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After reading all of these useful comments, i feel much better knowing that neutering seems to benefit my lynus when it comes to sports and health. I was thinking to wait until he was around 18 months or so but my issue now is that he has 2 upper deciduous canines that have not fallen out. He is now 10 months old. do i put him under anesthesia twice? once for his teeth then wait 6-8 more months for his neuter or just do it both now. i really want to get his teeth out soon so it wont cause issues. I suppose 8 months between procedures should be ok, but that means 1 extra "trauma" for him to go through... never thought id be like this with my own dog... cant make up my mind and i need so much support in what i do with him...

 

Thank you for all being so patient and helpful to me! i really appreciate it!

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Could you compromise and have him nuetered at 14 months? Would waiting that long harm his mouth? I'm not familiar with teeth problems, but as long as growth plates are closed, nuetering a few months early won't hurt anything.

 

I had Grady neutered at 16 month and believe me when I say it has NOT effected his speed or thought process in agility :rolleyes: Rocket boy had made more than one person turn a head to watch :D

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IF, for medical reasons a child or young adult human had to have a similar surgery, they would be immediately put on hormone replacement prescriptions. After all, the hormone are present in the body for a reason. Does this translate accurately to our dogs?

 

I don't care. I simply feel it is safer to err on the side of allowing my dogs to mature before spaying or neutering. This still does eliminate naturally occuring hormones in my dog's bodies, but at least does it after they have reached adulthood.

Jen

 

Flute AAD, AX, OAJ, OAC, OGC, NAJ - semi-retired

ADCH Enna TM - Silver, SACH, GCH, SCH, JCH, RCH, MX, MXJ - rescued champion

Rising Sun's Hot to the Touch - aka: Fever - retired due to epilepsy

Ignited's Molten Rush, aka: Lava - BC puppy in training

Kasi EAC,EGC,EJC, OA,OAJ - (1992-2007)

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I had a conversation with Ian Dunbar once on the practice of early spaying and neutering and its effect on secondary sex characteristics. He said it had no effect, that all the "programming" that set how the animal turned out was finished in utero. (We were including cats in the discussion.)

 

I have to disagree, just based on observation. My experience, especially with cats, is that the penis tends to be smaller and less developed, predisposing cats to Feline Urological Syndrome. Also, the ring of spines present at the base of the penis is often less prominent or altogether absent.

 

In dogs the males that are neutered early seem less masculine in general. I've not heard of any urinary tract problems. But I have noticed that the nipples on females seem to be much smaller. My Lurcher bitch was a rescue, spayed at 12 weeks. Her nipples were practically non-existent.

 

All of which is to say that I believe early spaying and neutering is not such a brilliant idea, even though I realize why it is done in shelters, etc. Better to have an animal go to a home that cannot be trusted not to breed an animal that probably should not be bred. But it seems clear to me that early spaying and neutering does have some effect, and I'm not convinced that the effects are entirely benign.

 

With a rescue background I know it seems to be heretical to suggest that any dogs, especially pets, don't absolutely have to be neutered. (Except for prime breeding stock) But I believe that there are responsible owners that can keep an intact dog "out of trouble." My last rough Collie went to his grave with his testicles and was never bred, despite many requests from pet Collie owners. He did not roam. He wasn't given the option. And he was a perfect gentleman with all dogs, male and female.

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Could you compromise and have him nuetered at 14 months? Would waiting that long harm his mouth? I'm not familiar with teeth problems, but as long as growth plates are closed, nuetering a few months early won't hurt anything.

 

I had Grady neutered at 16 month and believe me when I say it has NOT effected his speed or thought process in agility :rolleyes: Rocket boy had made more than one person turn a head to watch :D

 

So far it doesnt look like his teeth are crowding, but i am starting to see tartar build up between the 2 canines. i suppose i could wait until14 months.. originally i wanted to wait until that age anyway. i almost scheduled his neuter for next week because my mother inlaws dog is over (im babysitting for the week) and oh my, Lynus was humping air anywhere around her and she has been spayed. i freaked when i saw that! (dont ask me why... ) anywho, now that i have calmed down from seeing that i am now at a place of mind of 14-18 months of age.

 

To check if the growth plates closed i need to do x-rays right?

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I lucked out with Grady as he never humped anything. Since he's my first boy dog, I'm pretty happy about this. I guess his brother's owner wasn't so lucky :rolleyes:

 

When I sent him in for the neuter I had them X-ray him first and then neuter, just to be sure. I want pics of his hips anyway. The x-rays are the only way to tell. I would think that by 14 months, everything should be closed up fine. Doesn't hurt to check while he's under and if you're doing sport stuff with him, it's always good to get a base line hip picture.

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I would almost think that's a bit early. Others here might have a better opinion on that. Like people, they grow at different rates. He could very well be done growing at 10 months or he could keep growing until he's 14-15 months. I think the suggested neuter age is to cover most dog's growth time frame.

 

Didn't you say you worked for a vet? You have an advantage then when it comes to having the little extras done that most folks can't afford :rolleyes: If you find out he's done growing at 10 months, then you can get his teeth done earlier too.

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Yes i do work at a vet's office and you know when it comes to your own dog, all animal knowledge is almost out the door. as we say at our clinic, us employees are the worst clients! :rolleyes:) But really i have been programmed 6 months get your pet fixed, they never really teach you a lot about this stuff... but thank you for your advice i really appreciate it! :D

 

do you do any sports? obedience?

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After reading all of these useful comments, i feel much better knowing that neutering seems to benefit my lynus when it comes to sports and health. I was thinking to wait until he was around 18 months or so but my issue now is that he has 2 upper deciduous canines that have not fallen out. He is now 10 months old. do i put him under anesthesia twice? once for his teeth then wait 6-8 more months for his neuter or just do it both now. i really want to get his teeth out soon so it wont cause issues. I suppose 8 months between procedures should be ok, but that means 1 extra "trauma" for him to go through... never thought id be like this with my own dog... cant make up my mind and i need so much support in what i do with him...

 

Thank you for all being so patient and helpful to me! i really appreciate it!

 

I've had dogs with the same retained deciduous tooth problems and my vet just yanked them out in the office. They have no root, and the anesthesia is an unnecessary risk for what was a momentary "owe!"

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So at 10-11 months of age do you think its worth taking x-rays now to check the growth plates? too early?

 

If you want to be sure, wait 'til the dog is a year or so old. That said, I did OFA-style films on Finn at 11 months and all growth plates were solidly fused. Oh, and textbook-perfect hips (and eyes), too, but since he didn't have enough under the hood to make a good stockdog, he's neutered anyway.

 

We're all much happier now. Some of the dogs had a lot of trouble living with Finn's testosterone. Finn himself seems LOTS happier without it. And my consumption of Clorox Clean-up wipes went WAY down. :rolleyes::D

 

 

 

As a P.S.: I can't open the Sanborn article that Luisa posted, and I'd very much like to read it; can anyone point me to another source?

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Hil,

Can you read a PDF? That may be the problem. I have it saved to my computer and could e-mail it to you, but if you don't have Adobe Reader on your computer you'd be out of luck.

 

J.

 

 

Not on the laptop; the desktop goes at a glacial pace, but DOES have Adobe; maybe I'll try it from there... sometime when I'm in no hurry! :rolleyes:

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All the replies are great! I am enjoying them. Wanted to add tho- surgery is dangerous at any age- but for something NOT URGENT as spay/neuter, why do it early? I liken it to taking a child/baby and removing the wisdom teeth! Why do it super young when there can be so many side effects simply from anesthesia. Why NOT wait til kid is 18yrs? Your pup is going thru so much growth, changes I dont' like to mess with any of it at all! You explain to me how MAJOR surgery is BENEFICIAL at 6-12 weeks old and how its NOT going to have side effects... You can quote anything you like, I don't believe you!!! :rolleyes:

personal opinion of course! :D

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I could very well be wrong, but I think that shelters & rescues are pretty much the only ones pushing pediatric spays & neuters -- and that is only so that they don't have to worry about tracking the dog for several months until it is old enough to get a "tradition" spay/neuter.

 

In my perfect world, no dog would be neutered until it was 6 months. My own personal dogs would not be neutered until they are a year old, at the absolute earliest (my current intact dog only remains intact because he ended up doing really well in the conformation ring, which I originally did to fill time until he was old enough to neuter -- 15/18 months was the timeline in my head).

 

But there are MANY people who adopt animals from shelters and would otherwise come up with any number of excuses to not get them spayed/neutered. Because of this, I can understand why many shelters have the policy of pediatric spueters to prevent more unwanted pets in the shelters.

 

Secret was a recipient of a pediatric spay before she was allowed to leave the shelter in Kentucky to travel to MN with her mom & siblings. I probably could have gotten a waiver from the BC rescue to put off her spay until later, but it was out of their hands because of the policies of the KY shelter. In the end, though, I still would have ended up getting her spayed earlier than ideal due to having an intact male in the house.

 

So in short, I am FULLY for spaying and neutering pet dogs who have no future in breeding -- but I am certainly not for pediatric speuetering unless it is required for whatever reason.

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I'm of the belief that if you can wait and properly manage an intact male/female then to wait until the 14 month mark. I had Zoe & Chilli spayed at 6 months of age, MOTH & Drama are still intact, Fluke was just done 2 weeks prior to the 14 month mark and Jack was done before we got him at a very young age (he's a rescue). I'd rather err on the side of caution for bones & joints than risk it. That said IF you keep them intact it's a big responsibility not to be taken lightly.

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Cerb was neutered when we got him from rescue....and I believe that he was somewhere in the 8 wk range. Is there anything I should watch out for in one neutered so young?

 

What's done is done. Just keep him fit and healthy. Be an attentive owner, noticing changes in behavior, attitude or appearance. Be hands on so you will quickly notice any lumps or changes on his body. Be careful not to let him overdo the running while he is still growing. Feed him well but at portions that will keep him trim. In other words, no sense in any special worry or concern about the early neuter. Worrying won't help, if there even is anything to help, and will only make you feel bad.

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