When to spay a puppy

[helenq1806]

Hi, Luna is my 4 month old Show Type Cocker Spaniel. I had decided not to breed from her before I got her but this was further reinforced when I knew she had a small umbilical hernia.

I had a Cocker many years ago and she was spayed after her first season. She was really quite poorly after the operation and had to have a blood transfusion, not long after she had a phantom pregnancy too. Sadly she had to be euthanised at the age of 6 due to mammary cancer.

When discussing Luna's spaying with the Vet, he said that they recommend having it done at 6 months or after her first season. If she is done at 6 months the risk of mammary cancer reduces but it can cause incontinence issues in later life. Having done some research it seems Cockers are susceptible to mammary cancer so I am thinking that the 6 month option is best.

I was trying to decide whether to have the operation done laparoscopically or as an open spay. A Vet friend said that the laparoscopic op takes longer so requires more anaesthetic (with the accompanying risks).

Any advice?

[lescef]

Hi. This is a really hard decision to make! Putting a healthy dog through an op.
We've had four girls and always had them spayed after their first season. Our first died at eight so never suffered incontinence but the second one lived to thirteen and did. It seems to be easily treated with drops in the food. (The other two cockers haven't got to that age yet!)
Vets views vary, even within the same practice which makes the decision harder!
There is a belief that spaying at six months means you end up with an immature dog, emotionally and physically as they are still growing at this age. So it depends on what age they have their first season. Maddie was 15 months before her season so wasn't spayed until 18 months.  Bramble was 9 months so spayed at one year. They are very, very different dogs but is that a result of early spaying... who knows?
Both dogs were supposed to have keyhole surgery, but Maddie then had to be cut further as her organs were small and in the wrong place. She then had a bleed. Bramble's was straightforward.
I tell myself that if I ever have another girl i will wait for two seasons.... at least the coat would stay nicer for longer!
Good luck with which ever you decide.

[Pearly]

We have five Cockers all female.  Three are spayed one will be in the next couple of weeks and the little one is just 7 months old.

Purdey was spayed at 6 years old after 2 litters with her previous owners.  Her coat has thickened but is still silky.  Purdey is a working cocker, she is our most “mature” sensible cocker though does have a bit of an attitude!
Pearl was spayed at 15 months old.  She had her first season at 9 months and had a series of UTIs.  Although her body was trying to start a second season she had a closed pyometra resulting in an emergency spay.  She is a show type.  Her coat was beautifully silky until age 6 when it started to turn to cotton wool.  She’s now 8 years old and has to be clipped.   The other notable change was her behaviour, she’s an anxious dog and became far worse after spaying.  She’s still a panicky, anxious dog.
Coral came to me through a Rescue age 9 weeks with a contract to spay after her first season.  She’s a working cocker now age 4.  Her coat is still silky with lovely feathers.  She’s very immature.  She was 15 months old at the time of spay (3 months after first season) was immature at the time and still behaves that way.  She is the most affectionate of the dogs but blummin hard work.

Sally is now 5 years old and fully health tested as we intended to breed.  She carries a genetic disease and although we would choose a sire carefully decided not to risk breeding pups that may also be carriers.  She will be spayed late this week/early next after 4 seasons.

Kukri is still a pup.  She’s very immature and although bold is very soft natured.  We hope to breed a litter in her second season or after 2 years old, whichever is later. 

My experience is that Cockers don’t “grow up” and have impulse control until they are around 2 years old.  Their growth plates are not fully formed until 14 months old and their hearing hasn’t fully developed until 10 months old.  The earliest I would consider spaying, now, is after 2 seasons to be sure the cycle is known (procedure when the uterus is at its smallest) and after a clean season (no infections).  If the bitch is immature in behaviour I would wait longer.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

[helenq1806]

Thank you so much for the very useful examples and advice 😊

[Pearly]

Thank you so much for the very useful examples and advice 😊

A thought for you.  Advising an owner to spay at six months means guaranteed revenue for the Vet.  An owner that waits until after at least the first season may decide that its not so much of an inconvenience after all and not to spay... lost revenue to the Vet.  Not all Vets are like this but I have experienced the hard sell for spaying (Coral) and the disappointment when I said she would be spayed at the rescues chosen vets....!

Jayne