Hi there,

I've read through the forum for other posts regarding when/if to spay - but I just wanted to ask advice from the experienced people here.

My husband has just come from the vets where getting my 10.5 month old GR spayed in between her first and second season was discussed. She's just finishing her 1st season so she'd be having it at about 1 year and a month old. The vet has advised the following

-Studies have shown that spaying early (he's originally recommended @ 6 months) will reduce the possible incidence of cancer (which type was not defined) by a whopping 80%.
-That GR's are not known for spaying related incontinence problems - that's more likely to affect Boxers, GSD's and Rotts.
-The longer we leave it, the bigger the operation for her - hinting at get it done ASAP.

I wonder if anyone has/knows of any studies that can support/contradict the above arguements, or personal experiences can give me more information.

I wouldn't dream of breeding from her, but we've managed her first season really well and this has had an impact on deciding when we should get her spayed - my considerations are that I want her to mature (as fully as a GR will :D) and at just over a year old, I'm not sure she will be. She has a fabulour temprement and I really don't want her to change in any way. Although I won't be showing her, her coat is absolutely beautiful and I've a little concern that the condition will be lost if we went ahead really early. However - anything cosmetic is secondary to making sure she stays healthy and happy.

I just want to make sure that I've got all the information there is to hand so I can make a balanced decision on what's best for my dog.
Thanks in advance,

Karen

I'm not sure about the figures about cancer reduction. Obviously the rate of ovarian cancer and uterine cancer will be reduced to zero, because the organs aren't there to develop it! Spaying reduces the incidence of mammary tumours - but the incidence isn't high to start with, and not all tumours are malignant (remember, any growth is called a tumour, whether it's malignant or benign).

This is an interesting study regarding the incidence of mammary tumours in bitches, and is based on a reasonably large number of bitches, unlike previous studies.

I went to a seminar some time ago and one of the speakers was a Veterinary Oncologist.  She said that there is a reduction in incidence of mammary tumours but only if the bitch is spayed before her first season!  When members of the audience questioned the implication of removing the hormones before the bitch had developed and matured, her reply was "My only concern is the risk of cancer!" :(

You must have seen Golden Retrievers walking along the road with coats like candy floss?  They are neutered. :(

To me hormones are important in many areas of whole body working and I would only spay for medical reasons or if the owner really couldn't to keep the bitch celebate. :D

It's interesting that 79% of entire bitches didn't develop any mammary tumours of any kind at all during their lives. :)

My last Golden bitch became incontinent after she was spayed.(Aged 7, I might add!)

THe trouble with statements such as  "this weill reduce the possible incident of cancer by a whopping 80%" is that it is not married with the facts regarding the risk of getting cancer %age wise or the number of bitches that contract it etc etc etc.  So if the figure is less than 2% of all dogs then increasing the likelihood by 80% is hardly a drop in the ocean is it?

The other factor to consider is that sex hormones regulate more than just "sex", they also have an impact on physical and emotional growth.

Therefore, unless you have overwhelming environmental reasons to do so ie entire dog at home, no garden fencing, dog strays etc etc what is the rush?

Why not wait until 18 months at least.

My bitches are all spayed but I would not have them done prior to 18 months at the earliest.

But it is a personal choice.

We were offered a 13 mnth old Weim DOG this week. He had been "done" and to look at the results of such an early retraction of the male hormones made you want to cry.

The kind and loving owners(which they are)though ignorant, had been advised by their vet to have him neutered as a good way of quietening him down for goodness sake. This poor little guy has long, long legs, looks way underdeveloped for his age and when put up against my 16mnth Dobe,seems very strange both in build and nature. I really feel that it is a form of obuse to do this to an animal before it has time to develop and become the creature it's sopposed to be. If you don't want a dog, who is a dog, then get a stuffed toy they're born without bits, or personality.

my vet has never mentioned spay or casturation for any of my dogs. I had Tess spayed at 4yrs of age with no ill affects, Mya was spayed a few weeks ago due to an 'incident' invovling her and Bruce, she was spayed a little earlier than i would have liked (she now 18 mths) but spaying was a better option than puppies that i hadnt planned for, it is to early to tell if she has suufered from being spayed early. Jack was casturated at 9mths he has suffered no ill affects he is a crossbreed so i had no desire to breed from him, and as Tess hadnt been spayed it was in both their best interests to have him casturated. Bruce i never intend to casturate and my vet also feels the same as to casturating him. It has been my decision each time any of my dogs have been 'done' and never has the vet tried to sway me either way, it should be the same for you, at the end of your day she is YOUR dog not the vets so it is YOUR decision whether you spay or not, but as you asked for peoples views mine is that if you have only a bitch and you managed her first season ok, why spay right now? wait and see how you feel later on.

i always find it interesting though that you dont tend to find people hesistating on having cats 'done' :) myself being one of them, as soon as my cats are old enough they are 'done' and they are kept in until then

tanya

Have to admit that we've never had any of our bitches spayed in over 30 years.  Our Pomeranian's live to around 16 years of age and it's not cancer that has taken them.  My Spanish one lived until she was 12 and it wsn't cancer and my eldest will be 13 in 2 weeks.  She has had a couple of mammary lumps but they weren't cancerous!  She only had them removed because she had a massive vaginal polyp emerge which I had removed.