# Trying to decide when to neuter? Read this!



## LEUllman (Feb 1, 2010)

Results of a recent study. It's on Golden's, but still quite relevant I think.

Neutering Dogs: Effects on Joint Disorders and Cancers in Golden Retrievers


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## N2Mischief (Dec 3, 2012)

Wow!!! My vet has always said it is best to neuter to lower the risk of mammary cancer, testicular cancer, and pyometria. This article is amazing. I was going to wait to spay Misha anyway since hopefully she will be showing. 

So when is it recommended to spay? 1 year? later? It's too late for the chihuahuas, Emilio was neutered at 4 months! and Pablo at 8 months.


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## Mom-n-Reiki (Jan 6, 2013)

Reiki's contract says he has to be neutered by six months and the breeder sent proof, so Im kind of SOL for waiting. The local clinic actually wants to neuter him right when I get him home! But Im going to wait until he's five months.

Misha and Ash were both neutered before I got them so I didn't have all this to worry about. 

Thanks for sharing!!!


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## Oreo's Mommy (Dec 18, 2012)

Oreo will be neutered between 5 and 6 months.


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## outwest (May 1, 2011)

My breeder preferred no spay or neuter until 12-14 months old-pretty much full maturity.


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## schnauzerpoodle (Apr 21, 2010)

My breeder states in the contract that it should be somewhere between 6-12 months when the vet thinks it's the most appropriate. 

My vet suggested we waited until after all the adult teeth came in so that any retained puppy tooth could be extracted while Nickel was put under. I told the breeder and he agreed. Nickel was neutered when he was between 7-8 months old.


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## Ladyscarletthawk (Dec 6, 2011)

The only thing that worries me about not spaying my bitches is pyometra. The only reason Eve was spayed was because she had an open pyo infection. She lost most of her coat afterwards and had to be placed on melatonin to kick start her hair to grow back. Could be me but it doesn't seem to react the same way to her allergy shots either. I hate having to spay her but I knew it was best for her to not get a recurring infection. There are a lot of cons to women having a hysterectomy so why should it be different to our bitches... 


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

Very interesting - I have kept my two intact, but am very aware of the risks of pyo and mammary tumours. My decision was probably not entirely unconnected with having suffered the effects of both oestregen blocking drugs and the menopause myself, and discovering just how difficult life can be without those protective hormones! Funny how nobody seemed to have heard of menopausal arthritis... My vet tells me it is different for dogs, but didn't try too hard to persuade me!


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## Ruso (Nov 16, 2012)

I remember reading a text by Bruce Fogle, the famous vet, about neutering males. Basically he said that early neutering has more disadvantages than advantages and that if there are no behavioural reasons, or other aspects present, it's better not to neuter males as a rule. 



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## MaryEdwards (Oct 29, 2012)

http://www.scienceworldreport.com/articles/4975/20130215/neutering-makes-dogs-vulnerable-to-cancer-and-joint-disease.htm[/URL]

Spaying and Castration (Neutering) Dogs | Doglistener

These were some articles I read to try and understand the neutering issue. My vet was encouraging me to do it around six months, and I wanted an unbiased opinion. Hope it helps. :happy:


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## outwest (May 1, 2011)

Many dogs have not gone through puberty at 6 months old. That means your male dog will be rather androgenous looking as an adult, your female might be a little heavy without much tuckup. I prefer a male to look like a male and a female to look like a female. If you had an 8 year old girl or boy who lost their hormones, wouldn't you give them hormones for health and looks? I know they are dogs not people, but biologically speaking let them go through puberty at least.


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## Mom-n-Reiki (Jan 6, 2013)

I agree, and Im tempted to see if the vet will fudge the paperwork, but....

Ash, I think, was neutered early and is very leggy and he is just now starting to lift his leg in earnest. I dont mind it really, but I do wonder what he would be like with his hormones.


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## Ladyscarletthawk (Dec 6, 2011)

Ok so have time to post pix of Eve after her neuter. She was spayed in late feb 2012 because she had an open pyo. She was pretty much bright eyed but didn't want to eat/threw up/ had diarrhea. She became skin and bones with a pot belly by the time they or I should say I figured it was pyo. She started acting funny in Jan. Anyway as time went on she started losing her coat.. The first few pix were of her at least two weeks after her spay. I was told to give her melatonin to give her hormones a jump start.. And the last photos are of her after about 4wks after that on Melatonin. I have to keep her on melatonin Off and on now as her coats tends to thin. Perhaps she has atypical Cushing's but i don't know. She was diagnosed somewhat borderline cushinoid in Jan after they ran an Addison's test.

After spay no haircut since before her spay






























On melatonin after a good haircut to even her out








After some time on melatonin before haircut. After bath/brush 














After haircut.. Same cut length as above when she was thin coated, except for tail










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