Breeders: Advantages/Disadvantages of spaying early/later?

[Mom to Hot Rod]

For those breeders who spay before they leave your home, that is great. As an owner, I probably would choose to wait til 6 mos or so. If for a pet only and from what all has been discussed (not just in this thread) to me it seems that the benefits are far more better to spay prior to 15 mos. Understanding that if you wait longer that there may be developmental things but as an owner, not a breeder, and seeing and hearing about all the healthy dogs who have been spayed at the 6 mo or so age is it really harmful to do it at 6 mos (or so)?

Hearing about the chances for different cancers if a dog is not spayed seem be more of a possibility than the ones who are not spayed. Is this a responsible course of thinking for the dog's health?

[Mom to Hot Rod]

Thanks everyone for their input.

A question that I have for those who do breed,

If you have a puppy that is placed as a pet, when do you want this puppy spayed? As early as 6 mos or would you insist on waiting at least 15 mos?

[bellasmomok]

I am definitely NOT a breeder, but I do want to clear up some misconceptions about spaying.

To say that there is a zero percent chance for ovarian cancer (or any other related cancer) is simply untrue. People think that just because they had their ovaries and uterus removed, they can't get ovarian cancer too, but this is incorrect. It is IMPOSSIBLE for a surgeon to remove every ovarian cell, thus ovarian cancer is still possible, though it ABSOLUTELY reduces the chances incredibly! I only say this because as a Sonographer I have seen post-hysterectomy (including ovaries) patients end up with a pelvic mass that is later determined to be ovarian cancer. Every article I've read about pros/cons to spaying/neutering say "eliminates risk of ovarian cancer", as well as have heard my vet say this too. While the chances are VERY, VERY slim post spay, they are not "eliminated". I know for most that is just semantics, but I think it's good to know the whole truth.

Also, I have a question.....I have been told one other time (besides reading the post above) that spaying before the first heat keeps them acting like a puppy. Is that always true? I'm totally for spaying animals that are not ear-marked for breeding, but I just worry that a 6 mo. Yorkie is too small....is that an irrational worry?

[phfgkl]

Originally Posted by bellasmomok

I am definitely NOT a breeder, but I do want to clear up some misconceptions about spaying.

To say that there is a zero percent chance for ovarian cancer (or any other related cancer) is simply untrue. People think that just because they had their ovaries and uterus removed, they can't get ovarian cancer too, but this is incorrect. It is IMPOSSIBLE for a surgeon to remove every ovarian cell, thus ovarian cancer is still possible, though it ABSOLUTELY reduces the chances incredibly! I only say this because as a Sonographer I have seen post-hysterectomy (including ovaries) patients end up with a pelvic mass that is later determined to be ovarian cancer. Every article I've read about pros/cons to spaying/neutering say "eliminates risk of ovarian cancer", as well as have heard my vet say this too. While the chances are VERY, VERY slim post spay, they are not "eliminated". I know for most that is just semantics, but I think it's good to know the whole truth.

Also, I have a question.....I have been told one other time (besides reading the post above) that spaying before the first heat keeps them acting like a puppy. Is that always true? I'm totally for spaying animals that are not ear-marked for breeding, but I just worry that a 6 mo. Yorkie is too small....is that an irrational worry?

this is off the vets website about spaying before coming in to heat.
This surgery means no unwanted puppies, no deadly uterine infections, no ovarian cancer, no mammary enlargement and no breast cancer.

[bellasmomok]

Originally Posted by phfgkl

this is off the vets website about spaying before coming in to heat.
This surgery means no unwanted puppies, no deadly uterine infections, no ovarian cancer, no mammary enlargement and no breast cancer.

Exactly! Everything I've ever read online about it, including what my vet has said, always says just that....NO ov. cancer and NO breast cancer. All the others are completely true, but there is still a slight chance of ov. cancer after the surgery--usually it's only one cell that is "corrupted" and that initiates the cancer to start growing, but what if that was the one cell that didn't get taken out (there is not way to be sure you got every single cell)?! Also, hormones play an integral role in the development of breast cancer in most cases, and so basically insuring that the puppy never matures (sex glands-wise) past adolescence would absolutey greatly reduce chances, BUT the mammary glands are still there (and there would be no way to remove every cell anyway, even in humans that have mastectomies), so you can't say there is no chance at all! I still think evidence very obviously points to benefits of spaying, but I think people should know when they aren't getting the whole truth. To say there is no chance of either of those after a pre-first heat spay is absolutely wrong....the chances are reduced VERY considerably but there is no way to absolutely eliminate them! I probably should be keeping this to myself, so I'm sorry if I'm offending anyone, I just can't stand when the very people we put our trust in to take care of our health (and our pet's health) spout off un-truths (I think saying "lies" is too harsh ) to us....we as consumer's and laypeople trust their knowledge is better than ours (after all they had a LOT of schooling and experience) and believe what they say at complete truth!
Also, I know this is off the OP's subject, so I won't say anymore about it....I only wanted to share what I know to be truth to the same YT'ers that I rely on getting invaluable information from. In my short time on here I have learned soooo much and have been introduced to questions I hadn't thought of yet, which spurred me to think more and research more. So, Thanks!!!

[Mom to Hot Rod]

Originally Posted by bellasmomok

Exactly! Everything I've ever read online about it, including what my vet has said, always says just that....NO ov. cancer and NO breast cancer. All the others are completely true, but there is still a slight chance of ov. cancer after the surgery--usually it's only one cell that is "corrupted" and that initiates the cancer to start growing, but what if that was the one cell that didn't get taken out (there is not way to be sure you got every single cell)?! Also, hormones play an integral role in the development of breast cancer in most cases, and so basically insuring that the puppy never matures (sex glands-wise) past adolescence would absolutey greatly reduce chances, BUT the mammary glands are still there (and there would be no way to remove every cell anyway, even in humans that have mastectomies), so you can't say there is no chance at all! I still think evidence very obviously points to benefits of spaying, but I think people should know when they aren't getting the whole truth. To say there is no chance of either of those after a pre-first heat spay is absolutely wrong....the chances are reduced VERY considerably but there is no way to absolutely eliminate them! I probably should be keeping this to myself, so I'm sorry if I'm offending anyone, I just can't stand when the very people we put our trust in to take care of our health (and our pet's health) spout off un-truths (I think saying "lies" is too harsh ) to us....we as consumer's and laypeople trust their knowledge is better than ours (after all they had a LOT of schooling and experience) and believe what they say at complete truth!
Also, I know this is off the OP's subject, so I won't say anymore about it....I only wanted to share what I know to be truth to the same YT'ers that I rely on getting invaluable information from. In my short time on here I have learned soooo much and have been introduced to questions I hadn't thought of yet, which spurred me to think more and research more. So, Thanks!!!

Certainly taking no offense here. I certainly am not an expert nor do I even consider myself to be an expert on the subject. The point of veiws from everyone is very welcome...that's why I asked the question. I agree that there are no guarantees to any surgeries. I can only go by the number of dogs that I have known personally as well as reading about everyone's dogs here. I don't know when most people's dogs were neutered but from what I am thinking, it was early on.

What is does a spay contract include? Is there a time frame in which the procedure needs to be performed? and if so, what sort of time frame...6 mos, 1 yr or 1+ plus yr?

Maggie's breeder is saying 15 mos minimum.