Spaying at early age or no?

E

exodus

Forums Novice
Hi, I'm new to this forum and also keeping a sheltie as a pet. My current female sheltie, Foxy is 7 weeks old this coming wed. But I was just wondering whether I should have my female sheltie puppy spayed as early as 7-8 weeks old or should I wait for her first "heat" cycle before I bring her down to the vet to get her spayed?

Thanks in advance for all tips and information given! :)
 
It's best to wait until she has finished growing but before her first heat cycle. So between 6-9months. I did a course on this recently by Dr Margaret V Root who suggests the following

For female dogs, the high incidence and high percentage of malignancy of mammary neoplasia, and the significant effect of spaying on decreasing its incidence make ovariohysterectomy prior to the first heat the best recommendation for non-breeding animals. The demonstrated increased incidence of urinary incontinence in bitches spayed before 3 months of age and possible effect of CCL injury in bitches spayed before 6 months of age suggest that spaying bitches after 6 months of age but before their first heat is most beneficial.
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Welcome to SN! We Love pix, can't wait to see Foxy!:biggrin2:

I wouldn't do either personaly. 7-8 weeks is WAY to young and I wouldn't recomend spaying while she's in heat either. It was recommended to me by several vets and vet techs to wait until my puppy was a year old and that's what I'm sticking to.

Edit: Caro, I'd forgoten about spaying before their first heat. Dr. Root makes a very good point.
 
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I had Emma done at about 7 months, prior to her first heat cycle. Natalie had had her first cycle (just) when I got her at about 10 months of age. I had her spayed about a month after that (which is a good thing as she had developed open pyometra). Her age is too young right now to be done but I would have her done before her first heat cycle. Do you have a contract with the breeder as to when it has to be done? Mine had to be done by 7 months with Emma.
 
So here is why you don't remove hormones before growth is complete. The sex hormones are what tell the growth plates to close. 90% of the sex hormones come from parts that you would be removing when you alter the dog. So that means the growth plates get 90% less instruction, which causes them to grow longer. Because growth plates grow at different rates, they stop growing at different times.

Dogs who are altered before three months are more likely to suffer from structure related issues due to being out of balance from the growth plates not closing on time.

Honestly, dogs don't immaculately conceive, so waiting until she is mature won't cost you anything. If she comes in season, don't let her have sex, and she won't have puppies. It's that simple.
 
Since my dogs compete in agility, I want to give them every advantage physically. My contract with Callie's breeder says I can spay between 12-18 months. She had her first heat at about 9 months old.

Now that she's almost a year and turning out to be stunning we may show her in UKC (she's a blue eyed sable merle so AKC doesn't like her - too bad for them!) so that may be delayed until we can show her. I don't plan to breed her though.
 
FutureMACH said:
Since my dogs compete in agility, I want to give them every advantage physically. My contract with Callie's breeder says I can spay between 12-18 months. She had her first heat at about 9 months old.

Now that she's almost a year and turning out to be stunning we may show her in UKC (she's a blue eyed sable merle so AKC doesn't like her - too bad for them!) so that may be delayed until we can show her. I don't plan to breed her though.
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I'd love to see a pic- I'm partial to smerles :winkgrin:
 
I too, have always heard that spaying before her first heat cycle will almost guarantee that she will not develop mammary tumors later on.
 
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