Neuter Question

by **amazincc** » November 25th, 2008, 4:53 pm

My vet doesn't neuter or spay puppies under the age of five months.

Is there an "ideal" time to get it done, or doesn't it matter?

by **LMM** » November 25th, 2008, 4:56 pm

This can be a bit controversial. Typically 6 months is the age for spuetering but for rescue purposes they are done a little earlier sometimes. Since this isn't a rescue sitch, I think you are good to wait until Seppel is 5 months.

by **amazincc** » November 25th, 2008, 4:58 pm

Oh, I'm not really worried about waiting... I was just wondering if there is a certain age where it would be "better"... piss-poor explanation on my part - I can't seem to word it right... :oops:

by **LMM** » November 25th, 2008, 5:02 pm

There was just a discussion on neutering and muscle development I think. You might want to check that thread out! I tend to speuter my dogs/fosters (if they aren't already) at about 6 months.

by **amazincc** » November 25th, 2008, 5:08 pm

I did read that thread... hence my question... :wink:

What will the lack of testosterone mean for a male puppy?
Mick was neutered at almost a year old, and it didn't "change" him at all.

See what happens when I come out of hiding??? I make no sense and can't formulate a decent question. :rolleyes2:

by **LMM** » November 25th, 2008, 5:18 pm

Hmmmmm good question, I guess I've never really thought of it. I just speuter and move on. Honestly, I think it all depends on the dog as to what effects there will be. I know plenty of dogs that were fixed very early (10-12 weeks) and had no issues on muscle development and/or growth.

Someone with more experience step in here please!

by **Jenn** » November 25th, 2008, 6:01 pm

http://www.naiaonline.org/pdfs/LongTerm ... InDogs.pdf

I found this in a search....

by **BullyLady** » November 25th, 2008, 7:51 pm

amazincc wrote:I did read that thread... hence my question...

What will the lack of testosterone mean for a male puppy?
Mick was neutered at almost a year old, and it didn't "change" him at all.

See what happens when I come out of hiding??? I make no sense and can't formulate a decent question.

There is some (okay alot) of debate on the subject, but the general consensus seems to be that dogs may (not will) end up leggier if they are neutered before they are finished growing. The reason for this is that testosterone is the primary hormone that signals the growth plates to close, and with the absence of large amounts of testosterone the body keeps growing until the secondary hormone kicks in and closes the growth plates. I've heard and read lots of different opinions, but this is the one that I have heard most often, and that my vet believes to be true and tells her clients. So as long as you are comfortable with the prospect of Seppel being a little leggier than he may have been otherwise, which I can't see why that would be any sort of problem, then I say go ahead and do it at 5 months.

by **amazincc** » November 25th, 2008, 8:11 pm

Jenn wrote:http://www.naiaonline.org/pdfs/LongTermHealthEffectsOfSpayNeuterInDogs.pdf

I found this in a search....

Thanks, Jenn... that's exactly what I was looking for.

Of course now I'm totally conflicted and undecided on what to do, and when. :neutral:

by **pocketpit** » November 25th, 2008, 8:34 pm

I'm the kind that waits till they are older if they are my personal dogs. As a rescue person, all fosters are done early but I wait on my own personal dogs. As a former show person I've seen a difference with litters of puppies. While genetics do play a huge part of growth development (ie narrow headed, leggy parents are not ever going to produce blocky pups) I believe that hormones also play a part. Granted pet quality pups are pet quality for a reason but I find it interesting that pups placed in pet homes and neutered early vary greatly in appearance from their littermates who are kept intact for showing purposes. And if testoterone plays such a small part in development then why do bulls look so different from steers, stallions from geldings, tom cats from neutered males, etc?
In the end it all boils down to personal preference. I think the surgery is easier on the animals when it's done earlier. There is usually less bruising, swelling, etc and because puppies have short attention spans they usually bounce back quicker and are less likely to bother their surgery site.

by **airwalk** » November 25th, 2008, 11:17 pm

Thank you Pocketpit, that was going to be my point...puppies typically have less swelling, fewer issues and bounce back almost immediately.

Scooter was neutered at 4 1/2 months and frankly I don't see him as leggy (he's a tank). Magic appears to have been neutered very young as well and again I don't see him particularly leggy for his build.

I personally prefer to have the testosterone out of their system as early as possible for pets.

by **TheRedQueen** » November 25th, 2008, 11:22 pm

airwalk wrote:Thank you Pocketpit, that was going to be my point...puppies typically have less swelling, fewer issues and bounce back almost immediately.

Scooter was neutered at 4 1/2 months and frankly I don't see him as leggy (he's a tank). Magic appears to have been neutered very young as well and again I don't see him particularly leggy for his build.

I personally prefer to have the testosterone out of their system as early as possible for pets.

Ditto...I see no reason to keep their balls intact if they're going to be pets.

Score was neutered at 4 months...as are all of our Asst. dog pups...and they vary from tall to short...wide and narrow, just depends on the dog/breed/mix. Score is a bit leggy, but since he's a mix...who knows if that would have been any different if he'd been fixed later.

I was just happy to get rid of all his humping...he was humping Inara with a vengeance, and his stuffed raccoon too. :shock:

by **BullyLady** » November 26th, 2008, 12:02 am

TheRedQueen wrote:Ditto...I see no reason to keep their balls intact if they're going to be pets.

Double ditto! As soon as they are descended get RID of them!! lol

by **TheRedQueen** » November 26th, 2008, 12:06 am

BullyLady wrote:
TheRedQueen wrote:Ditto...I see no reason to keep their balls intact if they're going to be pets.

Double ditto! As soon as they are descended get RID of them!!

Yup, Fry (the kitten) just got neutered. I would pick up Fry and I kept telling John..."these things have GOT TO GO!" He looked uncomfortable every time I yelled that. Men... :rolleyes2:

by **delilahsmommy** » November 27th, 2008, 12:38 am

well Mac was had his little buddies removed when we got him but they had just been removed...but his head it to big for his body and his paws are to big for his legs...who knows what he will turn out like... :giggle:

by **KJS** » November 27th, 2008, 3:16 am

BullyLady wrote:
TheRedQueen wrote:Ditto...I see no reason to keep their balls intact if they're going to be pets.

Double ditto! As soon as they are descended get RID of them!!

And please ...if they dont descend make sure you go and have it all checked out and get rid of them earlier rather than later...poor old Butch is having a bad timne with two sets of stitches that he cant get at...and his prescribed painkillers have run out and all he does is whinge now...the poor old soul shouldnt have to go through this so late on

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