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04-09-2012, 05:15 PM | #1 |
Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Clover, SC
Posts: 1,329
| Neutering Question My vets and others around me are saying that they wont do the neutering on my puppy until he is 6mos old because he is small. Does that sound about right to everyone?
__________________ Life is a roller coaster. Don't forget to throw your hands in the air and yell. |
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04-09-2012, 05:18 PM | #2 |
YT Addict Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Louisiana
Posts: 445
| Nigel just got neutered and his stitches were removed today. My vet had me wait until he was 7 months and about 5 pounds. Not sure what is normal for most vets.
__________________ loving mother to Emme, Nigel and Marjarita RIP Gizmo and Lola |
04-09-2012, 05:22 PM | #3 |
Yorkie mom of 4 Donating YT Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: LaPlata, Md
Posts: 23,247
| I am a fan or waiting to spay and neuter until 6 months or older.
__________________ Taylor My babies Joey, Penny ,Ollie & Dixie Callie Mae, you will forever be in my heart! |
04-09-2012, 05:28 PM | #4 |
Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Clover, SC
Posts: 1,329
| My little bit is only 2 lbs right now. We are hoping that he will be 4lbs or close by 6mos. I think that is why my vet wants to wait but I am not sure. Just wanted to ask others.
__________________ Life is a roller coaster. Don't forget to throw your hands in the air and yell. |
04-09-2012, 05:32 PM | #5 |
Owned by a Gremlin Donating Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: The Mitten State!
Posts: 3,706
| Gizmo was 6 months and about 4.5 lbs. I'm also a fan of waiting to see if they can put a little bit of weight on. Makes it safer for the dog.
__________________ Taryn Momma to Gizmo AKA Monkeyman My husband, daughter, son, and dog make me who I am "My goal in life is to be as good of a person my dog already thinks I am." |
04-09-2012, 05:47 PM | #6 |
Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Clover, SC
Posts: 1,329
| I am just wanting him to get safely neutered but in a time frame that works with the health benefits of get neutered before puberty.
__________________ Life is a roller coaster. Don't forget to throw your hands in the air and yell. |
04-09-2012, 05:55 PM | #7 |
Donating YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Los Angeles, California, USA
Posts: 12,693
| Actually, it has been said by some of the great breeders that use to visit here to have the pups neutered after their growth plates close. (ask your vet about that) If you're talking "benefits" as in leg lifting and marking, that's behavioral and you can help mold that behavior away. If I ever have a puppy, I'd fix them 8-10 months, 12 months the latest to make sure they can have retained puppy teeth extracted, neuter, microchip put it, and make sure they keep their hormones long enough to help with their development.
__________________ Littlest JakJak We miss you Kaji |
04-09-2012, 06:15 PM | #8 |
Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Clover, SC
Posts: 1,329
| Thank you so much for that info. I was going off the info I have read about the health benefits for them against cancer. I do want to help him grow into the best little man he can.
__________________ Life is a roller coaster. Don't forget to throw your hands in the air and yell. |
04-09-2012, 06:19 PM | #9 | |
Rosehill Yorkies Donating YT Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Houston Texas
Posts: 9,462
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04-10-2012, 11:11 AM | #10 | |
YT 2000 Club Donating Member | Quote:
Personally for me and especially given Yorkies propensity for LP, any advantage given the puppy to grow the long bones proportionally well is one I endorse. While I don't breed Yorkies; I do breed a large breed of dog. I strongly advise against neutering for males prior to 2yrs old and for females somewhat earlier. Also while not contained in the article; you don't have to guess if the long bones close; the tibial bone is the last growth plate to close; so you just have vet due a lateral Xray of the tibia and most vets should be able to tell you if the growth plate has closed.! EarlySpay-Neuter Considerations for the Canine Athlete ©2005 Chris Zink DVM, PhD, DACVP http://www.caninesports.com/SpayNeuter.html Those of us with responsibility for the health of canine athletes need tocontinually read and evaluate new scientific studies to ensure that we aretaking the most appropriate care of our performance dogs. This article providesevidence through a number of recent studies to suggest that veterinarians andowners working with canine athletes should revisit the standard protocol inwhich all dogs that are not intended for breeding are spayed and neutered at orbefore 6 months of age. Orthopedic Considerations A study by Salmeri et al in 1991 found that bitches spayed at 7 weeksgrew significantly taller than those spayed at 7 months, who were taller thanthose not spayed (or presumably spayed after the growth plates had closed).(1)A study of 1444 Golden Retrievers performed in 1998 and 1999 also found bitchesand dogs spayed and neutered at less than a year of age were significantlytaller than those spayed or neutered at more than a year of age.(2) The sexhormones, by communicating with a number of other growth-related hormones,promote the closure of the growth plates at puberty (3), so the bones of dogsor bitches neutered or spayed before puberty continue to grow. Dogs that havebeen spayed or neutered well before puberty can frequently be identified bytheir longer limbs, lighter bone structure, narrow chests and narrow skulls.This abnormal growth frequently results in significant alterations in bodyproportions and particularly the lengths (and therefore weights) of certainbones relative to others. For example, if the femur has achieved itsgenetically determined normal length at 8 months when a dog gets spayed or neutered,but the tibia, which normally stops growing at 12 to 14 months of age continuesto grow, then an abnormal angle may develop at the stifle. In addition, withthe extra growth, the lower leg below the stifle likely becomes heavier(because it is longer), and may cause increased stresses on the cranialcruciate ligament. In addition, sex hormones are critical for achieving peakbone density.(4) These structural and physiological alterations may be thereason why at least one recent study showed that spayed and neutered dogs had ahigher incidence of CCL rupture.(5) Another recent study showed that dogsspayed or neutered before 5 1/2 months had a significantly higher incidence ofhip dysplasia than those spayed or neutered after 5 1/2 months of age, althoughit should be noted that in this study there were no standard criteria for thediagnosis of hip dysplasia.(6) Nonetheless, breeders of purebred dogs should becognizant of these studies and should consider whether or not pups they bredwere spayed or neutered when considering breeding decisions. Cancer Considerations A retrospective study of cardiac tumors in dogs showed that there was a 5 timesgreater risk of hemangiosarcoma, one of the three most common cancers in dogs,in spayed bitches than intact bitches and a 2.4 times greater risk ofhemangiosarcoma in neutered dogs as compared to intact males.(7) A study of3218 dogs demonstrated that dogs that were neutered before a year of age had asignificantly increased chance of developing bone cancer.(8) A separate studyshowed that neutered dogs had a two-fold higher risk of developing bonecancer.(9) Despite the common belief that neutering dogs helps prevent prostatecancer, at least one study suggests that neutering provides no benefit.(10)There certainly is evidence of a slightly increased risk of mammary cancer infemale dogs after one heat cycle, and for increased risk with each subsequentheat. While about 30 % of mammary cancers are malignant, as in humans, whencaught and surgically removed early the prognosis is very good.(12) Luckily,canine athletes are handled frequently and generally receive prompt veterinarycare. Behavioral Considerations The study that identified a higher incidence of cranial cruciate ligamentrupture in spayed or neutered dogs also identified an increased incidence ofsexual behaviors in males and females that were neutered early.(5) Further, thestudy that identified a higher incidence of hip dysplasia in dogs neutered orspayed before 5 1/2 months also showed that early age gonadectomy wasassociated with an increased incidence of noise phobias and undesirable sexualbehaviors.(6) A recent report of the American Kennel Club Canine HealthFoundation reported significantly more behavioral problems in spayed and neuteredbitches and dogs. The most commonly observed behavioral problem in spayedfemales was fearful behavior and the most common problem in males wasaggression.(12) Other Health Considerations A number of studies have shown that there is an increase in the incidence offemale urinary incontinence in dogs spayed early (13), although this findinghas not been universal. Certainly there is evidence that ovarian hormones arecritical for maintenance of genital tissue structure and contractility.(14, 15)Neutering also has been associated with an increased likelihood of urethralsphincter incontinence in males.(16) This problem is an inconvenience, and notusually life-threatening, but nonetheless one that requires the dog to bemedicated for life. A health survey of several thousand Golden Retrieversshowed that spayed or neutered dogs were more likely to develophypothyroidism.(2) This study is consistent with the results of another studyin which neutering and spaying was determined to be the most significant gender-associatedrisk factor for development of hypothyroidism.(17) Infectious diseases weremore common in dogs that were spayed or neutered at 24 weeks or less as opposedto those undergoing gonadectomy at more than 24 weeks.(18) Finally, the AKC-CHFreport demonstrated a higher incidence of adverse reactions to vaccines inneutered dogs as compared to intact.(12) I have gathered these studies to show that our practice of routinely spaying orneutering every dog at or before the age of 6 months is not a black-and-whiteissue. Clearly more studies need to be done to evaluate the effects ofprepubertal spaying and neutering, particularly in canine athletes. Currently, I have significant concerns with spaying or neutering canineathletes before puberty. But of course, there is the pet overpopulationproblem. How can we prevent the production of unwanted dogs while still leavingthe gonads to produce the hormones that are so important to canine growth anddevelopment? One answer would be to perform vasectomies in males and tuballigation in females, to be followed after maturity by ovariohysterectomy infemales to prevent mammary cancer and pyometra. One possible disadvantage isthat vasectomy does not prevent some unwanted behaviors associated with malessuch as marking and humping. On the other hand, females and neutered malesfrequently participate in these behaviors too. Really, training is the bestsolution for these issues. Another possible disadvantage is finding aveterinarian who is experienced in performing these procedures. Nonetheless,some do, and if the procedures were in greater demand, more veterinarians wouldlearn them. I believe it is important that we assess each situation individually. Forcanine athletes, I currently recommend that dogs and bitches be spayed orneutered after 14 months of age.
__________________ Razzle and Dara. Our clan. RIP Karma Dec 24th 2004-July 14 2013 RIP Zoey Jun9 th 2008-May 12 2012. RIP Magic,Mar 26 2006July 1st 2018 | |
04-10-2012, 08:01 PM | #11 | |
Donating YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Los Angeles, California, USA
Posts: 12,693
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__________________ Littlest JakJak We miss you Kaji | |
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