When to spay?

I'm (hopefully) going to be getting a little girl TT pup later this year. I've not had a bitch pup before, never seen what a bitch looks like in season, etc.

My current PON boy is 10 years old and still entire. I signed an agreement with the breeder not to neuter him, because he was the only pup from a match she had big hopes for - although he's actually never been used for breeding. Now he's really too old to be put through castration surgery.

So - this means new little girl will have to be spayed.
BUT!
I've been getting wildly conflicting advice about when to do this.

I've been told it's perfectly safe nowadays, and in fact preferable, to do it BEFORE the first season (ie, around 6 months), because the benefits vastly outweigh potential negatives.

I've been told not to spay until AFTER the first season, as the puppy may not have fully developed until after this point and her growth/full character might be impeded if it's done before.

I've been told letting her have a season puts her at greater risk of developing mammary cancer - in fact, spaying her AFTER will remove the benefit with regards to mammary cancer.

I've been told that because the risk of Esau reaching her before I've even realized she's in heat is so high, its not worth the risk of delaying matters. Also, that it will drive Esau insane to have a bitch in heat in the house, that the girl will be just as crazy to reach him, 24 hours a day. And that, as my garden is impossible to secure, we'll be visited by every entire male that gets walked in the woods that surround our home.

On the other hand, I've been told: A dog-pen, closed doors, and three weeks of watching carefully - you'll be fine.

I've been told three weeks ain't the half of it; if the bitch is allowed into the garden to exercise/wee, her scent will still be there weeks after the season is finished and dogs will still be coming in.

HELP!!!

I really do NOT want to deal with an unexpected litter of cross-breeds, but neither do I want to put my little girl at risk of developmental problems.

Any advice from people recently aquainted with the latest methods for spaying would be greatly appreciated - I worry that much of the advice I'm getting is out of date, but equally, I worry my vets see £££ signals when they see me coming!

Hi Abi Having a small breed which matures early I like to spay in between the first and second season when hormones have had time to settle and the puppy has had chance to be socialised and past the fear stages .

This is around 9 months of age and also provides an opportunity to check for any problem with retained teeth which can be removed at the same time as spaying reducing the need for more than one operation.

My vet agrees with this strategy and is not at all in favour of the early spaying which seems to be fashionable in some places like the USA.

I would discuss it with your vet

Complicated question. Veterinary research provides lots of pros and cons in all directions, some of it contradictory, much of it flavored by ideological bias or weakened by inadequate sampling control or other experimental flaws. Here's a review that may be of interest:
http://skeptvet.com/Blog/wp-content/...s-and-Cats.pdf

Note, if you do choose to go through one or two seasons before spaying there are some pretty easy and apparently safe fixes, should your containment strategy fail and your boy manages to mate with your girl. Having an intact male and a girl in season may be a very large problem or no problem at all, depending on the individual dogs and the circumstances of the household.

Thanks, Meg! I will do, of course, but it's good to hear from others.

The breeder of the pup is of the same opinion as you - wait at least 2 months after the first season is over - but another very experienced and respected breeder told me get it done before the first season.

I haven't had my vet's opinion yet, it will be interesting to see what he says, though I'm worried his 'opinion' will be coloured by how much he'll make financially from it.

I am also concerned about coping while the bitch is in heat, when I have an entire dog in the house and a garden that is open to other dogs - my house sits right on a pathway used by dog-walkers.

This might be a stupid question, but there ways of 'dampening down' any pheromones she gives off?

Sandgrubber, thank you so much, this made very interesting reading!

Can I ask what you mean by 'fixes' for if my containment method fails, if I wait for the first season?

What would the fixes be ?

If the vet knows you are going to spay anyway, £££ signs don't come into it as he'll get your money anyway at some point.

For what it's worth, I've had two girls spayed at six months and both because they have had to have anaesthesia for unrelated problems. It made sense not to undergo two procedures where anaesthesia was required.

No ill-effects in either of the dogs

Personally I would not spay till she has had at least one season, you will always receive conflicting advice an new research from both sides of the coin.

Here`s another option for you, why not have your boy chemically castrated (Suprelorin) it lasts for about 6 mths I think, if you had him done when the bitch is around 4/5 mths old, then he would be fine when she has her first season, then at least she will be a bit older (around 12mths) depending on when she comes into season, then at least she has had the chance to mature a bit .

You beat me to it Jackie, was going to suggest Superlorin I would never recommend early spaying, there's too many conflicting schools of thought, and you can't undo it. Just called round to see a friend and she has a Jack Russell from the Dogs Trust who was spayed young. She's totally incontinent and doesn't seem aware she's even doing it. I wouldnt spay till 18 months

Thank you all so much! Your input is very much appreciated.

Chris, you make a valid point, but unfortunately I have had experiences with vets which have borne out suspicions that some of them have the salesman's motto engraved on their hearts; "Close the sale, or lose the sale." For that reason, I would feel happier finding out as much information independantly about this as I can, rather than relying solely on the information my vet gives me.

Can I ask if either of your girls had had a season before they were neutered?

Jackie and Tawneywolf . . I will enquire about Superlorin, it would definitely help to put my mind at rest, provided it's compatible with the meds my boy is on for his arthritis, of course.

You are so right to say there are too many conflicting schools of thought! Trying to research this for accurate decision making is a real headache. No sooner do I read something that makes me think, Do it before the first season, than I find another piece of research, just as logical and sound, that makes me think, wait at least one season, maybe even two!

American research seems to be far more 'pro' early spaying, ie, before the first season, whereas British seems to be wavering between pre-season and after-season. Whether this is because there is a bigger problem with excess dog populations in the US than the UK, I don't know. Maybe someone should do some research and find out