Spaying a *****?

Question

I know if you neuter a dog it calms it down a bit, does the same apply to spaying a *****? And when is the earliest you can spay them?

Answer 1

You can have them spayed really early nowadays. Bellow are some of the concerns and the link they came from.

A study by Salmeri et al in 1991 found that bitches spayed at 7 weeks grew significantly taller than those spayed at 7 months, who were taller than those not spayed (or presumably spayed after the growth plates had closed).(1) A study of 1444 Golden Retrievers performed in 1998 and 1999 also found bitches and dogs spayed and neutered at less than a year of age were significantly taller than those spayed or neutered at more than a year of age.(2) The sex hormones, by communicating with a number of other growth-related hormones, promote the closure of the growth plates at puberty (3), so the bones of dogs or bitches neutered or spayed before puberty continue to grow. Dogs that have been spayed or neutered well before puberty can frequently be identified by their longer limbs, lighter bone structure, narrow chests and narrow skulls. This abnormal growth frequently results in significant alterations in body proportions and particularly the lengths (and therefore weights) of certain bones relative to others. For example, if the femur has achieved its genetically determined normal length at 8 months when a dog gets spayed or neutered, but the tibia, which normally stops growing at 12 to 14 months of age continues to grow, then an abnormal angle may develop at the stifle. In addition, with the extra growth, the lower leg below the stifle likely becomes heavier (because it is longer), and may cause increased stresses on the cranial cruciate ligament. In addition, sex hormones are critical for achieving peak bone density.(4) These structural and physiological alterations may be the reason why at least one recent study showed that spayed and neutered dogs had a higher incidence of CCL rupture.(5) Another recent study showed that dogs spayed or neutered before 5 1/2 months had a significantly higher incidence of hip dysplasia than those spayed or neutered after 5 1/2 months of age, although it should be noted that in this study there were no standard criteria for the diagnosis of hip dysplasia.(6) Nonetheless, breeders of purebred dogs should be cognizant of these studies and should consider whether or not pups they bred were spayed or neutered when considering breeding decisions.
Cancer Considerations
A retrospective study of cardiac tumors in dogs showed that there was a 5 times greater risk of hemangiosarcoma, one of the three most common cancers in dogs, in spayed bitches than intact bitches and a 2.4 times greater risk of hemangiosarcoma in neutered dogs as compared to intact males.(7) A study of 3218 dogs demonstrated that dogs that were neutered before a year of age had a significantly increased chance of developing bone cancer.(8) A separate study showed that neutered dogs had a two-fold higher risk of developing bone cancer.(9) Despite the common belief that neutering dogs helps prevent prostate cancer, at least one study suggests that neutering provides no benefit.(10) There certainly is evidence of a slightly increased risk of mammary cancer in female dogs after one heat cycle, and for increased risk with each subsequent heat. While about 30 % of mammary cancers are malignant, as in humans, when caught and surgically removed early the prognosis is very good.(12) Luckily, canine athletes are handled frequently and generally receive prompt veterinary care.
Behavioral Considerations
The study that identified a higher incidence of cranial cruciate ligament rupture in spayed or neutered dogs also identified an increased incidence of sexual behaviors in males and females that were neutered early.(5) Further, the study that identified a higher incidence of hip dysplasia in dogs neutered or spayed before 5 1/2 months also showed that early age gonadectomy was associated with an increased incidence of noise phobias and undesirable sexual behaviors.(6) A recent report of the American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation reported significantly more behavioral problems in spayed and neutered bitches and dogs. The most commonly observed behavioral problem in spayed females was fearful behavior and the most common problem in males was aggression.(12)
Other Health Considerations
A number of studies have shown that there is an increase in the incidence of female urinary incontinence in dogs spayed early (13), although this finding has not been universal. Certainly there is evidence that ovarian hormones are critical for maintenance of genital tissue structure and contractility.(14, 15) Neutering also has been associated with an increased likelihood of urethral sphincter incontinence in males.(16) This problem is an inconvenience, and not usually life-threatening, but nonetheless one that requires the dog to be medicated for life. A health survey of several thousand Golden Retrievers showed that spayed or neutered dogs were more likely to develop hypothyroidism.(2) This study is consistent with the results of another study in which neutering and spaying was determined to be the most significant gender-associated risk factor for development of hypothyroidism.(17) Infectious diseases were more common in dogs that were spayed or neutered at 24 weeks or less as opposed to those undergoing gonadectomy at more than 24 weeks.(18) Finally, the AKC-CHF report demonstrated a higher incidence of adverse reactions to vaccines in neutered dogs as compared to intact.(12)

References:
Salmeri KR, Bloomberg MS, Scruggs SL, Shille V.. Gonadectomy in immature dogs: effects on skeletal, physical, and behavioral development. JAVMA 1991;198:1193-1203
http://www.grca.org/healthsurvey.pdf
Grumbach MM. Estrogen, bone, growth and sex: a sea change in conventional wisdom. J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. 2000;13 Suppl 6:1439-55.
Gilsanz V, Roe TF, Gibbens DT, Schulz EE, Carlson ME, Gonzalez O, Boechat MI. Effect of sex steroids on peak bone density of growing rabbits. Am J Physiol. 1988 Oct;255(4 Pt 1):E416-21.
Slauterbeck JR, Pankratz K, Xu KT, Bozeman SC, Hardy DM. Canine ovariohysterectomy and orchiectomy increases the prevalence of ACL injury. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2004 Dec;(429):301-5.
Spain CV, Scarlett JM, Houpt KA. Long-term risks and benefits of early-age gonadectomy in dogs. JAVMA 2004;224:380-387.
Ware WA, Hopper DL. Cardiac tumors in dogs: 1982-1995. J Vet Intern Med 1999 Mar-Apr;13(2):95-103
Cooley DM, Beranek BC, Schlittler DL, Glickman NW, Glickman LT, Waters D, Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2002 Nov;11(11):1434-40
Ru G, Terracini B, Glickman LT. Host related risk factors for canine osteosarcoma. Vet J. 1998 Jul;156(1):31-9.
Obradovich J, Walshaw R, Goullaud E. The influence of castration on the development of prostatic carcinoma in the dog. 43 cases (1978-1985). J Vet Intern Med 1987 Oct-Dec;1(4):183-7
http://www.akcchf.org/pdfs/whitepapers/Biennial_National_Parent_Club_Canine_Health_Conference.pdf
Meuten DJ. Tumors in Domestic Animals. 4th Edn. Iowa State Press, Blackwell Publishing Company, Ames, Iowa, p. 575
Stocklin-Gautschi NM, Hassig M, Reichler IM, Hubler M, Arnold S. The relationship of urinary incontinence to early spaying in bitches. J. Reprod. Fertil. Suppl. 57:233-6, 2001
Pessina MA, Hoyt RF Jr, Goldstein I, Traish AM. Differential effects of estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone on vaginal structural integrity. Endocrinology. 2006 Jan;147(1):61-9.
Kim NN, Min K, Pessina MA, Munarriz R, Goldstein I, Traish AM. Effects of ovariectomy and steroid hormones on vaginal smooth muscle contractility. Int J Impot Res. 2004 Feb;16(1):43-50.
Aaron A, Eggleton K, Power C, Holt PE. Urethral sphincter mechanism incompetence in male dogs: a retrospective analysis of 54 cases. Vet Rec. 139:542-6, 1996
Panciera DL. Hypothyroidism in dogs: 66 cases (1987-1992). J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc., 204:761-7 1994
Howe LM, Slater MR, Boothe HW, Hobson HP, Holcom JL, Spann AC. Long-term outcome of gonadectomy performed at an early age or traditional age in dogs. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2001 Jan 15;218(2):217-21.

Answer 2

While some vets will do pediatric spay it is best to spay from 4-6 mnoths old. You really should spay BEFORE a heat cycle. Each time she goes in heat it increases the risk of mammary cancer and also pyometria a very serious uterine infection that is often fatal. I don't know of a single vet that would EVER recommend a dog going through a heat cycle before spaying...that is old school thought and is very unfounded and not recommended.
Spay eliminates the risk of reproductive cancers and pyometria..IT does NOT increase injury nor incontinence.There are just as many intact females that become incontinent as there are spayed. It also doesn't increase other types of cancers. There is a so called study out there that was done on a little over 1000 dogs mainly a breed that is very prone to cancers of various types in the first place.The study is extremely flawed..it is correlative not causative. Also as far as growth..there are "some" dogs that it seems to effect but certainly not as many as has been suggested...it is more bloodline related then it is related to early spay/neuter.

Answer 3

I don't know about calming them down, but they can be spayed after about 6 months, although it is better to wait until they have had a season as then you know they are fully developed. Although some vets will spay a ***** at 8 weeks, they are not fully developed and spaying them that young can lead to contineance problems later in life.

Generally the bigger the breed, the later they mature, and so the longer they should be left before being spayed.

Answer 4

It doesn't make them less aggressive in the same way it does with dogs but is better for their health as unspayed females can get lots of health problems.Also an unspayed female will lead to your house being surrounded by male dogs every time she comes into heat.

Some vets will spay at 8 weeks but this can cause health problems as they are not developed then.

Usually a female dog will have her first season at 5 or 6 months old,and it lasts 3 weeks-keep her away from un-neutered males at this time.You should then wait 3 months for her womb to go back to normal and the hormone levels to get back to normal.then have her spayed.

Answer 5

-between seasons. If she had a puppies recently you might want to talk with your vet. Wubzy_wu is right on 100%. Spaying too soon after the pups could cause a ***** to bleed out after a spay surgery. You greatly increase the chances of loosing the girl during/following surgery. Within my breed the parent club provides surgery guidelines. Of course some vets will spay after c-section but I believe the only reason they do this is because the owners are too tight (cheap) to spend the money on an additional surgery when it would be best for the dog.

Answer 6

Ah, you mean a girl dog :)
When boy dogs are neutered they don't have the testosterone that can make male dogs aggresive. But if you are asking whether or not having a girl dog spayed will take away the 'puppiness' (for want of a better word) then no. Dogs generally take around 2 years to get rid of the puppiness... good training is what you need, not surgery.

Answer 7

It is usually best to let them have one season first, unless health reasons prevent that. I think most vets will agree on that one, as it cuts down the risk of uterine cancers, if they're allowed to have one season. Whether spaying calms them down or not is debatable. From personal experience I find a litter of puppies often calms them down more, spaying doesn't really make a great deal of difference. It just stops them from breeding and making a mess every 6 months or so.

Answer 8

Yes, it does in general. Sterilized animals are generally less high strung, territorial, prone to dominance aggression and submissive urination, and likely to escape than are intact ones, of either sex. Some vets will spay a pup as early as 8 weeks. Most prefer to wait until 4-6 months of age (depending on breed) because the anesthesia is safer for a more developed pup.

Answer 9

I have heard that spaying can calm a ***** down in some cases,it calms the competive streak to a degree,making them less tempermental towards other bitches.If a dog already has a undesired behaviour though,i.e fighting,agressive behaviour etc,then it proberly wont make difference.You can get them spayed as early as 6months now,most vets recommend,the earlia the better.

Answer 10

Spaying does not really affect the female that much, but it certainly reduces the inconvenience of heat cycles. It is also better for her reproductive health. It reduces the chance of her getting a host of different "female troubles" including cancer.

Plus it is cheaper to spay the female than it is to raise an accidental litter of puppies.

Answer 11

It usually calms them down some, and you can have her spayed when she turns 6 months old.