Ok tell me if you think it's better to spay before or after a first heat....

[Bizzymammabee]

Lulu is four months old now and I spoke to the vet re: spaying. I asked if he thought it was best before or after the first heat. He said he feels that right after the first heat so they have a chance to mature and that it's good for them to have one heat and then do it. He feels that the release of the first set of hormal influx is good to I guess sort of finalize changes that are going on in their bodies and as part of their growth pattern. He was talking about a study about doing the spaying/neutering too early and the negative impact in relation to humane societies doing it when the pups are under four months.

Well so to make a long question short what do you think is best? What information have you gotten from your vet either way?

Thanks.

[Zeus' Mom]

This is a great question, as we will be going through this with Enja too. Our vet said that he likes to do it before. He doesn't think it is necessary to put them through that if we know we are going to spay. I would love to hear what others' experiences have been.

[Brijan]

Hi..........My vet also said to spay her before her first heat. He said before the hormone start flowing. He said it is better in the latter years w/ cancer.
Everyone has a different opinion on this, it is always a debate. My baby was spayed at 4 months.

Blessings

[rachelsyorkie]

Before. If you dont you will wish you had. The mess of blood all over the house, the behavior changes-butt in your face, hunching-girls hunch too, , they get swollen & miserable just like some women do & then can develop infections and have complications similiar to having bred her even thou a male was never around. I just went thru this & would not recommend it. And depending what area you are in you may have stray males hanging around, your girl may start marking in the house, you'll have to retrain. She might try to sneak out the door & mate with any dog around because at a certain point in their heat they want bred its just a instinct & dogs have mated thru fences(she will back right up to it) A girl might fight off a dog everyday & people think she just wont let them they dont have to worry about it, but she will eventually just lift her tail when she wants it-you know how women are But anyways. I had a accidental pregnancy w/a large breed dog I had years ago because at that time vets were recommending that they have one heat, but now they do not. Hope this helps.

[Gracie2006]

Dogs who are spayed after their first heat are at a much higher risk for developing mammary (breast) cancer. My vet said to do it at 6-7 months of age.

[BlondieGirl87]

My vet said before as well, he said it reduces their risk for cancer and that there was no need to put them through being so miserable if you intended to spay them anyway.

[Yorkiedaze]

I think for the females, before the first heat cycle. For the males, I wouldn't neuter till they were at least 8 or 9 months old.

[Little Bit]

My vet doesn't recommend early spay or neuter. He says that they can have urinary problems later on if you don't wait until everything matures and develops.

I had a dog that I spayed at 6 month before her first heat. She always had a problem after that with peeing when excited. My other dog I didn't have spayed and she never had this problem.

He says the same thing for boys. That you will have problems if you don't wait until their urinary tract develops fully.

just my 2 cents,

[Bizzymammabee]

Yeah the information on this varies widely. Shoot at a point the humane society was doing it at under four months essentially so they could be sure it would be done and not have to wait for the new owner to bring the pet back to have it done.

I am confused. I don't know which way to go with it. I am thinking to do it by the time she is six months.

[Bizzymammabee]

Originally Posted by BlondieGirl87

My vet said before as well, he said it reduces their risk for cancer and that there was no need to put them through being so miserable if you intended to spay them anyway.

Joy when are you getting jada done?

[MissyB]

We just had our Gigi for a checkup and she is being spayed next week. Our vet said to do it before the first heat.

[sunyluvsma]

My vet recommends to spay/neuter at 5 months. I do rescue work and have done it as young as 4 months. Males can be fertile at 6 months and females can have heats that early as well.

Good luck with your baby and her spay.

[Bizzymammabee]

Thanks. The vet figures with her size being two pounds he would like to delay it as much as well and he is also saying that being a small thing like that she will probably have her first heat about 8 or so months. I would like to do it and get it done and over for her. Although Lex is neutered I am sure that there will be harrassment going on.

[BlondieGirl87]

Originally Posted by Bizzymammabee

Joy when are you getting jada done?

Well, I talked with my vet about it and he said because she's so small right now he'd like to wait. He doesn't like the risk of putting these small ones under. He'd prefer for her to be at least 2 and 1/2 pounds so we were hoping she'd be that weight by 6 months but she's only gained a half of an ounce this past week so, I guess I'll have her weighed again at 6 months and if she is close to that weight I'll have it done then. He said in the majority of cases he's seen with pups as small as Jewelina, they normally don't go into heat before 6 months but he also said, as with everything, there are variables and things could happen but he thinks the risk of having it done now while she's still under 2 pounds is too great of a risk to take.

[Bnot]

I've heard on this board before first heat. So I got Venus spayed at 6 months.