When to spay ?

[heyjude]

I am a little confused by conflicting advice I'm receiving about when to have a bitch spayed.  My vet tells me that they recommend spaying from 6 months old, the reason for this is that the chances of cancer are significantly reduced the earlier the spaying.  She also advised that the blood vessels are smaller. I'd asked why many people give the advise to wait until the bitch has had her first season and the vet said this was an old wives tale.

I made my decision to have Megan spayed but then I went and bought a cocker spaniel dvd in which a breeder advises to wait until the first season giving the reason that the dog may not grow to their full potential otherwise.

Can anyone help me out with this one and apologies if this has already been discussed before but I am a new member.  I have an appointment for my
cocker spaniel to be spayed at the vets at and over 11 months of age,  she hasn't had her first season yet.

Thank you.

[Maggies Muggles]

Our vet told us 6 months too (as did others) but there's a lot of advice on this forum to the contrary. We discussed the pros and cons at length with the vet and have decided to wait to spay until 3 months after the 1st season (Maggie is now 10 months and has yet to have her 1st season).

The main reason we chose to wait is that a number of people suggested that going through one season sorts out hormone levels, etc (not sure whether this relates to the dog or the owner...) and there is a slight risk of incontinence in spaying early (apparantely this is very low in cockers). Ultimately, apaying at 6 months seemed to be slightly more of an unknown than waiting until 3 months after the 1st season.

[Pammy]

Have a look here:

http://www.cockersonline.co.uk/discuss/index.php?topic=3239.0

hth

[heyjude]

I have had Megan Spayed after speaking at length with my VET. The head nurse also advised that some sort of disease of the oesophagus can also be avoided if the bitch is spayed early.  As to leaving spaying until after the first season,  this may have been the advise given say two years ago but new medical information has superseded this advise in some vets opinions.  The figure given for the decrease in risk of cancer and other diseases if spayed early outwayed problems such as possible incontinence and it certainly has not changed her personality,  she was back bouncing all of the place within about 24 hours.

As to worrying about whether my spaniel was close to season and therefore a higher risk of problems in surgery due to increased blood flow in the organ,  my mind was put at rest as this can be checked before surgery commences and if this is the case,  then the surgery can be aborted.

Thanks to all those who posted advise as this really helped because I needed to know what questions to ask before feeling comfortable with my decision and having the vet proceed.