If You’re Not Living in a Wilderness, Then Fix Your D***ed Pet, Already

[leftyladyfrommo]

75. We will have to agree to disagree on this.

Last edited Thu May 16, 2013, 11:27 AM - Edit history (1)

I have border collies and the border collie people discuss this alot. Almost everyone is waiting until later - closer to a year. Or until the growth plates at the end of the long bones are closed. But these are working dogs and it is very important that their joints develop correctly or they end up crippled. There is always a lot of stress put onto their joints and they need to be strong.

I just had this same discussion with my vet. And also another vet I go to and another one I just know from the border collie world. They all say not before 6 months. And not until later with working and hunting dogs and large breed dogs. They also have said that mammary tumors are the main reason for earlier spaying. If you spay before the first heat cycle there is practically no danger of mammary tumors and the chance increases with each cycle. But you have to weigh that against the need for the hormones in the proper growth of the joints and bones and muscles.

I don't know about cats but I would wait until they are at least a few months old.

But just think about this. How well would a human baby or child develop if it was neutered? Those hormones play a very important role in the growth of all animals.