# Neutering my puppy



## tartlettes (Sep 9, 2010)

Hello everyone, I would like an advice for my 15 weeks old puppy, Oscar. When is the right time to neuter? I heard that if you neuter at early age, it could affect the puppy skeletal growth. Is this true? Thank you so much for reading.


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## Kati (Feb 20, 2010)

I waited until 6 months just because I'd heard about growth problems at an earlier age. I read so many conflicting reports that it made me crazy. I have friends who have puppies that were done as early as 2 months and they seem fine. I'd love to hear from the experts on this forum. No matter what you decide he'll get along great. Javy acted as if nothing had happened. The vet said to limit his exercise for a few days and I had trouble keeping him from running around and jumping on the furniture.


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

Welcome and here is some behavioral info on neutering. http://www.moderndogmagazine.com/articles/neutering-fact-sheet/255 and here's some other on WHEN http://www.paw-rescue.org/PAW/PETTIPS/DogTip_SpayDay.php


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## SnickersDad (Apr 9, 2010)

Yeah, good question. We've always neutered our cats at 5 - 6 months, and that's what we 'were' planning on doing with Snoopy - now I'll wait and see how this gets answered.

Cheers!

Jim and Lynda and Snickers and the new P&P machine Snoopy.


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## tartlettes (Sep 9, 2010)

Thank you that's a great article!


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## marlowe'sgirl (Jun 17, 2010)

I got my Hav neutered at 7 months. The goal was to try to get it done earlier enough to prevent marking behavior (mostly successful), and late enough that most of his adult teeth were in and puppy teeth that hadn't fallen out could be pulled while he was under anesthesia (common problem in toy breeds - he had both his puppy incisors pulled).


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## LuvCicero (Mar 31, 2008)

I have read/heard different things so it's hard to know what is best at times. My vet advised me to had it done around 6 months, so that is what I did. Cicero was lazy for a day and then it was hard to keep him for over doing. He did great with his little snip!!


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## rdanielle (Sep 2, 2008)

I went to a Dr.Hutchinson at the 2009 Nationals and he recommended that a year was the best age but at the earliest 8-9 months. For a female its best to do after the first heat.

http://healthypets.mercola.com/site...caused-by-spaying-or-neutering.aspx?aid=CD945


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## Ellie NY (Aug 27, 2010)

Tartlettes - When I saw the picture of your Oscar my heart nearly stopped! He looks EXACTLY like my puppy Eli who is now 17 weeks. The coloring and face are uncanny.

Specific to your thread, I will have Eli neutured at 6 months.


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## KarmaKat (Feb 19, 2010)

Tybee was neutered just shy of 6 mths, but then I worried because I counted by weeks not months. He was neutered at 22 weeks, but if I counted in months from Feb 21 bday it means he was neutered a little earlier. Luckily, he is a little sweetie with spunk and all seems well. He doesnt mark and he still squats. That came in handy when using the weepad when he refused to go outside in the rain recently.


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## Rita Nelson (Jul 13, 2009)

The breeder we got Tucker from felt 9 months was the earliest to neuter, but thought one year was optimal.


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

rdanielle said:


> I went to a Dr.Hutchinson at the 2009 Nationals and he recommended that a year was the best age but at the earliest 8-9 months. For a female its best to do after the first heat.
> 
> http://healthypets.mercola.com/site...caused-by-spaying-or-neutering.aspx?aid=CD945


Hi Renee, I guess like anything, there will always be different opinions. But the article I listed earlier says that earlier is better.

"Pets can become capable of reproduction as early as 6 months of age, so it is important to spay and neuter pets by that age. Not only is there no evidence to support the old wives' tale about benefits of letting pets go through a heat cycle or have a litter, there is a preponderance of evidence that it is healthier for pets to be spayed or neutered before the first heat cycle (estrus) and sexual maturity. Sterilization can safely be done before then, as endorsed by the AVMA and other major animal health and welfare organizations".

I'm always leary of one person's opinion when it comes to these things. I tend to go with what AVMA puts out.


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## LilyMyLove (Jul 11, 2009)

I scheduled Lily for 6 months, not knowing that you needed to do it 6 months on the dot to get in before the first heat.

Well roll around to appointment time and we were having such a lovely time on vacation in Florida-who wants to go back to cold snowy Boston-so I put off the surgery two weeks.

A week before her surgery I noticed a smidgen of blood on her vulva and call the vet-really worried she has hurt herself. "Nope she's in heat" 

In all my reading and preparation for a puppy somehow I completely missed the fact that dogs bleed during a heat cycle. *****Vicarious Embarassment Alert****: Thinking because she was bleeding, this must be like a human period, I was perplexed when they told me to be careful where I took her and to stay away from the dog park. In my confusion with this while thing, I actually asked: "But-I thought you couldn't get pregnant on your period". 

I called and told her breeder that and we had a good laugh about it but Im sure she was thinking "This girl is a few crayolas short of a box, I cant believe I gave her one of my dogs".

I have heard conflicting theories both ways on it, hopefully it will turn out okay and won't have affected her adversely that I wanted a few more days in the sun.


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## tartlettes (Sep 9, 2010)

Ellie, OMG! they look similar hahaha.



Ellie NY said:


> Tartlettes - When I saw the picture of your Oscar my heart nearly stopped! He looks EXACTLY like my puppy Eli who is now 17 weeks. The coloring and face are uncanny.
> 
> Specific to your thread, I will have Eli neutured at 6 months.


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## tartlettes (Sep 9, 2010)

Dave,

After a lot of thinking I'm going to do it when he turns 6 months.



davetgabby said:


> Hi Renee, I guess like anything, there will always be different opinions. But the article I listed earlier says that earlier is better.
> 
> "Pets can become capable of reproduction as early as 6 months of age, so it is important to spay and neuter pets by that age. Not only is there no evidence to support the old wives' tale about benefits of letting pets go through a heat cycle or have a litter, there is a preponderance of evidence that it is healthier for pets to be spayed or neutered before the first heat cycle (estrus) and sexual maturity. Sterilization can safely be done before then, as endorsed by the AVMA and other major animal health and welfare organizations".
> 
> I'm always leary of one person's opinion when it comes to these things. I tend to go with what AVMA puts out.


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## shimpli (Mar 24, 2010)

OMG, LilyMYLove... that was so funny.


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