Best Age To Spay A Lab Puppy

Some vets, humane societies and breeders recommend spaying as early as 2 to 4 months, but the traditional age is 6 months. A lab puppy’s first heat typically occurs between 7 and 12 months so you likely want to spay before then. However, if your puppy is older and already experienced her first or second heat, you can still have her safely spayed.

Best age to spay a lab puppy. If your lab puppy is at least 6 months old, the time is right for spaying. Some vets, humane societies and breeders recommend spaying as early as 2 to 4 months, but the traditional age is 6 months. A lab puppy's first heat typically occurs between 7 and 12 months so you likely want to spay before then. A main reason veterinarians recommend a spay at six months as opposed to six weeks is concern for anesthesia. Very small pets can be more of a challenge in terms of temperature regulation and anesthetic safety, though with today’s advanced protocols, we can very safely and successfully anesthetize even tiny pediatric patients. Shelters generally have a rule to wait until an animal is 2 months old and a weight of 2 lbs. This is a very young, very small animal, but shelters just can’t hold pets until they are 6 months old to spay. There’s simply not room. In very young pets, we worry about keeping them safe and healthy under anesthesia during surgery. Just as for other veterinary medical and surgical procedures, veterinarians should use their best medical judgment in deciding at what age spay/neuter should be performed on individual animals. In the UK, vets normally recommend that female dogs are allowed to have one season before being spayed to allow her to mature physically.

At what age should a dog be spayed or neutered? Though these procedures can be done on puppies as young as a few months old, dog owners should consult with their veterinarian to determine the best... For many years, the recommended spay/neuter age was 6 to 9 months, however, now it is quite common for surgery to take place at 4 months old. If a puppy’s future involves performance competition, ask your veterinarian and breeder about timing. Since we have no idea WHEN she will go into heat for the first time, the vet recommended spaying her around 6 months of age. She said that they would obviously respect our wishes and spay Artie whenever we feel is appropriate but I mean she's the professional here. HELP! What are your opinions on the matter? With this in mind, we suggest the best age to spay a dog is around 6 months of age or earlier — before your dog’s first heat cycle. Spaying a dog in heat Generally speaking, we don’t recommend spaying a dog or puppy in heat. When your dog is in heat, there’s a lot more blood flowing to her surgery area.

There is another reason for spaying an adult bitch, especially one that is still entire as she approaches middle age, and that is pyometra Pyometra is a very nasty infection of the uterus or womb. It tends to occur in older bitches a few weeks after the end of their ‘season’. Vets usually recommend that your puppy be at least eight weeks old to be neutered, but often dog owners wait until the puppy is six months old or after the dog has gone through puberty, which usually begins after five-to-six months. Wondering when is the best time to spay or neuter your dog? If you go by the old standard for deciding, you might think that you should schedule that appointment when your dog hits the 6-month mark. While that’s still a generally good rule of thumb, there are actually a lot of other factors that go into the timing. Yes, I know that. Both points above. But if the first heat happens to be at 9 months, it happens, and then you spay at 12 months I think the long bone growth factor is ignored. Or at least the growth period is shortened somewhat, if maturity in bone growth is usually at 18 months. I admit I haven't seen research on time of early spay.

Most people hear that you should spay or neuter your puppy as soon as possible (as young as 6 months old), so as to diminish the unwanted puppy population. While we agree that there is unfortunately a growing population of unplanned puppies, there are also valid arguments for waiting to spay or neuter a dog, that affect its lifetime health. The best age to neuter a Labrador or Golden Retriever is as late as you can but wait at least one year. Final Summary Regarding Females. Waiting to spay a female has some risks. Your female may get pregnant in her first heat cycle. She may develop pyometra, which can be dangerous to your dog’s health. It is curable if treated properly. Most veterinarians in the United States recommend bitches and dogs be spayed or castrated between 6 and 9 months of age. The best time to spay or neuter your lab would be once it hits puberty, which is usually between 9 and 15 months old. Doing it too early can pose new health risks, so it’s best to discuss your puppy’s options with your breeder and trusted veterinarian.