Hi all,
I have a 5 mo old GSD. We're not planning on having pups. As I was told by my breeder and vet, I am suppose to spay her sometime around 6-7 mo. I also remember seeing Ed's response to the question where he mentioned that dog's behavior may change after spaying.
Where can I find more information on it?

Thanks,
Eugene

Search function right above your post.

Type spay into the keyword box. Expand the date range to newer than 10 years and older than 1 day.

Then read your butt off.

Welcome to the forum.:smile:

Don't forget to post an intro.

Something to think about and don't know what all is in Ed's stuff but all that BS your vet will tell you about spaying reducing cancer risks is just that....BS. Studies are now being released that show the raised cancer risks for spaying before 6 or so YEARS of age. All it reduces is the pyometra risk and with boys the risk of testicular cancer (duh!). Raises bone and other cancer risks by something like 30%. Sorry the articles aren't right in front of me.

Another recent release stated that unaltered pets average lived longer. Gotta go find the references.

Personally I wouldn't spay a big dog before I had to. Like never if I didn't have an intact male in the house and really need to reduce my stress.


Now I am off to read Ed's stuff too.

A study that indicates intact bitches live longer was published in the journal "Aging Cell" December, 2009 (Vol. 8, issue 6). The title is long, "Exploring Mechanisms of Sex Differences in Longevity: Lifetime Ovary Exposure and Exceptional Longevity in Dogs". The study was done on Rottweilers (119 survived to 13 years and, 185 that lived an average of 9 years). The study was headed by David D. Waters, DVM from Purdue University's Center on Aging and the Life Course.

I will tell what I was taught, but I graduated from vet school in l980, AND I never (hardly ever) did small animal work.
If a bitch is spayed before her first heat, her chances of getting breast cancer are nearly 0. If a bitch is spayed after her first heat, but before her second, her chances are still reduced. Breast cancer is a problem in dogs, pretty common,usually detected late, has a poor prognosis.
Spayed dogs do tend to get fat. Caloric restriction is important for spayed bitches.
Pyometra and pseudopregnancy can be real problems in intact bitches who are not ever bred.
It can be pretty tough to live with an intact bitch who comes into heat twice a year, and keep her from being bred. And, in some large dogs it can be messy. Plus, it's hard to show,hunt a bitch in heat.
A bitch who raises a litter learns something, it expands her mind, makes her a better dog.
A bitch looses something without her ovaries, she looses a part of her self. BUT-
she does not think of "sex" as humans do, except when she's in heat, at which time she thinks of nothing but sex.
In a practical senses, I was taught to counsel owners to "use it or loose it". If you are never going to want to raise a litter, cut back on the food and spay the dog.

for the purposes of working dogs, it's usualy done at about two years of age. I've read that females that are spay to young have "plumbing" problems. My female Maggie was spay at an early age and has stones and other urinary tract malfunctions. I have two intact females, 5 and 8 that have no health problems.

I have an intact female, 3 years old, who will not be spayed unless absolutely necessary.

She is not messy and she works just fine when she is in heat. She is a little more intense but other than that I see no differences.

I think whether or not your intact female thinks about "sex" depends on the individual dog.

My dogs are behind a fence and kenneled when I'm not around, the family is on board with the training and care, I'm fortunate to live in a nieghborhood that does a good job of containing their dogs and our Animal Control Officers respond quickly to complaints about strays. Unless you have a spay agreement with the breeder and/or you can't 99.98% guarentee containment of your pupper I would spay after the second heat cycle

I currently have 3 intact females. The 2 Malinois are 5.5 years and the GSD is 2 years.

I am EXTREMELY hesitant to spay the Malinois. Their mother, Cindy's Aera, died after a routine spay last year. The vet had said it was a "textbook" procedure, and he is one of the best vets around.

I feel that I know my dogs well enough that I would be able to detect a Pyo. My vet is amazing (she gave me her cell number if I ever need anything after hours), so if they do develop a Pyo, it would be treated immediately.

Anytime an animal is put under anesthesia, there is a chance of death. I am not willing to lose my dogs because they bleed twice a year, and get a little bitchy.

Please keep in mind, that in my environment, an accidental breeding is NOT POSSIBLE. The dogs are watched every minute that they are outside, and strays are unheard of out here.

Deciding if and when to get a dog fixed is a very personal thing. Educate yourself, and make the best decision you can for your dogs and your situation.

Good luck.

--Kelly

Thank you Mary. I thought I had it bookmarked but then didn't. There is also studys that show the cancer increase. So they have a lesser chance of mammary cancer but bone increases amongst others.