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Originally Posted by motinot  I've been doing a bit of research and a vet on-line said small dogs should not be spayed (my Teddi is female) until they are 9 months and have had their first heat..She also claims that i should allow Teddi 6-9 weeks to recover from the 'heat' before spaying....medium sized dogs 12 months and large dogs 15 months and always allow the time of recovery after the 'heat'...She said it is to allow the female to internally mature and early spayng can cause problems with bladder and kidneys later n their life....I thought it made sense, so im leaving Teddi until she has had her first heat and 2 months recovery.....  |
Research on spaying is cyclic....like kids and putting tubes in their ears or removing tonsils, it changes about every 8-10 years! The latest research I have been reading, has swung the other way....for the last couple of years, the "old wives tale" about allowing dogs to have their first heat before spaying, has come back around again, and what was old is now new again! For years, I advised getting females spayed before their first heat, because that was what was being promoted by vet schools and text books. Then it began to swing the other way, and now, it seems to validate it is best to let the female have her first heat cycle and then spay her.....because of the effect of the developing/mature hormones on every body system. So now, that is what I tell my new owners....wait about 2 months post heat and then spay. This is based on research and not any agenda for spay/neuter for population control ideology.