Early Spay/ Neuter any contradictions?

[scarleta]

I was wondering what''s the consensus of opinion on this? Some suggest that it is more beneficial? and others are totally against it? What do you say?

 

[Lynn B]

Hmmm, interesting question. I've wondered that, too.

My male Ragdoll cat, Boo, was neutered very young, about 3 months old. No problems or side-effects whatsoever. It's a common practice among Ragdoll breeders (probably ALL breeders, but I'm only familiar with Ragdolls) to neuter or spay all (pet quality) kittens before placement.

I suspect that it is generally a safe procedure and usually well-tolerated among healthy kittens. Otherwise I would think there would be an uproar or an outrage among pet owners, and I've never really seen or heard of anything like that.

 

[scarleta]

Thanks Lynn: I am also wondering about puppies.The Puppies at rescues and shelters must be spayed/ neutered before they get adopted and some get it done early age 2 to 3 months.I know for a little research that it has been practiced for several years now, but was wondering what others think? Maybe there are some pet owners with older pets who had it done early and they can share? Thanks a lot.
Scarleta

 

[Lynn B]

I honestly think it must be about the same for healthy puppies, too. Call me naive, but I just can''t imagine that the practices of early spaying and neutering would be as popular and well-accepted (even encouraged) as they are if they were not considered generally safe. Of course, with general anesthesia, there is always a slight risk for complications, and very young animals undergoing their first experience with it are probably at a somewhat higher risk for UNEXPECTED complications, simply because there isn''t any prior known history yet of (possible, potential) problems.

Hopefully AG or some of our other animal *experts* will chime in! But honestly, maybe I''ve been in a bubble or a vaccuum, but I have heard VERY few "cons". (Again, my only personal experience is with furbabies of the FELINE variety, though!

)

(Oh, BTW, are you considering a new pet?

)

 

[*Danielle*]

Having worked in a vet I can honestly say I have never seen adverse effects from a pet being payed or neutered too early. The main worry would be putting such a small animal under anesthesia but with the proper knowledge it can be done safely.

Are you looking at getting your pet spayed or neutered?

 

[neatfreak]

I''ve seen research on both sides of things... I think the most important thing is that they get spayed or neutered!

 

[scarleta]

Thanks to everyone.No I don''t have a pet ,but I do volunteer work with them.
With all the pros and cons its hard to know the best way.I heard that if you spay/ neuter too early it has adverse effects on the pet later in life.They claim that the hormones have to kick in?
There are others who say its beneficial as it prevents certain cancers?
I got many answers to all my questions here so i hope to hear from people who had their pets spayed/ neutered at early age to see how their pets are doing at full maturity or even old age.Thanks again.

 

[Cind11]

I used to work for a vet many years ago. He said he felt the only drawback for early spay/neuter was that everything internally (speaking of a spay) was that much smaller and made the surgery perhaps a bit more difficult to do. I think puppies and kittens should be spayed/neutered before they leave shelters to make sure that it gets done. Otherwise, people may fail to get the surgery done which adds to the pet overpopulation problem.

 

[brazen_irish_hussy]

We had my little Odin cat done when he was 3 months and we had no problems and that was some years ago. I don't think he even realized they cut something off.

The only thing I have heard with males cats is that it prevents them from developing some face fat many get and as such makes them more attractive, but I don't know much about it.

 

[NewEnglandLady]

What breed of dog?

I am anti-neutering. In the Newfoundland breed neutering, particularly early neutering (at or before 6 months of age) has led to an increase in bone cancer and cruciate tears. We waited until Byron's growth plates had closed (the testosterone is what closes these) in order to reduce his chances of bone cancer.

I know that for me, this is where having a really great relationship with your breeder comes into play. We spoke with the breeders that we respected the most about this issue and they were overwhelmingly for late/no neutering.The bottom line was that the chances of a dog getting testicular chances are much lower than a dog getting bone cancer due to pre-mature neutering and obviously we want to do what is healthiest. In general, I think people lean on neutering as a way to better control a dog's behavior (because it takes more commitment to own an in-tact dog), even if it's not what is best for the dog.

I think it's critical to try to find studies for your breed specifically because the results are different. Each breed club conducts its own studies--we recently sent in DNA for the study to better understand to what degree neutering has on cruciate tears in the Newfoundland breed. I know other breeds have done studies on the effects of early neutering.

I don't have nearly as much insight for females--I do know that previously vets would recommend spaying after 6 months, but before the first cycle. It seems that now more of the responsible breeders (and some vets) are pushing to wait until after the first cycle as spaying before the first cycle could lead to problems such as a recessed vulva and hyperthyroidism.

I think it's great that you are exploring this--I know we must have spent at least a year talking to many breeders, vets and hollistic pet-food store owners about the spay/neuter issue. It's definitely not as easy of a decision as I initially thought.

ETA: sorry for all of my editing, haha, I need to go just go to bed! Here is one of the articles I have saved to my computer--my breeder sent it to me last year.
http://www.naiaonline.org/pdfs/LongTermHealthEffectsOfSpayNeuterInDogs.pdf

 

[MonkeyPie]

My baby Cleo came home with us at 6 weeks, went back to get fixed at 8 weeks. I think it''s better to do it earlier - all my kitties that had it done when they were little babies seemed to have less of a reaction. The older ones were WAY more offended and they got seriously chubby lol. That may not have anything to do with it, though, cause my Cleo is a chunker, too.

 

[scarleta]

Date: 10/25/2008 12:25:43 AM
Author: NewEnglandLady
What breed of dog?


I am anti-neutering. In the Newfoundland breed neutering, particularly early neutering (at or before 6 months of age) has led to an increase in bone cancer and cruciate tears. We waited until Byron''s growth plates had closed (the testosterone is what closes these) in order to reduce his chances of bone cancer.


I know that for me, this is where having a really great relationship with your breeder comes into play. We spoke with the breeders that we respected the most about this issue and they were overwhelmingly for late/no neutering.The bottom line was that the chances of a dog getting testicular chances are much lower than a dog getting bone cancer due to pre-mature neutering and obviously we want to do what is healthiest. In general, I think people lean on neutering as a way to better control a dog''s behavior (because it takes more commitment to own an in-tact dog), even if it''s not what is best for the dog.

Thanks to everyone: as to your question I am thinking a mixed breed the ones you get from the shelter that must be spayed/neutered before they can be adopted out.So one has no choice of speaking to a breeder or in fact even making a decision on when to have it done.

I think it''s critical to try to find studies for your breed specifically because the results are different. Each breed club conducts its own studies--we recently sent in DNA for the study to better understand to what degree neutering has on cruciate tears in the Newfoundland breed. I know other breeds have done studies on the effects of early neutering.


I don''t have nearly as much insight for females--I do know that previously vets would recommend spaying after 6 months, but before the first cycle. It seems that now more of the responsible breeders (and some vets) are pushing to wait until after the first cycle as spaying before the first cycle could lead to problems such as a recessed vulva and hyperthyroidism.


I think it''s great that you are exploring this--I know we must have spent at least a year talking to many breeders, vets and hollistic pet-food store owners about the spay/neuter issue. It''s definitely not as easy of a decision as I initially thought.

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Date: 10/25/2008 12:34:38 AM
Author: scarleta

Date: 10/25/2008 12:25:43 AM
Author: NewEnglandLady
What breed of dog?


I am anti-neutering. In the Newfoundland breed neutering, particularly early neutering (at or before 6 months of age) has led to an increase in bone cancer and cruciate tears. We waited until Byron''s growth plates had closed (the testosterone is what closes these) in order to reduce his chances of bone cancer.


I know that for me, this is where having a really great relationship with your breeder comes into play. We spoke with the breeders that we respected the most about this issue and they were overwhelmingly for late/no neutering.The bottom line was that the chances of a dog getting testicular chances are much lower than a dog getting bone cancer due to pre-mature neutering and obviously we want to do what is healthiest. In general, I think people lean on neutering as a way to better control a dog''s behavior (because it takes more commitment to own an in-tact dog), even if it''s not what is best for the dog.

Thanks to everyone: as to your question I am thinking a mixed breed the ones you get from the shelter that must be spayed/neutered before they can be adopted out.So one has no choice of speaking to a breeder or in fact even making a decision on when to have it done.

I think it''s critical to try to find studies for your breed specifically because the results are different. Each breed club conducts its own studies--we recently sent in DNA for the study to better understand to what degree neutering has on cruciate tears in the Newfoundland breed. I know other breeds have done studies on the effects of early neutering.


I don''t have nearly as much insight for females--I do know that previously vets would recommend spaying after 6 months, but before the first cycle. It seems that now more of the responsible breeders (and some vets) are pushing to wait until after the first cycle as spaying before the first cycle could lead to problems such as a recessed vulva and hyperthyroidism.


I think it''s great that you are exploring this--I know we must have spent at least a year talking to many breeders, vets and hollistic pet-food store owners about the spay/neuter issue. It''s definitely not as easy of a decision as I initially thought.

Right, dogs from the shelter cannot be released without being spayed/neutered, so if you adopt the choice is made for you. They don''t want the dogs falling into the hands of a back yard breeder.

 

[AmberGretchen]

NEL makes a good point about giant breed dogs - in at least several of these giant breeds, it has been proven beneficial to delay spaying/neutering at least until these animals are finished growing. Beyond that, from the research I''ve seen, the benefits of delaying spay/neuter in those breeds are not as clear.

In terms of the vast majority of non-giant dog breeds and pretty much all cats, the benefits far outweigh the risks. Among the benefits are improved behavior, reduced chances of wandering and all the negative effects that can be associated with pets running away, and reduced chances of certain cancers such as testicular and mammary, as well as an eliminated risk of inflamed mammary glands and/or uterus (the latter I believe is pyometria) in female animals. Those last two are often fatal.

In addition, as NEL notes, intact animals are generally much more difficult to own and train, and 99% of owners have no business with intact animals, given both the behavioral issues and the staggering pet overpopulation problem.

 

[Lorelei]

I am definitely believe in neutering companion animals. For my babies, I prefer not to have them fixed too early in life. I aim for around 6 months in cats, but I would take it under trusted professional advisement concerning dogs/ large breeds as to the best window for neutering. This is the approach I have used for many years of animal ownership and has served them well thus far.

 

[scarleta]

Thanks once more for everyone''s input.There are obviously lots of opinions on this one? I have done more reading and the opinions differ as well.It has been practiced for many years in some countries with not adverse effects, while other countries don''t even spay/ neuter as they don''t think its necessary.

 

[Lynn B]

Date: 10/25/2008 7:23:22 PM
Author: scarleta
Thanks once more for everyone''s input.There are obviously lots of opinions on this one? I have done more reading and the opinions differ as well.It has been practiced for many years in some countries with not adverse effects, while other countries don''t even spay/ neuter as they don''t think its necessary.

Really?!! Do these countries not have an alarming animal overpopulation?! I can''t even imagine the ramifications!

 

[scarleta]

Some do have problems like 3rd world countries , but some European countries don''t seem to have a problem.

 

[PaulaW]

We have an intact, 7 month old, female boxer and will get her spayed in the future. I have been struggling as to when this will happen and so far in my research, this is loosely the conclusion I''ve come up with: allowing a dog to go through a cycle of heat is good for their bones and prevents certain kinds of cancer, it may also diminish hip and knee problems since dogs tend to "fill out" more muscularly due to the hormones related to heat. Waiting too long, like through 3-4 cycles of heat increases the chances of breast cancer significantly, and there don''t seem to be any added benefits to waiting that long if you plan to spay.
I''m pretty much going to wait for her first heat or until she reaches 1 - my vet said that sometimes you don''t even realize they''re in heat the first time which would be nice to not have to deal with!

 

[sap483]

Date: 10/25/2008 12:03:36 AM
Author: brazen_irish_hussy
We had my little Odin cat done when he was 3 months and we had no problems and that was some years ago. I don''t think he even realized they cut something off.

The only thing I have heard with males cats is that it prevents them from developing some face fat many get and as such makes them more attractive, but I don''t know much about it.

That is true for one of my cats. We had him neutered when he was about 4 months old and he has the cutest little peanut head. I researched quite a bit before making the decision, and so far we haven''t had any issues related to early neutering. Our vet assured us it was safe, and said that many owners found it beneficial to have it done early because it often prevented bad habits like spraying from developing.

 

[choro72]

We adopted a 2 month kitten in August, and they spayed her before we could take her home. When we brought her home she didn't even look like she was under anesthetic. She was bouncing around and terrorizing everyone like any other kitten. The only way we could tell was by her scar on her belly, and that's all healed and furry now.
I didn't know about the issues with bred animals...Interesting!

 

[bee*]

We''ve been trained to not neuter/spay an animal until they''re 5.5 to 6 months, the main reason being as NEL stated. They need testosterone/ oestrogen to assist them with growth. Manolo is coming up on his six months now and is being done next week-poor little babe