Spaying & Neutering

SPAYING AND NEUTERING

All responsible pet owners know that unless they have a good quality dog that they intend to use for Competitive Showing, then spaying or neutering their dog is the right choice to make.

Spaying and neutering is good for the dog population as a whole, and helps to avoid contributing to the problem of significant numbers of dogs being without homes. It also provides a range of health benefits for the dogs in question, and can greatly reduce the chances of your dog contracting a range of dangerous and harmful conditions in later life, and in some cases, avoids them altogether.

While the vast majority of dog owners are all on the same page about this, there is one aspect of spaying and neutering that is somewhat less clear; what is the right age to have your dog or bitch neutered or spayed? There is some debate about the answer! Spaying or neutering too early or too late can actually be counter-productive, and so having the procedure performed at the right age is important. But how can you determine when that actually is?

AT WHAT AGE SHOULD DOGS BE NEUTERED?

Puppies normally reach puberty any time from six months old and their elevated hormone levels can adversely affect their behaviour. This behaviour will not 'automatically' be resolved by neutering despite advice you may receive to the contrary. Dogs are generally neutered from the age of around six months onwards, although the American and Australian trend of neutering even younger than this is becoming more common in the UK.

While dogs can of course be neutered at any age after the testicles have descended, leaving it until a dog is fully mature to have them neutered can cause problems. A dog that is acting out sexually is becoming dominant, has begun urine marking his territory or tries to seek out bitches in heat may continue to do so after castration, as they have learned these behaviours, and it can be hard to break these habits later on. However, neutering too young can cause problems of its own, which can make it hard to know how long to wait. In order to be able to develop strong, healthy joints and bones and produce all of the hormones needed for growth, waiting until testosterone production has begun in your dog is important. Both testosterone and the thyroid hormones T3 and T4 are essential for normal development and healthy growth, and the production of these hormones accompanies the onset of sexual maturity. Neutering a dog before production of these hormones has begun can mean that your dog will be unable to produce them in sufficient quantities, which can affect his health, immune system and development.

In order to ascertain for sure when it is safe to neuter, it is best to wait until your dog is at least six months old, and for larger breeds and those breeds that grow and develop more slowly, possibly several months longer. Once your dog is beginning to show the onset of sexual maturity, as male dogs reach puberty they start cocking their legs, and you may observe an increased interest in other dogs, independence, mounting behaviour and 'macho' behaviour with dogs and/or people or beginning to get romantic with their bedding, toys, you should be good to go!

These are some health and behaviour benefits and some of the downsides too.

PROS of castrating male dogs

removes the risk of prostate problems
removes risk of testicular cancer
can reduce aggressiveness
can reduce hypersexual behaviour

CONS of castrating male dogs

may not reliably reduce aggression
may not reduce dominant behaviour
does affect growth rate
does affect maturation
increases the likelihood that your dog will get fat later in life (unless you control its diet strictly and exercise it regularly)
could affect the growth and texture of your dog's coat

AT WHAT AGE SHOULD BITCHES BE SPAYED?
Again, spaying at less than six months old is becoming increasingly more common within the UK, although there are a range of problems that can potentially be caused by spaying your bitch while she is very young. As with male dogs, females need to produce the T3 and T4 growth hormones that begin production alongside of impending sexual maturity, as well as oestrogen for normal development and hormone regulation.

A bitch that is spayed too young will not have had the opportunity to have begun producing oestrogen and other essential hormones, which can lead to a range of problems in later life. Urinary incontinence can result from inadequate oestrogen production, a condition that cannot be reversed and will require ongoing oestrogen supplementation for the rest of their lives; something that is of course, not ideal for many reasons.

Bitches are normally 'in season' for three weeks (and are fertile during this time) so they should not be taken outside (other than the garden) or allowed to mix with male dogs. You can tell your bitch is in season when her vulva swells and she exudes a discharge which may be blood tinged. This should happen about every six months, throughout her life.

Once your bitch has completed her first season, you should seek to have her spayed shortly afterwards. This ensures that she has reached sexual maturity before spaying, and ensures that you can calculate where she is in her oestrogen cycle to ensure that she is spayed between cycles. Spaying a bitch in heat or who is on the verge of a season is much more risky for the bitch, and veterinarians will not spay a bitch in heat unless it is an emergency. Received wisdom used to dictate that a bitch should be allowed to have a litter before being spayed, however studies show that there is no good basis for this, and your bitch will not benefit from having a litter before spaying.

Unless you are going to be Competitively Showing your dog, you will no doubt consider neutering it. This has some health and behaviour benefits and some downsides too.

PROS of spaying bitches:

reduces the incidence of mammary tumours, if carried out at an early age
ensures no phantom pregnancies
ensures no womb infections (Pyometra)
ensures no ovarian tumours
ensures no unwanted pregnancies

CONS of spaying bitches

can increase the risk of urinary incontinence in older bitches
does affect growth rate
does affect maturation
increases the likelihood that your dog will get fat later in life (unless you control its diet strictly and exercise it regularly)
could affect the growth and texture of your dog's coat

CONCLUSION
As with any aspect of dog care, your Vet, is the person best placed to advise you on spaying and neutering your dog. He or She can determine when your dog or bitch has reached sexual maturity if you are not sure, they will also be able help you to work out when to tell if a season is due or if a dog has begun testosterone production. Be wary of being advised to spay or neuter too young, however, if you feel that your dog or bitch is not yet sexually mature, consider seeking a second opinion. Do remember, while spaying or neutering too young can cause problems, it is also important not to leave it too late either!

Each dog is an individual and you should consider the advantages and disadvantages of neutering your dog carefully.