When is the best age to have a bitch spayed? Twenty years ago we had a bitch and we waited for her to have one season before we had her spayed (which seemed to be normal practice in those days) and I was intending to do the same with our new puppy. But I met someone today with a 6 month old bitch who had just been spayed - and the owner said her vet told her you don't need to wait for them to have a season. So now I am wondering whether that's normal practice now or whether that's just one vet's opinion and most people would still wait for one season.

I would not have a bitch spayed before she was 2, and no way before she'd had a season, or two. We had our younger HV spayed when she was about 14 months, she'd had her first season 2 months before but we look back now and think we should have waited as it left her with a very puppyish attitude until she was over 2 years. Our other girl was spayed at 4 after we decided against her having a litter and she hasn't changed apart from now she is slightly incontinent.

Our vets always advise letting them have one season, and IMO its irresponsible for a vet to spay before then, they need time to mature before neutering, they are still babies at that age.

HTH

Emily

My vet has always advised to spay no sooner than midway between the first and second season.

At 6 months the puppy could be just about to come into season for the first time, the blood supply to the uterus will be increased, making surgery more risky, and her hormones wil be all over the place, which could lead to behavioural problems afterwards. If you wait for three months after the first season you avoid these potential risks.

Also, if you're talking about a large or giant breed, the vulva will stay small which can lead to problems with urine scald as the rest of the bitch grows to maturity.

I recommend to my puppy owners to let the bitch have 2 or even better, 3 seasons to let their girl mature a bit (mine is a slow maturing breed). Obviously, if there is an entire male in residence, this may not be practical.

I wouldn't spay my bitch at all unless for a medical reason, but as you say Fillis, it may not be practical! In my breed we have a lot of coat texture problems with spayed bitches, so a lot of people try to avoid it if possible.

Yes, something your vet won't mention is that in some breeds the coat can change totally and even become unmanageable :( :(   Of course the vet doesn't have to cope with this tho, the owner does :(

This is something that is quite fascinating to me. Mine is a long haired breed, yet I have not heard of any complaints re coat problems after spaying. I wonder if its because there is no undercoat?

Not all breeds seem to be affected and with some the effects even seem desirable!  I remember a few years ago a Shetland Sheepdog doing very well at Championship shows after being spayed for medical reasons (although I am sure she was a excellent example of the breed as well:)) and people moaning that it had put her at an adavantage :)  I suppose it would be good if vets did mention it but then I would not go so far as to say any coat becomes unmanagable rather that it requires different management but when you consider many of the coated breeds are managed by pet owners by clipping the management will often be no different.   Each case for spaying need to be considered on its own merits in my opinion and coat care put at an appropriate level in that equation.

I suppose in the scheme of things, coat is a low priority, and especially as few show dogs are spayed, the difference would not be recorded very much, but I would love to know why some breeds are affected whilst others are not.

I think it depends whether the breed has an undercoat or not. My spayed dalmatians' coats have never changed one iota - and they were spayed when adults.

In my breed, certainly amongst my friends, ex show and brood bitches are very often spayed and indeed most, well all that I can think of, are clipped off anyway quite happily for all concerned :) and grooming efforts concentrated on this still in the ring.

> I remember a few years ago a Shetland Sheepdog doing very well at Championship shows after being spayed for medical reasons (although I am sure she was a excellent example of the breed as well:)) and people moaning that it had put her at an adavantage <

Ch Myriehewe Rosa Bleu died on the 7th September this year. She was born on 19th July 1993

She is still the breed record holder & won 35 CCs all with BOB & 9 Res CCs. She also won 7 groups at Champ shows, including 2 at Crufts

She was spayed due to a pyro after her first season

The only people who moaned about her were those who failed to realise that their bitches were not quite the same quality a friend of mine regularly got beaten by her & had nothing but admiration for her. She was a truly lovely bitch

I agree the moaning was unjustified, and hoped I made that clear by describing it in such terms, which is why I refrained from naming her ;) but certainly spaying did not work to her disadvantage.

She was lovely bitch, so sad that she couldn't be bred from.
Coats in my double coated breed get progressively shorter & thicker in spayed bitches. They don't moult as much as unspayed bitches though - which is definately an advantage. Old castrated dogs end up looking like unshorn sheep :(