Early Spaying

[Alaskalab]

I had Abbey, 7 1/2 months, to the vet on Saturday for her Bordatella shot and the vet started discussing spaying. I told her we wanted to wait as we have had issues with UTIs (she has an innie) and I have read a lot about the growth plates not being fully formed until 18-24 months. She then proceeded to inform me of all the risks about not spaying early. First of all it increases their risk of mammary cancer. Second of all the risk of pyometria after her heat cycle. She hasn't come in heat yet, so I thought I would get you guys thoughts on this.

[javasmom]

Moka also had a recessed vulva and had UTIs. Our vet is the same way-spay early. I told them that I chose to wait and let Moka go through a heat cycle to see if her RV corrected....Moka went through 2 heat cycles, her RV corrected and she was spayed at 18 months old.
Java was spayed at 6 months old, before we knew better...she went on to tear both ACLs at 13 months old. There is a study being done to determine if there is a link between early spay/neuter and ACL injuries, with some evidence to support the theory. Java also has a recessed vulva, but we didn't know it at the time. She has problems with UTIs, so she is on cranberry caps for the rest of her life, which has helped solve the UTI issue.

I will never spay/neuter early again. Any pups I get in the future will not be spayed/neutered until 18-24 months.

[TBGSAM]

Sarah has a little bit of an innie we spayed at 6 months, she takes cran caps and hasn't had a UTI since she was close to 8 wks old. Her sire had ED Sarah like our other babies are not allowed to jump in or out of the back of the truck they wait for me to help especially now that they are older. On occasion they have jumped in by themselves if they were really excited they all use a ramp to get out. Well except for Ginger she rides up front in her car seat.

The increase risk of cancers after a heat cycle is enough for me to spay by 6 months before a heat cycle and neuter by 6 months for my males, canine and feline. Thats just me and what I believe.

[BigBrownDog]

IMO the incidence of mammary cancers and pyo is small and not really enough of a risk to perform an early spay.

From Canine.com: Mammary cancer in dogs

QUOTE - The development of benign mammary tumors, not malignant tumors, has been linked to the female reproductive hormone,
progesterone. Despite this, however, spaying a female prior to 2-1/2 years significantly decreases risk for both benign and malignant
mammary tumors. Spaying after this time reduces risk for benign tumors but appears to have no advantage for prevention of
malignant tumors. These results would indicate that hormones do not have a direct mutagenic effect on mammary cells. Rather, it is
believed that hormones, through their promotion of cellular growth, increase the number of cells that may be susceptible to malignant
transformation. This is consistent with the finding that benign growths are susceptible to becoming malignant. Early spaying may
therefore, reduce occurrence of malignant lesions because the procedure removes the source of the hormones that cause some
mammary cells to lose growth control, which puts these dividing cells at high risk for mutation and malignant transformation by
environmental carcinogens.In fact, recent reports have identified activation of a specific oncogene in a number of canine mammary
tumors. Interestingly, pregnancy and lactation appear to have no influence on mammary cancer risk, however, evidence suggests
that females bred extensively beginning at an early age have a slightly lower risk for mammary cancer. SNIP


So - spaying before your girl gets to 2 years old (but older than 12-17 months) should allow proper development and prevent mammary cancer.

What I have found about pyo all indicates that it is primarily found in older (5-6 year old) intact bitches. Again - I would weight the cost of early spay (slower closing growth plates producing legginess /incorrect angulation and potential orthopedic problems) against the (IMO) rather remote chance that your young healthy dog will develop these problems.

[labby]

Obviously she left out the higher risks of bone cancer and orthopedic problems from early spaying. Print this out and hand it to your clueless vet.

When To Spay When To Neuter

[labby]

The increase risk of cancers after a heat cycle is enough for me to spay by 6 months before a heat cycle and neuter by 6 months for my males, canine and feline. Thats just me and what I believe.

You might also want to read my link. It might open your eyes to what you're really doing to your pet by de-sexing before puberty.

[Canula2000]

The biggest issue with leaving your girl intact will be the nuisance of her heat cycle. She will bleed for three weeks and you must keep her away from other dogs during the weeks she is in season. I wouldn't worry too much about your vet...some are very pro spay/neuter. When I took my dog into the ortho vet for OFA xrays the first thing out of his mouth was get my boy neutered.

[Alaskalab]

Thanks Laura. I had been listening to what a lot of people on here have been saying about waiting to spay, so that is what I had decided to do. She just freaked me out a bit talking about emergency spayings due to pyometria and mammary cancer. My breeder also recommends to wait until 18-24 months.

[javasmom]

The increase risk of cancers after a heat cycle is enough for me to spay by 6 months before a heat cycle and neuter by 6 months for my males, canine and feline. Thats just me and what I believe.

A $10,000 vet bill for 2 ACL repair surgeries on a 13 month old dog that was spayed at 6 months was is more than enough to convince me NOT to spay before 18 months old.

[TBGSAM]

Sorry you had to go through that with your dog, but it doesn't mean it would not have happened if you had waited to spay. You can't really know that for sure and I am not going to be made to feel like I have to wait or I will be spending thousands of dollars down the line if I don't. I had Sarah spayed at 6 months walked right into the vet office with my eyes wide open she is a happy so far healthy, for having a AKC sire with ED and an AKC dam with allergies, both of which she inherited, little girl that I love very much. Just because I choose to alter early or feed ol'roy does't mean I love my kids less then someone that waits to alter and feeds the most expensive food money can buy.

The OP is choosing to wait that is her decision and one she is comfortable with I will continue to alter by the age of 6 months any rescue I have if adopted that young. It is my decision and one that I am comfortable with.