Spaying/Neutering your dog too early can result in health problems later on since their hormones should have some time to work. Early Spaying/Neutering can increase the risk of hip dysplasia, torn ligaments, bone cancer, and urinary incontinence.
Your dog’s ideal time to spay/neutered will also be based on their breed and size, so it’s best to work closely with a veterinarian to determine when is the right time.
We recommend waiting until your dog is at least over 6 months and likely even older for some dogs. The benefits are much more pronounced in larger dogs, but there is not a lot of difference for lap dogs.
Studies have shown that dogs spayed before 6 months of age experience some higher risk of orthopedic problems and certain cancers and that risk is statistically reduced at 12 months. What happens statistically at each age in between still needs more study.
We do know that with each heat cycle there is an increased risk of mammary adenocarcinoma (breast cancer) and risk of pyometra (a life-threatening uterine infection requiring emergency surgery and intensive care).
If we are able to allow female dogs to get as old as possible, but manage to spay them just before their first heat, this would seem like the ideal situation, but it is tricky to predict when that first heat will be. Knowing the family history can be helpful, but is still not an exact way to know when the first heat will occur.
The main advantage of Spaying are preventing pregnancy, preventing infection of the uterus (pyometra), preventing ovarian or uterine cancer and reducing the likelihood of mammary (breast) cancer, all of which can be life-threatening. It also prevents the inconvenience of having a bitch in season with unwanted attention from male dogs.
Neutering a male dog prevents testicular cancer and reduces the risk of other problems, such as prostate disease. This may also help with certain behavior issues. In addition to reducing roaming in male dogs, neutering can often, though not always, help reduce or eliminate undesirable behaviors, such as leg-lifting and mounting. Neutering may also decrease aggressive behavior in some dogs.
Most Veterinarians recommend to Spay/Neuter over six months as opposed to six or eight weeks as it is a concern for anesthesia. Very small pets can be more of a challenge in terms of temperature regulation and anesthetic safety.
Some dog breeders choose to spay/neuter their pups at 8 weeks of age to protect their lines….. But at what cost to the puppies?
Ask your vet when is the best time to spay or neuter your puppy ☺️
To help prevent weight gain after surgery remember that a healthy diet and proper exercise will help prevent this.
Accidents happen, and vet bills can be expensive, we recommend PD Insurance to ensure your new puppy is safe no matter what happens.
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