breeding...it can kill the poor girl if a male tries to breed her after the surgery. We kept her inside for recovery and only went out for supervised potty trips, and never had a problem.

[Vela]

Males and females fixed before they are sexually mature don't ever seem to be as sound physically as those who were fixed after their sexual maturity. I guess this is just an issue for show dogs though. If they're pets it probably doesn't matter either way ;)

For myself I found this to be just the opposite. My female had a litter of puppies (before I got her) and she has more problems physically than I can even list. She almost died the first month I had her. She had mastitis, she has had cancer removed, her hind end is crippled with arthritis. She can't go for walks, she can't get in the car, and she is only 5. On the other hand, Cracker was nuetered at 6 months of age and is sound as can be. No physical or health problems whatsoever. Very healthy height, weight, and body type. Never a bad step. I don't think there is a hard and fast rule to follow and you will find there are lots of opinions on the "right" way to do it. I personally prefer to do it at around 6 months of age, as does my particular vet.

[Cincy'sMom]

I personally believe in spaying prior to first heat cycle. Here are some websites with reasons why:

ESPN- Fact Vs. Myth (http://espn.go.com/outdoors/sportingdogs/s/sd_fea_VP_spay-neuter_JL.html)

Dog Breed Info (http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/spayingneutering.htm)

And this, from the Oregon Veternary Medical Association:

Should the female have a heat period or a litter before being spayed?
If your pet is going to be a companion animal rather than a breeding animal, then there are no benefits to allowing her to have a litter or to go through a heat period.

It is actually healthier for your dog or cat never to experience a heat as it lessen’s the animal’s chance of getting mammary cancer and decreases the animal’s stress and risks due to pregnancy and delivery.

Research indicates that dogs spayed prior to their first heat have less than a half of one percent chance of experiencing mammary cancer as compared to an eight percent chance after the second heat.

Cats spayed after their first heat have a seven times greater chance of suffering from mammary cancer than cats spayed prior to their first heat.

[Cincy'sMom]

My cat got early spaying as recommended by the vet. The results have been NOT favorable. She developed "sagging breast" that have NEVER gone away. People assume she is "fat" but it is her extremely sagging skin that makes her appear that way. The skin is NOT tight at all to be "fat".

I'm just curious why early spaying would have caused this. Cincy has extremely saggy skin in this area as well, Sadie does not, nor do many other dogs I know who were spayed at or before 6 months. I would be interested to know if this was related to the timing of her spaying.

[KYS]

HI,
Talk to your vet and spay her as soon as you can do so safety.
I remember when I was young the old protocol with vets was to
spay after the first heat. The newest vet protocol is to spay
before the first heat if possible.

[catnapper]

None of my girls have saggy breasts. Abby is the closest to that description and she was the oldest -- nearly 7 months -- and starting to show signs of sexual maturity. I would bet if I waited one more day she'd have gone into heat. We were close. I saw all the signs and I ran her to the vet before her first heat could set in.

As for behavior after they spay.... I have no idea how to even reply. A cat (especially a cat) does not show their true personality until nearly a year old. My Abby was sooooo stand-offish before spay. No sooner was she spayed did she turn into a lover. She is my lap kitty to this day. Flutter was spayed at 5 months (oopsie, I messed up on the math with her and her sisters! :o) She never liked to be held, and once I finally realized a few weeks ago WHY she doesn't like to be held, she has turned into an amazing lovebug.... at almost exactly a year old.

The cat with the biggest saggy breasts? Allen, and he was almost a year when we finally got him neutered (don't ask -- life was a mess -- we were engaged, followed by newlyweddedness, followed by MIL's death)

Nicki was 6 months almost to the day when we spayed her. She's 11 and still has a perfectly flat and firm tummy an chest. We won't discuss her ample bottom ;)

[LeahMM]

Pedieatric spay has always been an issue but I'll give you my experience and insight on it.

I have always had a cat or dog spayed at 8 weeks with no future health issues. In our state, vets encourage early spay and neuter. Of course the boys can't be done until the nuggets drop, but that's a gimee.

[Giselle]

The issue with the physical "distortion" due to early castration is that the animal does not go through the influx of hormones that is conducive to sexual maturity. Because the animal does not reach sexual maturity, he doesn't "fill out" to the point where an intact animal would. This often results in gangly, long-legged pups whose chests don't quite drop or fill out. With companion animals, this is no problem. These small aesthetic details are only discernible to a judge, which is why early castration *is* a problem for potential show dogs. Then again, the whole purpose of showing is to evaluation breeding stock, but I digress.

I was also wondering about Scooby4's comment regarding 'batches of puppies'. I have to say I'm as confused as Suki, but, at whatever rate, as long as you speuter your dogs and don't contribute to the overpopulation problem, I'm happy!

My suggestion is to get your dog speutered as soon as her heat is over, and you should be fine. Just be sure to NEVER leave her unattended. Good Luck! You'll really need it! ;)

[Jessika]

"Speutered", there's a new term! :D

[steph]

Our vet recommend neutering around 6mths of age, there is no need to worry if your dog is older, we've spayed dogs of 4 - 8yrs old, but we highly recommend blood tests to see if they are ok for the anathetic.

I think neutering is the best way to go, if you dont want to breed your dog. Not only does it prevent un wanted pups, but also a uterus infection, which can be deadly, and testicular cancer in the males.... and i also read that studies show that neutred dogs/cats live longer (not sure if that is true though!!!)

[Scooby4]

What I meant buy the first set or batch of puppies is that some people may want to breed their animals at first before being fixed. I have some friends who have arrangements with other owners to breed their dogs together. They generally sell the first set of puppies and share in the profit.
There is also people who didn't take care or the dog/cat got loose and got pregnant prior to the "fixing". So there is going to be a first and LAST litter of puppies born. That situation has to be taken into account when fixing after the first litter.
My cat shortly after being fixed developed the sagging breasts. It was about a month afterward I noticed it. She was fixed about 3 months of age. A little too young for my taste. However, I lived out on farms most of my life and fixing animals wasn't part of it. I decided when I moved into the city that my animals would be always be fixed. I took my vet's advice and had my cat fixed at that age. I wanted to wait till 6 months.
Ironically, in the city I live in, IF you adopt an animal from their shelters you MUST have the animal fixed within 30 days of adoption. This is regardless of age. :( That rule I am NOT happy with so I have made sure to adopt older dogs. Scooby and Shaggy BOTH were older when adopted. They did well on their nuetering.
As for the animals developing certain cancers or diseases due to NOT being nuetered, I don't believe it entirely. It's like saying to me, because I have breast I now have a chance at breast cancer. :confused: So removing my breasts eliminates my chances of cancer? No it doesn't. Would I then have the sex organs removed from my animals because of this same chance? Not until it was time to do it appropriately.

[Lady's Human]

this is off topic, but:

Actually, scooby, there is a growing number of oncologists who are recommending radical mastectomies for patients in severe risk groups for breast cancer. Not women who have lumps, but women in severe risk categories.

How many members of the ORIGINAL vienna boys choir developed testicular cancer? None, they didn't have any testicles. They were castrated before puberty to preserve their voices.

[catnapper]

Yes, spaying or nuetering before sexual maturity does stop cancers because its the hormones that changes things, not the organs themselves. It does not completely rule out cancer, it merely greatly reduces your risk of cancer. Nobody said my spayed girls wold never get ovarian cancer - they just will have such a low percentage that I'll never worry about it. But its been prooven that the risk is incredibly high if she was never spayed, and that risk increases with each heat cycle.

As for profit on a first litter.... they made profit?!?!? Then they weren't being responsible, and I'll tell you why. They might have made $2,000 off a litter but then they should have put that much into the endeavor with vet tests (I sure hope they had lots of blood tests to asssure health and temperment of both pets involved), with prenatal vet care for mama, with vet care and first rounds of shots, deworming, etc, with supplies for the pups such as blankets and the copious amount of laundry involved, not to mention any advertising they might have done to attract buyers, and quality food for both mama and pups after they've been weaned. There's more but I am just scratchign the surface with the basics. By the time they were also done with running mama to the vet, running the pups to the vet, running to and fro for supplies, you've spent a fortune of gas and time. Sorry but nobody makes out and walks away with money on a first litter. Your firends may think they made money, but if they at down and calculated, they would be shocked at what they really spent in time and materials.

[Scooby4]

Notice I said ONLY the first litter they try to breed off. It is funny how many people try this and think they are going to make a profit! Pretty much after the first litter I find many owner's don't want to go through that again. That is when they get them fixed. I don't think any of my friends who tried this EVER made a profit of any kind. Not many buyer's for $400 puppies who's breed is in question. :rolleyes:
The vienna boys choir castrated!!!? :eek: NOT that I have ever heard of. They just kick the boys out when they hit puberty and their voices change. That is why they are called a "Boy's choir"! ;) :rolleyes: The boys are typically kicked out by the age of 11 or 12. It is the same with the group "Menudo" in Mexico. Their singers are also kicked out by age 15 or 16. They are too "mature" and outgrow their teenage fans.
Really you thought the vienna boy's choir was castrated? :confused: :rolleyes:

[Lady's Human]

the ORIGINAL vienna boys choir. Like circa 1500 or so, not now.

[labmomma]

Hey there,
Get your dog indoors and keep her there until heat is over. Take her out for potty breaks but make it a quickie and try to hose down the area. The scent will get on the ground and attract every male in the area. I've heard of males chewing through wood doors to get at a female. Please be careful because the males lose all sense when a female is in heat.
God Bless you and yours ;)

[IRescue452]

I don't know of any female cats with sagging bellies but I know plenty who were spayed before their first heat. No correlation. There is also no correlation between physical health and maturity and when animals are spayed and neutered. Before the first heat shows the overall best results for dogs and cats. Be logical here and don't fall for old wives tales and a few speculated cases.

[dab_20]

Personally I think you should spay your dog before the first heat... around 6 months old. Your dog is plenty old enough... please get her spayed soon!

[luvofallhorses]

please get her spayed NOW!