Debating on Spaying

Rarity has not yet gone into her first heat, so I definitely won't be spaying her anytime soon.

However, I can't decide if I want to spay her or not.. or when.

I'm not going to breed her. She is CKC, so I got her specifically as a companion.

I had originally planned to never get her spayed, or at least wait until she was older (past age 6 or so), but that was before I got Kirito. However, it isn't very difficult for me to keep him from her since he is only fertile during late winter.

What would you guys do in my situation? What age would you spay, or would you spay at all?

When I'm advising my new puppy owners on this subject I always say leave it till at least 18 months/2years, as by then they will be fully developed. Early spaying/neutering can lead to all sorts of problems, one of them being remaining forever a puppy, incontinence, coat problems and growing very tall and gangly. Only got one of my girls spayed, she had a womb infection, so had it done as soon as I could, she has lost a lot of coat,seems to be in continual moult, her tail is sometimes virtually bald,and she's put on a lot of weight which I can't shift. As I don't have an entire male it is not a problem keeping them out of trouble. My friend uses Superlorin with her entire male until he is fully grown (he's nearly 2 now) and then he'll be neutered.

I've done both, spayed and not, my female Dobermann was spayed at about 14 months if I recall, did suffer incontinence once she reached about 6, it was easily dealt with using a low dose of propalin. Her coat was beautiful and she was breed standard in height. My other female Dobermann was left entire, she was right height, coat was fine etc. Lost both of them aged 8 to various cancers. Probably a breed issue rather than spaying or not. I currently have 3 Pugs, 2 entire females and 1 entire male, never seriously considered getting any of them done. I think the vet has given up suggesting it too. I think they are currently aged 2,3, and 4. I have no problems keeping them apart. One of the girls was in season for the past 3 weeks, I watch them when I'm home and separate them when I'm out. They do wear bitch pants and a belly band for him, firstly it's cleaner and secondly gives me a couple of vital extra seconds should I need to part them. Their behaviour remains pretty much the same throughout to be fair.

ETA just make sure you are fully aware of the symptoms of Pyo. and act swiftly if you think it might be, dogs can't be left to see what happens with it they need swift attention.

Callie was neutered at about a year and Sophie at about three years. The wait wasn't our choice it's when we adopted them. I would talk to your vet about appropriate age but IMHO if you don't intend to breed spaying or neutering makes sense. All of our countless cats were fixed over the years with no problems.

My concern with spaying is adrenal disease, and studies show that unaltered pets typically live longer.

Hi AA! I would be very careful about relying on the fact that Kirito would only be fertile at a particular time of year. He is not pure wolf (although it would be very hard to know for absolute sure - he certainly looks it, he is magnificent!) and therefore like all dogs would be fertile, ready. able and willing to perform at the drop of a hat! Your bitch being a cavvie, this would obviously be extremely undesirable and very dangerous for her, so in the circumstances I would have her spayed, rather than castrate Kirito. I am less anti bitches being spayed than males being castrated ... my own personal experience is of no problems at all except for a tendency to weight gain with bitches, whereas with castrated males the weight gain is much more of an issue and it changes their personality ... for want of a better phrase, they become more feminine. It is very interesting what
tawneywolf says though about her spayed bitch, so it is a hard decision for you ... but my advice would be to spay your little girl.

It sounds like things continue to progress well with MR Wolf ... I am so pleased for you all!! x gnasher x

Having her spayed is an option, but I would wait till she is older and matured.

You could have your male chemically castrated till you are ready to have the bitch spayed.

Look into Suprelorin Implant this would be my option for now,

Thank you for all the replies.

@Gnasher: High contents (And sometimes high mid contents) have a breeding season like pures. Males testicles will strink to the size od peanuts the rest of the year. That's how I know he's sterile.

I am still going to keep him from Rarity though, since he can still try to mate.

Always a very personal choice, With over 40 years collective experience we always opt for juvenile spaying/neutering , the problems outweighed by the benefits and would not have superlorin under the same roof as our dogs. Maybe check for other threads on this here on dogsey.. Right I am off to sort the cats out...

I used delvosterone with my girly and it worked very well. Ask your vet over there if they use it?