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Originally Posted by MauiGirl  I think the 6 month protocol is mainly geared to avoiding first heat (which can come between 6-12 months) and possible pregnancy, and also research shows that spaying then eliminates the risk for mammary cancer.
In the case of tiny females some wait for them to get bigger than say 2 or 3 lbs., or wait to see if they loose baby teeth.
My vet changed his recommended protocol for small breed dogs last year, to instead of before first heat, to waiting until after 1 heat cycle. This was based on research showing that they were more prone to knee problems if spayed before growth plates were complete. He also says that spaying before the second heat still gives high protection against mammary cancer. I can't quote all the info he stated, but for ME I chose to take his advice with my females.
Opinions will vary as more research is done, but I have confidence in my vets recommendation. Two of mine were spayed yesterday at almost 1 yr. and also had some baby teeth removed, and got microchipped. All good. |
This is a really good point.
There doesn't seem to be one best time to do it.
You can avoid mammary cancer by doing it early, but you are increasing the risk for other problems. So there really is no one answer here. The risk/benefit information for spay/neuter is pretty fascinating.