I plan to neuter my lab at 7 months.

[JenC]

For some reason I can't edit:
A couple things though...
1. Vets will always push to do it sooner than later. So the decision-making needs to be 100% YOURS, nothing to do with the vet. Some vets will try to convince folks to do it at 4 months!
2. Dogs have been fixed at 6 months for YEARS, so if there really are extenuating circumstances where you HAVE to do it, you do what's right. But just know that studies are showing it's better to wait if you can.

[Jeff]

Wow.... I would really like to wait but we can't due to a variety of reasons. He is a big boy so now you have me worried. My vet said that that there would be no problem for him to get neutered at this time. He has good musculature and should be able to hold the weight of his bones.

Vets always push that, vets push a lot of things because there are a lot of irresponsible pet owners. I would really recommend waiting. You will be more pleased with the end results and generally a healthier dog. Read the link Snowshoe gave you and if you talk to your vet about it, the vet will more than likely agree with all the articles. Any good vet will, but you have to remember hey generally see tons of dogs a day and most people are extremely irresponsible. There are a lot of dumb people in the world. As long as you can responsibly manage him until 18-24 months I would let nature take its course.

Oh yeah and you didn't answer the question whats the rush?

At 7 months he is not displaying any behaviors related to hormones. Those don't usually start happening until a year or much later, my boy didn't have those until he was 3. So if it is an issue with behavior, let us know we can let you know how to solve that because neutering won't fix it. your still going to have the issue after being neutered.

[Tanya]

Personally I believe in doing what works for you. Lots of dogs are neutered at 6 months and do fine. If you can wait and be responsible for your dog all the better (and yes there are benefits to waiting) but i don't think getting him neutered at 7 months means he'll be sick or immobile as he gets older. There are many things that impact health neutering is just one. The dogs genetics and overall health care on an ongoing manner will be more important. I'd say in NA most dogs are neutered before the age of 1.

But if you can hold off a few more months that can be helpful as well, even if it's not waiting until he is 18 months.

[arentspowell]

Daisy was spayed at 9 months. After doing our research, it's what we were the most comfortable doing. We were still in college, we had to rely on the dog park for exercise, and we lived in an apartment complex with lots of other dogs and just didn't feel like we could manage an intact dog at that point in our lives. Lily was spayed at 6 months but she came from a rescue and we had no say in the matter. Now we are at the point in our lives where we would be able to comfortably manage an intact dog so we plan to wait with our next dog.

You gotta do what's best for you and your dog based on your circumstances. Don't let anyone bully you. Your dog will most likely be fine whatever you choose to do.

[fidgetyknees]

I have read a lot on here but I think we are going to get him neutered this Friday the 15th. ...:has anyone else neutered at this age?

I would wait until he is fully gown. My contract with my guys breeder said something about what age I had to wait until to neuter if I chose to do so. But was also told waiting until 2 years old is optimal. So I didn't really pay attention to what the earliest I am allowed to neuter at, I am just waiting until 2 years old.

7 months is too young, they are not fully grown - and it is beyond me why vets encourage it.

[Tanya]

7 months is too young, they are not fully grown - and it is beyond me why vets encourage it.

many will disagree with me but I personally believe the "average" dog owner can't really be responsible enough, enough of the time, to keep their dogs intact. People on this board are already miles ahead at least in wanting to learn more about dogs and training and stuff. the average joe? pretty lacking in understanding and knowledge of dogs (and they don't realize it one bit). I hear of wayyy too many "oops" (which honestly, are not really "oops" just really bad management/lack of care) from otherwise completely smart and knowledgable people. Dogs left in yards even if they "escape now and then". So I have zero issue with vets talking about it at 6 months. granted I could agree with them at least mentioning some of the benefits of waiting but I see no major issue in doing it earlier.

I also believe people need to make the call that's best for them and their life. And if that means reading all teh information and neutering before 2 years of age so be it, i don't see it as causing HUGE long term impact on the dog (health is a gambit, who knows).

Sorta baffling that in Europe and such places people don't generally fix their dogs but there seems to be much fewer strays/less of a pet overpopulation issue. Maybe people are just more responsible dog owners?

Right or wrong, that's my personal point of view.

ETA: I by no means am talking about the OP here in the "not responsible" part. Like I said, being on the board and looking into things makes them wayyy above the average dog owner. I mean "in general".

[dxboon]

Wow.... I would really like to wait but we can't due to a variety of reasons. He is a big boy so now you have me worried. My vet said that that there would be no problem for him to get neutered at this time. He has good musculature and should be able to hold the weight of his bones.

By all means neuter now if that's best for you, but at 7 months please understand that this breed doesn't have a mature skeletal system, and has adolescent muscle development. It's not about "holding" the weight of his bones; a lot of the ortho issues affected by neutering surround proper connectivity at the end of the long bones adjacent to joints. As puppies, our dogs have soft areas that sit at the end of the long bones that allow the bones to grow properly until maturity. Prior to these "growth plates" closing, that area is made of softer material that is more prone to injury because it is not completely calcified. Early neutering slows the closure of these plates so they stay open longer. This can result in more opportunity for injury and a longer, lankier, thinner (less dense) bone as well.

Definitely don't be swayed by anyone here or otherwise, but also be sure you are armed with as much information as possible. It's a personal decision, but one that shouldn't be made lightly.

[EGrant23]

I personally don't have anything to add but want to say thank you to those who have contributed to this thread. Many of the questions I have regarding neutering my lab have been answered here. We were planning on March, which would make Bo 10 months. Our vet was the one who said that is a good time. I will have plenty of questions for her on our next visit. If it is indeed that beneficial to wait, we will just be doing that.

[Halcyon]

We originally planned on waiting until Bobby turned 18 months but we decided to neuter two months early at 16 months. At the time, we were on our summer holidays and thus, could afford to supervise him 24/7 and had cars available to rush him to the vet if anything went wrong. Bobby is a very active, restless lab and thus, there was a bit of a risk that something could go wrong during recovery. It was a good decision too as he managed to destroy his cone, forcing us to cut it off before he injured himself!

As mentioned above, there is plenty of research suggesting that waiting until 18-24 months is ideal but lots of dogs are neutered early and live long lives. Do what is best for you.

[BIG BOB]

Snowshoe. ... I don't understand.

I plan towait until nine months and reevaluate. thanks to you guys for the info. I appreciate all of your input