When Should You Spay Or Neuter Your Dog?

There are a lot of pros and cons to whether you should spay or neuter your dog at all. I'm going to assume that you should, even if there are some negatives, because it would be a shame to have more puppies that can't find homes. And it's just not reasonable to think that your dog will never ever get out and potentially breed.

So, assuming that you're going to spay or neuter your dog, the next question becomes when. Veterinarians used to recommend waiting until a dog has reached maturity. Now more vets tell you that you can have them fixed at a much earlier age, as early as 8 weeks old.

SPAYING

Health Benefits and Risks

There are health benefits and risks associated with spaying and neutering. You hear a lot about the health benefits from shelters and animal rights groups who want to reduce the overpopulation of pets, which results in many animals being put to sleep. There are also some risks to the surgery. Some of the benefits and risks are related to when you have them fixed. Some increase or reduce the chances of a particular disease. You will want to take your dog's breed into consideration, since a specific breed may be more or less prone to a particular disease.

Behavioral Factors

Having your dog spayed or neutered is generally considered to make them better pets. For male dogs especially, if they are neutered before maturity, there is decreased chance of unwanted behaviors like marking territory and aggression. For females, avoiding heat is beneficial, especially if your dog lives indoors.

Costs

The cost of the surgery often depends on the weight of the dog, since a larger dog requires more anesthesia. This means that it's usually less expensive to spay or neuter your dog as soon as they're old enough. In many states, the cost of licensing your dog is lower if he or she is sterilized. So the sooner you get it done, the less you'll pay for the license.

Conclusion

Everything seems to point to having the surgery done as soon as possible, except the health benefits and risks to your pet. These depend on whether it's a male or female dog and its breed. You can find some information at NaiaOnline, but it's pretty technical. The best answer is to talk to your vet and she what he or she recommends for your dog.

If you choose to wait a while, please make sure that your dog doesn't have the opportunity to breed in the meantime. Females can get pregnant at about six months, when they have their first heat. Males can impregnate a female when they're as young as 4 months old.

When Should You Spay Or Neuter Your Dog?

Spaying or Neutering Your Dog & Vet Orange County

SPAYING