and what about early spaying?

[rottlove]

Reading the castration threads has me wondering. I had planned to spay Viva at 6 months. And my vet did tell me that early spays tend to make the dogs slightly taller, which didn't seem like a big deal...

So what is the word on the street here?

[Roscoe's dad]

Guido was spayed around 6 months and she does seem to be a little on the tall side.

[amya1234]

I had my girl spayed at 3 months per my vet and she looks fine to me? She is now 11 months.http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/4...34040000004410

[CajunsMom]

Have any of you had bladder/incontinence problems from early spaying? I've heard that's a problem and was curious if anyone had seen it.

[Rajah'sMom]

Rajah was spayed at 5.5 months. I've never heard that they are taller when spayed earlier. Our vet recomends spaying between 5 and 6 months. We haven't had any problems with her bladder, but then again she is only 7 months old now. She is 21" tall and weighs 65lbs.

[Roscoe's dad]

She does not seem to have a bladder problem unless get stuck working a lot longer than normal (10 to 12 hrs instead of 8)

[joquendo]

Cajuns Mom.... yes I adopted my Jade from our rescue group at 8 weeks old - she was spayed before I could adopt her... she had problems for a while with her bladder, but she is now 8 months old and it seems to have all cleared up... she is pretty tall though - but at this point I am not sure if its the growing pattern - and will fill out to balance out her height... -

[TrishB]

I've never known there to be any ill effects of spaying early as opposed to spaying late. Spay incontenance is a possibility of all spays, regardless of when it's done.

There is a higher risk of mammory cancer if a female is spayed after her first heat - this is a proven fact, well documented.

I don't know about the 6 - 8 week spays. I haven't seen them performed nor do I think that they've been around long enough to say that they're better or worse.

I do approve of them for one simple reason. Any animal adopted (note that I said adopted, not recovered from - I'd hate for someone to think that if their Champion show / agility dog went to a shelter that they'd be altered before they could get them back) from a shelter or pound should be sterilized. Period. These animals should not be reproducing.

It's hard to argue with over 20 Million animals (dogs, cats, rabbits, ferrets) being euthanized every year. Many animals are 'repeat offenders' in which case, they shouldn't be left with the possibility of creating more little homeless lives.

[AdeL1610]

I'd opt for early spaying anyday. Rachel was spayed at 7 months, recovered in a flash and was up and about doing the Indy 500 the very day after her operation. She IS a little lanky, but maybe that's because she's the badly-bred, dobie blood, long legged kind. 25", 65lbs!

[SarasMom]

I was recently talking to a friend about this. Vets should be specially trained to do very early spays and neuters. Apparently the procedure is different in very young animals and if done incorrectly can cause problems.

[joquendo]

I have a question... why would early spay/neuter cause a dog to grow taller... I am not sure how the two are related...

... does anyone know???

[TrishB]

Honestly, I don't know. I know it's true in horses that are gelded early (spays don't occur very often in mares). But I have no idea if it's species specific or if it's a general rule.

[alexav]

Taller huh? That's a new one. I'd be tempted to find a new Vet. I'm surprised he didn't tell you one of the other BULLCRAP Old Wive's Tales like:

If you don't let her go through a couple of heats, she'll be immature and never know that she's supposed to act like an adult!

Let her have a litter of puppies to "Settle her down".

And my personal favorite....Wait till after two heats or else she won't look "feminine".

Spay BEFORE the first heat! Trust me, a bitch in heat is three or more weeks of not fun two or three times a year. There have been many studies that have shown that a spay before the first heat is virtually a guarantee that she will never have mammary cancer. The first heat increases the chances by a huge margin and subsequent heats compound the risks.

Worries about unwanted heat cycles, unwanted litters, uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, pyometritis (a deadly uterine infection), and cervical cancer are all eliminated completely by performing this procedure early. Six months is the perfect time IMO.

[rottlove]

Oh, my vet is defitinitely pro-early spay. She was talking about studies done on 8-10 week old puppies, and though she didn't quote her source I am sure it's legit. I'll get the source from her if anyone here is interested. Believe me, she's not an "old wife" and the LAST thing she was doing was talking me out of an early spay. My only doubts came from reading about early castration.

[rottlove]

The taller thing had something to do with delaying or preventing the onset of puberty, can't remember exactly. She said it was only a matter of about 1/4 - 1/2 inches in height difference, not much. She did also say that early heats, as in before 6 months, often coincide with the solstice.