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Community | Ask The Vet
Spaying
01.06.2006There seems to be such a wide divide between vet\'s opinions on spaying. During my last visit, I was informed that Barton Lodge will spay as young as 4 1/2 months. There are many vets, however, that will insist on a first season before spaying.
Why is there such a wide divide? Is there any reason for so many vets insisting on the first season? I have heard that one of the disadvantages of neutering too early is the dog ends up lacking in maturity, making them harder to train. Also, doing the operation during their puppy stages often results in nicked bladders that render them losing bladder control? Is there any truth in this?
On the other hand, the American vet will neuter as young as 9 weeks.
There are so many varying opinions out there, it is quite difficult to make a decision! Other than worries about pregnancy for my bitch and the tumors (which I was told by one vet isn\'t that common anyway), are there any distinct advantages to spaying pre-first season? I just can\'t decide ...
- Rhoni
Hello Rhoni,
Whilst acknowledging that opinions differ, at Barton Lodge Veterinary Centre we have always neutered puppies from the age of 4 1/2 months. We have confidently recommended this policy for over 30 years and honestly do not see complications arising from this early procedure. The advantages of neutering immature animals are complete avoidance of a heat period when a bitch may become pregnant, plus complete removal of the risk of cancer relating to the reproductive system or mammary glands. In unspayed older bitches the incidence of mammary tumours (breast cancer) is actually quite high in our experience. Life-threatening uterine infections is another serious problem encountered in mature bitches. Certainly there are some myths circulated about problems supposedly caused by early spaying. We can refute the idea of bladders ever being \'nicked\' during the operation and leading to incontinance-what a dreadful thought, it doesn\'t happen and is not how incontinance occurs. Hormone-responsive incontinance does occur, in a small proportion of older neuterd bitches, but can happen to bitches spayed as mature individuals as well those spayed as puppies. We would not agree that there are developmental issues, neither stunted growth (one myth you didn\'t mention) or training problems in neutered puppies. Having had the opportunity to follow many of our patients through their lives, they are normal in both growth and behaviour.
Opinions do still vary as to when is the best time to spay and some other vets still stick to saying neutering immature dogs is not a good idea. We think previous generations of vets may have initiated this attitude due to fears about old-fashioned anaesthetics for young patients. The statistics do not support their concerns. Modern anaesthesia makes a spay or castration for a young bitch or dog a straightforward, routine procedure. They recover amazingly quickly. They go home the same day as the surgery and the hardest thing is keeping them calm during the 10 day healing period.
Hopefully this reply answers your questions about neutering fully but, as you are a client at Barton Lodge, don\'t forget you can have a free consultation with one of the vets to discuss any neutering issues further prior to booking your bitch in for the procedure.
- The Barton Lodge Veterinary Team
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