Interesting article on neutering...

I did know about the health issues mentioned in the article, but it's interesting to see that not all vets are hell-bent on neutering. Very interesting article!

Here's another sport-based one on neutering - a couple of the facts are new to me!

http://www.caninesports.com/uploads/1/5/3/1/15319800/spay_neuter_considerations_2013.pdf

Interesting!

Interesting articles. It gets confusing deciding whether or not to spay/neuter and when. My vet advises 6 months and Millie was spayed at 9 months after 1 season. Bella will be 3 in august and I'm planning on getting her spayed soon. She has a tough time with her seasons otherwise I might still be undecided.

For the health and wellbeing of a dog/bitch, I understand it completely.

To neuter or not is one of the minefields we all encounter as our pets mature, and we can go mad reading the pros and cons, conflicting reports, the pressure from vets these days to neuter early, and trying to decide what is best for our animals and, yes, ourselves.

For what it is worth, I summarise my admittedly very limited experience:-

My first Dobermann, Zeta, was spayed between 3 and 4 years of age (I honestly can't remember when). I never had any intention of breeding her and she had had several seasons all of which resulted in false pregnancies and the subsequent distress to the bitch and necessity for vetinary treatment. Spaying made no difference to her temperament, but obviously the "nuisance factor" of seasons was removed. However, she did develop urinary incontinence which was treated by "on and off" hormonal medication. She died of bone cancer aged 10 years.

My second Dobermann, Rio, was also spayed between 3 and 4 years old, for exactly the same reasons as for Zeta. It also made no difference to her temperament; urinary incontinence was not a problem but she did develop hypo-thyroidism which was treated medically to good effect (and expensively!) for the rest of her life. She also died of bone cancer, aged 11 years.

My current Staffie, Kuchar, was neutered at 14 months old, younger than I had initially intended but older than my vets had advocated (which was 6 months old). I can only say that the time seemed right to me - I knew by now the evidence about the effect of early neutering on the growth of bones and did not want to compromise his normal bone growth. In his defence he never seemed to show a bitch obsession, mounting behaviour (except for a few times) or aggression. But his seminal emissions were a real pain wherever he was (and I am not the world's proudest housewife), his almost constant display of his "manhood", and being an absolute pain on walks wanting to inspect every vertical surface, blade of grass etc and marking of anything and everything, led me to making my decision. I can only say that the seminal emissions stopped immediately (obviously) and that he is a lot calmer in himself - not so frantic. His "manhood" no longer makes its presence known, he doesn't mount anything or anyone man or beast or inanimate object, and walking him is a lot easier. Whether or not his personality has "stuck" at 14 months I don't know - he still wants to play with every dog and love every human he encounters, maybe he's just being a Staffie.

And if I ever get another puppy again (unlikely, but you never know), I am still unsure what I would do for the best of us both.

I don't think 14 months is too young as long as the dog concerned has no nervous tendencies. I would always advise people to wait until later, but there comes a time when you have to make a decision based on your own circumstances!

Funny enough, it was the article about neutering & sports dogs that surprised me a little. There were a few statistics there that I hadn't thought about.

In the case of phantom pregnancies, I would probably spay as well. It can be extremely distressing to the bitch, as well as potentially leading to health problems.

Honestly, I think it's up to each individual owner to decide whether or not they want to neuter. All I would ask is that people make themselves aware of as many of the facts as possible before making the decision - not just asking a vet and taking their word for it.

Lynda my reasons for getting Bella spayed are similar to your dobes. She has a season every four months and twice a false pregnancy. She is an anxious wee dog normally but during her season and just after it's magnified and she seems constantly on edge. Millie spends a lot of the time hiding in another room because Bella gets quite aggressive. I know she'll still be anxious but I'm hoping that along with preventing the false pregnancies the anxiety won't reach those levels.

At two years old, she's probably at the optimum age for spaying (if you're going to do it). Old enough for her to be fully mature (or mature enough that it doesn't make a difference) and young enough to bounce back quickly.

Thank you Caryll, and I agree with your second paragraph absolutely. I just cannot understand why vets are (or have been) advocating neutering baby puppies.

One thing that decided me to wait at least until I was fairly sure that Kuchar's bones had reached their adult growth, and apart from reading about the bone plates thing regarding dogs, was reading about neutering of male humans ie eunuchs in thankfully far off distant days. And that was a surprise to me, as it appeared that these eunuchs were not only castrated to prevent them from fiddling with the women of the harem as popularly supposed, but that castration caused them to grow abnormally tall and therefore more intimidating to possible invaders of the harem (whose inmates it was their job to protect).

Strange what you dredge up when you research something, isn't it?   

Caroline, I do understand your concerns about Bella.

False pregnancies are miserable for the bitch who can't understand what is happening to her, and distressing for you to see her building nests and producing milk for puppies who will never be. Her aggression towards Millie is a natural primeval reaction. tbh, in your place I would spay her.

Thanks Caryll and Lynda. I'm hoping she does bounce back quickly. It's horrible seeing her like that and thinking that she can't be feeling good

I've learned over the years to be very careful what I type into google when I research anything lol

My bitches hardly blinked an eye when they were spayed. No chewing at stitches, no need for "cones of shame" - all over in 10 days.

My darling little boy however .... !

I've done a LOT and I mean a LOT! of reading and studying on the neuter vs intact debate and all I can say in the end: If you want to prove your choice the facts are there. There is not 100% proof on the positives or negatives of neutering or leaving your dog intact.
The one fact that is proven is that in most cases, and please take the idiots of the world into account, it is better for behaviour in a normal household to neuter dogs.

I always, always tell people the benefits regardless of my feelings because most people do not keep watch over their dogs as we do.

Oh, yes, if you google for results that match your own opinion then you'll get proof you're right. But if you google the other opinions you'll get the same result.

That's why I'll never say that I'm against neutering. I don't do it myself, but would never try and persuade someone else not to do it - just wait until the dog is mature, or at least reasonably mature!

If anybody's interested, there's a thread on here about the neutering debate (Health section). If you have anything to add to it, please let me know! It's fact-based though, not opinion-based.