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  1. #1
    Best Friend Retriever annkie's Avatar
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    Best age to neuter

    I know this topic was covered a long time ago but I couldn't find it. I've read that it's best to neuter once the dog has stopped growing (1-2yrs old) to reduce negative health effects. Today I came across a video that discussed early neutering (at 6 mo or earlier) and hormone imbalance resulting in various illness one of which is adrenal disease. Since the breed I'm interested is prone to thyroid disease this peaked my interest. So, I'm wondering, when is the best time to neuter to avoid negative health implications?

    Here's the video Health Issues Linked to Spaying and Neutering Dogs

  2. #2
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    I've never neutered any of my boys who came to me as puppies, or as intact adults. Other than the fact I'm a responsible dog owner, I had no other reason why until the last couple years when research has shown the negative health implications. Had I known what I know now when I had Sophie spayed, I probably would not have done it. All of the spayed/neutered dogs we've had died from cancer. Only one of the intact dogs did, and she had a brain tumor when she was 18 months old.

    I'm not endorsing doing it or not doing it. I think it's up to each individual dog owner to decide what's best for their dog.

    Now to answer your question, I'd wait until at least 2 years old to make sure full maturity and growth plates are closed. Your breeder should be able to give you a reasonable idea of when their line mature. I had Sophie's spay done when she was 22 months, she'd was 3 months past her 2nd season.

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  4. #3
    Senior Dog Meeps83's Avatar
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    There may be a clause in your contract on neutering age. For Bear, his health guarantee is voided if he is neutered prior to 18 months.


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  6. #4
    Senior Dog Snowshoe's Avatar
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    There's a sticky here in the Health section.

    Neuter/Spay - Pros, Cons, Risks, Benefits - Research Article Links
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  8. #5
    Best Friend Retriever annkie's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Meeps83 View Post
    There may be a clause in your contract on neutering age. For Bear, his health guarantee is voided if he is neutered prior to 18 months.


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    The breeder initially had neutering 6-12 mo. But when we met she said she was going to adjust it based on the latest research indicating one should wait for the dog to stop growing before neutering. In this case it would be at about 1 1/2 to 2 years old.


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  9. #6
    Senior Dog labsnewfy's Avatar
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    I always spay and neuter by 6 months if I rescue that young and as soon as possible if they haven't already been altered.

    Bailey was neutered around 5/6 months he actually hadn't dropped yet when he was neutered and he lived to be 14 yrs. He passed from old age I guess you could say we thought maybe he had had a stroke but in the end he wasn't able to get up and around.

    My little Annie was also spayed at 6 months and she lived to be 15 yrs before her big beautiful heart gave out. Lowen our aussie was neutered at 6 months and passed at 14 yrs when his body gave out. Fredrick and Snookie my cats, siblings, were altered later in life around 2 yrs - Fredrick passed at 10 yrs from diabetes complications and Snookie passed at 20 yrs when her kidneys gave out.

    Coleman was neutered at 4/5 yrs when he came into rescue, cancer took him at 10/11 yrs. Tootsie was spayed at 3 yrs when she came into rescue, cancer took her at 14 yrs. AJ our cat was already neutered when we rescued him at 3 yrs and passed at 11 yrs from cancer.
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  10. #7
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    I’ve only had one male (Mulder) and he was never neutered. A combination of the breeder saying she might want to eventually use him and just not seeing the point as being intact wasn’t causing any problems. We think he died of a brain tumor, but he was a month shy of 16.

    I feel a little differently about girls. While I would still wait until I was sure they were completely mature, the older they get the more the risk of pyometra goes up, plus, mine are competition dogs and you can’t compete with them when they are in heat. Not to mention the inconvenience of the panties etc. Our first, Scully was spayed at around 2 years old and lived until 15+. She died of kidney failure. Jolie was intact (we took her in at 11) until she was 12. She died at almost 15 from a splenic tumor, but she did also have a mast cell tumor and mammary tumor. As far as we know, it was 3 separate cancers. Chloe was intact until last year because we were planning on breeding her. Once she had the puppies, and we knew we weren’t going to breed her again, we had her spayed. Cookie and Sassy are still intact, and will stay that way at least until they are 2 and we start doing their health clearances. If anything comes up that automatically rules them out for breeding, they will be spayed at that time, otherwise, probably not for a few more years until we have the next generation on the ground.
    Annette

    Cookie (HIT HC Jamrah's Legally Blonde, UDX, OM2, BN) 6/4/2015
    Sassy (HIT Jamrah's Blonde Ambition, UDX, OM2, BN) 6/4/2015

    Chloe (HIT HC OTCH Windsong's Femme Fatale, UDX4, OM6, RE) 6/7/2009

    And remembering:

    Scully (HC Coventry's Truth Is Out There, UD, TD, RN) 4/14/1996 - 6/30/2011
    Mulder (Coventry's I Want To Believe, UD, RN, WC) 5/26/1999 - 4/22/2015

    And our foster Jolie (Windsong's Genuine Risk, CDX) 5/26/1999 - 3/16/2014

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  12. #8
    Real Retriever fidgetyknees's Avatar
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    My health contract with my guy is 18 months, but breeder says she prefers 2 years and I think the new contracts are 2. I don't plan on neutering my boy, unless he become's a nuisance (which I doubt he will).

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  14. #9
    Senior Dog windycanyon's Avatar
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    My personal contract is a minimum of 14 mos but prefer 18 - 24 mos, esp for males. Some people can't stand the thought and I don't want to wrestle w/ their vets so just give them several resources to read and make a decision for themselves. So far, so good. But, my warranty is null and void if done < 14 mos. That's a minimum for me.
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  15. #10
    Chief Pooper Scooper JenC's Avatar
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    Having 2 sporting breeds, Griff's ALSO recommend waiting past a year for neutering. I would do the same with your Welsh.

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