# Is it better to neuter later?



## xnatalie (Nov 27, 2009)

We are picking up out first golden boy on Thursday )!!!!!!). However, one of his testicles hasn't descended, but the vet said he can feel it and it should resolve itself and come down on its own. The owner of the sire of the litter said that goldens from 'english' lines mature more slowly, and should be kept intact until they are at least 2 years old, because it allows hormones to help him grow to his potential, and dogs who are neutered earlier actually have a higher risk of cancer because they lack these hormones. I've never heard of this before- is there any validity to it?


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## NuttinButGoldens (Jan 10, 2009)

Everything I'm hearing now, YES. Unfortunately most vets are not on board with this. Gilmour got his "It's time to be neutered!" invite in the mail from his old vet when he was 4 months old!

18-24 months seems to be the prevailing thought now. Gilmours guarantee _requires _he not be neutered before 18 months.


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## BeauShel (May 20, 2007)

Is he only 8 weeks old? It is best to wait until they are 18-24 months old but if they dont descend you might have to do it earlier.


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## xnatalie (Nov 27, 2009)

BeauShel said:


> Is he only 8 weeks old? It is best to wait until they are 18-24 months old but if they dont descend you might have to do it earlier.


Yes he actually turned 9 weeks old today. I know you have to do it earlier if it doesn't descend, but the vet thinks that it should come down on its own soon. How soon do you think he should be neutered if it doesn't come down?


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## Oaklys Dad (Dec 28, 2005)

I'm in the "Wait as long as you can stand it" group. 18-24 months and your golden male will reach his full golden "look".


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## DUSTYRD2 (Feb 28, 2007)

It doesn't have to be done right away if it doesn't descend unless it is causing problems, which is unlikely. Our boy had the same thing and we just monitored him and he was not nuetered until he was over 24 months. We had and have no problems having waited until then to do it. Our vet was totally on board with waiting also. Usually, if it hasn't dropped by 6 months it's not going too, nor can it as the inugual (sp) ring has closed preventing it from dropping.


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## Heidi36oh (Feb 27, 2007)

My Jack is 4 years old and still not neutered, I would wait as longest you can to get him done, let him grow into his full body, they will drop in time.


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## sameli102 (Aug 23, 2009)

When I took Parker at 9 or 10 wks the vet tried to tell me there was only one, but I had checked him myself prior to the visit and they were both there, so she checked again and said "oh yes, I do feel it now". So maybe they were just in too much of a hurry.


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## Willow52 (Aug 14, 2009)

I plan to wait until Hank is around 2 years. I believe those hormones are there for a reason as they mature.


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## AquaClaraCanines (Mar 5, 2006)

I have a new male who is getting done on Saturday at nine months, but that's because he's a foster and while he is very sweet, my males (all neutered) don't like him because he has balls.


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## Dreammom (Jan 14, 2009)

OK gonna express my opinion - not that it is worth much LOL.

I just got reamed out mercilessly on another forum for pointing out that I thought you should wait until the dog matures. Apparently this person had an agenda and felt all animals should be spayed or neutered at 8 weeks... OUCH!

My experience with Hurley (a siberian husky) who was neutered at about 8 months...he is absolutely huge for the breed, about 5 inches taller and 6 inches longer and of course 30 lbs heavier than breed standard. Yes a litter can throw a big one sometimes, but not quite that big... the bitch was 45 lbs, the dog was 50 lbs, Hurley is 85 lbs. We need to watch him closely now for joint issues, hypothyroidism etc. I will never do it again to a dog - as a matter of fact my next dog will be another male and will not be neutered at all.

ok going to hide in a corner now....


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## jwemt81 (Aug 20, 2008)

I very firmly believe in waiting until the dog is between 18 and 24 months old. Neither one of our boys will be getting neutered before then. Tucker will be 18 months in February, but we may hold off until he is 24 months since we haven't had any problems with him being intact and he's never around any intact females. Dogs who are neutered earlier usually grow taller and have narrower heads and chests. If you wait until the dog is older and fully developed, then he will be able to achieve a more full, blocky build. Of course, genetics is a big factor in determining just how blocky a male will be, but neutering too early will prevent the dog from achieving his full size. I also believe that it is healthier for the dog to remain intact until his growth plates have closed. I'm very much opposed to the early neutering that a lot of vets try to push on puppy owners.


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## xnatalie (Nov 27, 2009)

Dreammom said:


> OK gonna express my opinion - not that it is worth much LOL.
> 
> I just got reamed out mercilessly on another forum for pointing out that I thought you should wait until the dog matures. Apparently this person had an agenda and felt all animals should be spayed or neutered at 8 weeks... OUCH!
> 
> ...


i'm sorry you got bashed for saying your opinion and telling what happened to your dog, that's not fair  do you think he would have been smaller if you had waited to get him neutered?


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## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

Dreammom said:


> OK gonna express my opinion - not that it is worth much LOL.
> 
> I just got reamed out mercilessly on another forum for pointing out that I thought you should wait until the dog matures. Apparently this person had an agenda and felt all animals should be spayed or neutered at 8 weeks... OUCH!
> 
> ...


I'm not going to bash you! But everyone who is pro waiting has said that neutering young makes a dog taller, leggier and more feminine in their appearance, which seems to be the opposite of what you are describing.

And the funny thing is, Jasper, who was neutered at 5 1/2 months, is pretty much within breed standard size-wise. Danny, who was neutered after 7 months (I honestly need to pull his paperwork to find the actual time, but it was after his heart surgery) is tall and lean.

Personally, I am of the belief that the lines that the dogs come from make much more of a difference in what they mature into.

Now, when talking about an undescended testicle, I am not sure what is the best route.


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## sterregold (Dec 9, 2009)

The hormones play a role in when the growth plates close. A dog who is neutered early does not have that hormone signal to tell his bones to stop growing! So they can end up much taller and lankier than they would have otherwise. My contract requires that boys not be neutered early or the ortho guarantee is void. Think about the difference between a bull and a steer, or in humans the castratos (choir boys who were castrated before puberty to keep their voices high) who were often extremely tall and lean. The hormones are there for a reason!


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## rappwizard (May 27, 2009)

Two links:

The first, on neutering and growth plate closure--

http://www.caninesports.com/SpayNeuter.html

The second, on golden retrievers and cancer, which discusses genetics, "slow growth--vs obesity and cancer," and early spay/neuter considerations (these are on pages 5-7) Happy Reading! I think you're getting great advice--if you can hold off, hold off.

http://www.grca.org/pdf/health/cancer.pdf


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## xnatalie (Nov 27, 2009)

sterregold said:


> The hormones play a role in when the growth plates close. A dog who is neutered early does not have that hormone signal to tell his bones to stop growing! So they can end up much taller and lankier than they would have otherwise. My contract requires that boys not be neutered early or the ortho guarantee is void. Think about the difference between a bull and a steer, or in humans the castratos (choir boys who were castrated before puberty to keep their voices high) who were often extremely tall and lean. The hormones are there for a reason!


Thanks!!! i was wondering exactly what the hormones did, but i felt dumb asking



rappwizard said:


> Two links:
> 
> The first, on neutering and growth plate closure--
> 
> ...


thanks for this, too! i definitely am going to try to wait to neuter him, i never would have guessed that you should neuter later.. i always hear people talking about neutering their dogs before they start lifting their leg and marking, so i always assumed the younger, the better.. guess i was wrong


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## tonisaysss (Nov 6, 2009)

while we're on topic -- what is the suggested age to neuter a female? i keep hearing mixed views.


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## jwemt81 (Aug 20, 2008)

tonisaysss said:


> while we're on topic -- what is the suggested age to neuter a female? i keep hearing mixed views.


Females aren't neutered, but are spayed, and it's recommended to hold off on spaying until after they have had their first heat cycle.


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## rappwizard (May 27, 2009)

For females, there's still health considerations--bottom line, no matter what decision you make as an owner, you have to decide what is best for you and your golden--each decision we make, I believe, comes with trade offs, and certainly keeping a golden intact comes with trade offs as well. There are no cut and dry answers, IMHO, but each person needs to be aware of all issues, especially since everyone is so concerned about goldens and cancer nowadays.

http://www.naiaonline.org/pdfs/LongTermHealthEffectsOfSpayNeuterInDogs.pdf


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## tonisaysss (Nov 6, 2009)

rappwizard said:


> For females, there's still health considerations--bottom line, no matter what decision you make as an owner, you have to decide what is best for you and your golden--each decision we make, I believe, comes with trade offs, and certainly keeping a golden intact comes with trade offs as well. There are no cut and dry answers, IMHO, but each person needs to be aware of all issues, especially since everyone is so concerned about goldens and cancer nowadays.
> 
> http://www.naiaonline.org/pdfs/LongTermHealthEffectsOfSpayNeuterInDogs.pdf


thank you!

i only want what's best for her. i keep hearing right before her first heat to reduce the risk of mammary cancer but i've ALWAYS heard to wait after their first heat. the vet tries to usher me into it at 4 months any time i bring it up. doh. :doh:


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