As a new dog owner, you might have many questions about spaying, neutering, and scheduling procedures for your dog. You might be concerned about the risks that come with neutering and spaying your new fluffy pet. While your concerns are understandable, there are many benefits to spay or neuter your dog. And these benefits far outweigh the risks of not doing so.
Before we tell you about the best time to spay or neuter your dog, first, let’s look at why you should do it in the first place!
Why You Should Spay or Neuter Your Dog
There are multiple benefits of scheduling these procedures. In female dogs, getting them spayed greatly decreases the risk of mammary cancer, which is fatal more than half the time! Female dogs also need to get spayed to stop them from going into heat. This usually causes your dog to have behavioral problems like crying, wailing, blood discharge, and unpredictable behavior. It also reduces the probability of your female dog getting a uterine infection that can cost thousands of dollars!
For male dogs, the benefits of the procedure are also similar. Getting your male dog neutered basically eliminates the dog’s chance of getting testicular cancer. Neutering them also stops behavior like fighting with other male dogs, marking their territory inside your home, and roaming outside looking for mates. Dogs that don’t get neutered tend to act more aggressively and inappropriately. Their actions may include mounting or humping their humans or other dogs.
Basically, neutering and spaying your pet dog allows it to live a healthier, happier, and longer life. These procedures also help in limiting or completely stopping pet overpopulation. Spaying and neutering procedures are almost always more cost-effective than not doing these procedures, as getting other infections, cancers, and diseases treated are a lot more expensive than these surgeries.
Best Time to Spay or Neuter Your Dog
All dogs are different. Different breeds and different sizes all have different times vets should neuter them. It is best to visit and consult your veterinary doctor to get the best information about your particular dog and breed.
Different sized dogs and different breeds mature at different rates of time. You must let your dog develop enough before you spay or neuter it. Sex hormones are essential in developing your dog for a healthy immune, muscular and cardiovascular system.
For male dogs: The first sign of maturing is leaving its mark by lifting its leg and urinating (sometimes inside the house). They might even start humping other pups or toys. This usually happens around the six-month mark for smaller dogs, and for larger breeds, it might happen after a year or nine months. For smaller dogs, as they don’t suffer from orthopedic issues as much as larger ones, it is fine to neuter them after five to eight months. As for larger dogs, you might have to wait until they are at least a year old.
For female dogs: The signs of maturity are similar to males, but they also come to heat. A dog in heat means blood discharge for up to two weeks, mixed with unusual behavior and moodiness. Female dogs in heat also tend to urinate and mark items or locations inside the home or on walks. This usually happens when the female reaches nine months of age. It is recommended to wait at least six months for small female dogs and up to a year for larger breeds.
Bottom Line
Consult your vet before getting your pet neutered or spayed, as the procedure is not without risks. For dogs that are overweight or have other pre-existing health issues, the surgery might be a little more complicated.
