OceanS

What age is best for desexing/spaying a female dobie? I heard its best to do it before their first heat(so about 5-6 months), but also heard if desex early than a year old can cause growth problem. What's everyone's experience and suggestions?

workingk9s

Everybody has a different opinion on this matter. I tend to go for about 1-2 years if you can stand the heat cycles. If you are worried that you can't keep her away from males, or if the heat cycle is too difficult to deal with then do it earlier.

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Toby'shuman

In the UK you are actively encouraged by both Vets and the Animal Welfare people to have it done before their first heat.

As I have my males done early I sometimes allow any girls I own to have their first season/heat then do it.

But as has been said, if you don't think you can keep your girl from being got at, or getting at a male then perhaps it is best you have her done early.

In all truth I have never noticed it affecting growth or the like, but of course this is just me and mine, I cannot speak for anyone else or their dogs.

StarlightDobe

I had my girls done prior to the first heat on the recommendation of my vet, due to the risks of cancer if you do it later. I know there are pros and cons both ways but I felt more comfortable this way.

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There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face. - Bernard Williams

R.I.P. Mysti 1/25/02-10/21/10

Kansadobe

Vets and rescue organizations always recommend the earlier the better because it is final and there are no accidents. However, if you bought a female because you wanted a feminine dog rather than an androgynous eunuch, you should wait until she has had at least one heat cycle. It seems that most vets and animal welfare organizations think that all pet owners are irresponsible idiots.

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StarlightDobe

The question of accidents never came up, actually. The risk of mammary cancer and other ailments did, such as the problems they can develop during heat, or vaginal infections, or false pregnancies. These were all factors in my decision, and they are still very feminine in spite of never having a heat. My girl Mysti had her favorite toy she treated like her baby for years and she never had a heat. She had the best mothering instincts of any spayed dog I have known.

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There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face. - Bernard Williams

R.I.P. Mysti 1/25/02-10/21/10

Burns

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Gorrmae's Fantasy Red XIII CD RE CGC TDI
DOB 2/17/07, red/rust, male neutered Doberman

brw1982

lol!

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Old Drum's Crimson Crisp, "Fiona"
Old Drum's Fiery Rumors of Taliesin, "Tali"

Rosemary

What about those of us who have female dogs because that is what followed us home (literally) or what we happened to take home with the clean laundry (again, literally)?

Personally, I prefer to spay before their first heat cycle. Leo caught me by surprise, by coming into season at about 7 months. It was one of the most nerve wracking experiences of my life.

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MeadowCat

Wow - that's a pretty massive generalization. I know quite a few females spayed before the first heat who still look plenty feminine.

Also, unfortunately, most pet owners are NOT educated or responsible enough to be trusted with an intact animal. Sad, but true.

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Sam1491

I agree with working K9's if you can handle the first one or two heat cylces and be sure she remains safe from any potential "suitors" I prefer to spay after the first one or two cycles for many health reasons.
But if you can't or don't want to then I would spay her before 6-12 months of age (the average time of the first heat dependent on the dog)

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"The Red Devil Diva" & Her Shamelessly Obedient Human

Sherryh

I had my female spayed at 2 years old right after one of her cycles....

Kansadobe

Has anybody read the article, Aging Research 2011: Exploring the Pet Dog Paradigm? http://www.gpmcf.org/ilar.pdf The following is a quote from the article.

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In 2006, a database was established at the
Center to track the oldest-living pet dogs in the United States,
representing the first such effort. To date, this canine counterpart
of the New England Centenarian Study has collected
lifetime medical histories from more than 150 canine “centenarians”
of a single breed—Rottweilers that have lived to
13 years of age which is more than 30% longer than the
breed standard and is equivalent to 100 years old for humans
(Patronek et al. 1997). We estimate that 1 in every 6,000
Rottweilers alive in the United States meets our criterion for
exceptional longevity. For comparison, data for most industrialized
nations estimate that 1 in 5,000 humans is a centenarian
(Perls 2006).
We compared sex and lifetime ovary exposure in the centenarian
Rottweilers in our database to a cohort of Rottweilers
with typical longevity (8.0-10.8 years) (Waters et al. 2009).
Female dogs were twice as likely as males to achieve exceptional
longevity. However, removal of ovaries during the first
4 years of life completely erased the female survival advantage.
In female dogs, a strong positive association between
ovaries and longevity persisted in multivariate analysis
that considered other factors, such as height, body weight,
and mother with exceptional longevity. A beneficial effect of
ovaries on longevity in females could not be attributed to
resistance to a particular disease or major cause of death.

Here is another similar one: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...e0008-0752.pdf

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