# Age to spay?



## IowaGold (Nov 3, 2009)

Girls can have their first heat cycle anytime between 6 months to a year plus. If you want her spayed before the first heat cycle, I'd schedule for around 6 months (unless you are OK with taking a chance that she could go into heat before it gets done). Millions of dogs have been spayed at that age and did fine after surgery. She won't be done fully growing at that point, but that doesn't seem to be too big of an issue with females.


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## Mollymoo (Mar 7, 2012)

I am interested in this too, Molly is 5 months but my vets say to bring her in at six months and they will check to make sure she isn't about to go into season not sure how they check this. They prefer to wait until after the first season but I have a male cavalier who is still very much intact and I really do not want them mating. The vet says they will talk about spaying her early to us at the consultation. I thought it was better health wise to get them done early what does anyone else think? Do goldens come into season early or is it normally around 9 months? What would be the signs of her coming into season? She seems so young for this yet.
Xxx


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## Calliesmommy (Feb 27, 2012)

I will wait to get my dog fixed this time around if at all. Imagine if you took a pre-adolescent human and completely removed the main hormone producing glands what that would do to their growth and development. I have been reading up a lot on this after speaking with several breeders that are now recommending to wait. If you do a google search you will find a lot of info on it. What really swayed me was the increase in bone cancer and hemangiosarcoma, seeing as we just lost our girl to that this winter. I will forever wonder if my spaying her at 6months didn't predispose her to this condition. JMO.


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## Suni52 (Jan 18, 2012)

Our breeder thought our dog would go into heat around 9mo, that seemed to be a trend in her blood line. Maybe you can ask her breeder when her mom went into heat, in case you wanted to wait a little longer. 
After much deliberation we decided to wait until after her first heat. She'e 8.5 months and she still hasn't gone into heat yet. I've never dealt with a bitch in heat and to be honest I'm a little terrified. So it is a very personal decision. But if your gut is telling to wait a little while longer maybe you should. :crossfing


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## Sammy&Cooper (Dec 28, 2011)

it's all about personal choice IMO. I have always spayed my females at just over 6 months of age and they have had normal growth and development.


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## goldhaven (Sep 3, 2009)

Here are 3 links to some of the pros and cons to the early spay/neuter controversy. Hopefully reading some of this information will help you make a more informed decision. My vet recommends waiting based on some of this information, however, if you think that it would be too difficult to handle a female in heat, it would be better to spay early than to risk an unplanned litter. If you do decide to wait, look into how to keep your female "safe" while in heat. It is easier than you would think but it takes a commitment. 

Long-Term Health Risks and Benefits Associated with Spay / Neuter in Dogs | America's Blue Lacy Dog Blog

http://www.weebly.com/uploads/2/0/2...her_and_when_to_neuter_a_golden_retreiver.pdf

Don't Make This Mistake When Scheduling Your Dog's Neutering Procedure


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## Ash120 (Jan 29, 2012)

Our breeder recommended at least 18 months, as to not effect there growth..i wont touch mine before then..even though my vet is pushing me to do it sooner but i dont want to take any chances with his health even tho it works for some, i wouldnt do it before the recommended time...thats just my opinion


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## darbysdad (Dec 23, 2011)

My vet wont spay until Darby has her first cycle due to a slightly recessed vulva. I am stocking up on doggie diapers.......


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## debra1704 (Feb 22, 2012)

I just sent an email to the breeder- good suggestion! I am afraid she'll get pregnant.


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## Wyatt's mommy (Feb 25, 2011)

Since some are bringing up the age for neutering also I just have to say I had one of my goldens neutered at the age of 2 and the other at 6 months. The only difference I saw was that the one that was neutered at 6 months doesn't hump and mark everything on his walks like the other one. Same normal growth pattern on both. You just need to decide what is best for you and your dog.


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## Deber (Aug 23, 2011)

We are going through our first heat right now with Kye (11 mo.) We have boarded Cooper (8 mo) until this is over. Last month Kye became more settled, she came to me more for cuddles and loving than before. She was quieter which for her was so different. I just knew she was getting ready to come in. When she did it was with a bang. Not a lot of swelling, just a start of flow, but enough that she would drip on the floor (sorry but no way to describe this - it is what it is!). I put her in female doggie diapers (washable kind) with a femine pad. Honestly it hasn't been much of a big deal for her or our family. We are keeping her confined more and she is in her crate if we aren't there to watch her. We have about 2+ more weeks and then done. She has just starting the breeding phase but again not a lot of personality change, just way more loving and content to lay around than usual. When I get home and she is taken out to potty, on goes the diaper until bedtime and crate. I wash the used diaper and put on a new clean one (bought 4). They honestly fit well but give plenty of movement and she took to them immediately. When I remove the diaper, I gently wash her tail feathers, hind-end and pants to keep them clean and clear, do a quick blow-dry and she is ready for her clean pair of diapers. I am trying to keep her clean to reduce infection since wearing the diapers keeps the liquid closer to her skin even with a pad. During the first week she had to wear her diaper all the time, but flow diminished and turned more clear, so in her crate (just a towel to lay on and easily changed), no diaper, outside the crate - always has her diaper on. 

We too have always neutered/spayed our dogs about 6 mo old, but after all the reading I did, plus many discussions with our Vet, we decided to try to allow both kids time to fully develope and grow before fixing them. This should be the only heat we must go through. My only fear is the males in our neighborhood that might jump our fence to get to her, so why she is crated so much right now. 

Only trouble we have had is our tiny Biewer yorkie unneutered male. At almost 4 lbs he is a tiny one, but don't tell him this. He is being kept in our bedroom but when let out he runs to Kye and humps her ankle! His is prob. 4 in off the floor, but thinks right now he is a 70 lb golden! Funny, but don't allow this cause it is hard on him (poor boy). So Harley is spending time in the back of the house right now.

Will be glad when this is over, but honestly with all the planning we did, it is going very smoothly so far. Hopefully the weeks will fly by and Coop can come home soon. Miss him though I see him early each morning and all afternoon..but not the same as when he is here with us. 

Sorry this is long, but wanted you to know what happens to not only your female dog, but your family during this time and see if you think you can do it yourselves. Not something I would do twice a year, but once..think we will do fine.


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## Vanfull (Jan 20, 2012)

It really is a hard decision. I have decided to do it when each of my puppies reaches 8-9 months just because it will give them a little more time to mature and hopefully still catch them before they go into their first heat.


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## mooselips (Dec 4, 2011)

Our breeder recommends Bridget not be spayed until she is a year....
So, we will go through one heat with her.

We will be at the cottage, there's ONE dog up there, I'll have to keep a close eye on her.......


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## Amystelter (Jul 31, 2013)

goldhaven said:


> Here are 3 links to some of the pros and cons to the early spay/neuter controversy. Hopefully reading some of this information will help you make a more informed decision. My vet recommends waiting based on some of this information, however, if you think that it would be too difficult to handle a female in heat, it would be better to spay early than to risk an unplanned litter. If you do decide to wait, look into how to keep your female "safe" while in heat. It is easier than you would think but it takes a commitment.
> 
> Long-Term Health Risks and Benefits Associated with Spay / Neuter in Dogs | America's Blue Lacy Dog Blog
> 
> ...


 Thanks for the good articles, but now I am hesitant to have my Lucy spayed b/4 her first heat. I wouldn't mind the inconvenience and my male is fixed but that means no day care for a few months. Darn, I'm going to have to do some more research to see more studies on having it done at about 6 months. I'm going to see if they did a poll on this site and compare pics to when the dogs were fixed and see if I can find any significance in size/proportion. If not, maybe I'll start one. Thanks for including the good articles again.


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