# When to get a female dog "fixed"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 29, 2004, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-to-get-a-female-dog-fixed/242715 "2004-04-29T18:16:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![PecanSandy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/fbc32d/32.png) [@PecanSandy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PecanSandy)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2004, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-to-get-a-female-dog-fixed/242715/1 "2004-04-29T18:16:32Z")
My pooch is 6 mos old and quite feisty. My vet says to wait till she gets her first period around 9 mos. but other people have told me I can have it done now and it will calm her down a bit. Anyone? ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2004, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-to-get-a-female-dog-fixed/242715/2 "2004-04-29T20:07:55Z")
I do most dog/cat spays/neuters around 12 weeks of age. For shelter animals around 8 weeks of age works fine in my hands. There is considerable documentation that recovery is quicker, blood loss less, and long term results excellent. You can search “prepubertal + spay + neuter” The old idea of waiting until 6 to 9 months of age was based on the anesthetics used at the time. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2004, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-to-get-a-female-dog-fixed/242715/3 "2004-04-29T20:31:16Z")
My golden got her surgery at 8 mos, just before her first heat. I didn’t want either of us to have to go through her heat, and my vet said it was fine. He also said we did it just in time, too, because apparently she had begun to show signs of ovulating. She is still insane, tho 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2004, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-to-get-a-female-dog-fixed/242715/4 "2004-04-29T20:32:59Z")
The doctor’s in the house, so my answer is really something of a me-too–but I manage the spay/neuter assistance program for our local humane society, and we recommend getting it done at as young an age as possible. This is for a couple of reasons: 1. As **vetbridge** said, recent veterinary thinking is that doing it younger tends to be better. Animals sterilized at a very young age often show miraculous recoveries, up and playing within literally hours of undergoing general anaesthesia. Longterm, animals face reduced risk of certain cancers (testicular and ovarian, I believe) if they’re sterilized prior to undergoing puberty. 2. From our perspective, if you sterilize them before they hit puberty, you don’t risk them breeding. Given that we have to euthanize 70% of the animals that come into our shelter, and given that that figure is AFTER we’ve spent years working on increasing adoptions and increasing spay/neuter assistance and diverting animals from the shelter through owner education programs, we’ve got a vested interest in seeing early sterilizations. Is your vet something of an old-school vet? Every now and then we hear from people whose vets have given a similar recommendation, and I’m unsure what logic those vets are using. **Vetbridge** , is it entirely based around anaesthesia protocols, or have you found that some vets have a metaphysical belief about the sanctity of puberty or something? Daniel ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2004, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-to-get-a-female-dog-fixed/242715/5 "2004-04-29T20:47:22Z")
> [@vetbridge](#): > > I do most dog/cat spays/neuters around 12 weeks of age. For shelter animals around 8 weeks of age works fine in my hands. > > There is considerable documentation that recovery is quicker, blood loss less, and long term results excellent. You can search “prepubertal + spay + neuter” > > The old idea of waiting until 6 to 9 months of age was based on the anesthetics used at the time. Interesting. I was told several years ago that my vet prefers prepubertal (great word!) spaying because the risk for a certain type of cancer (forget which one) is higher for dogs who have been through a heat (even after spaying). ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2004, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-to-get-a-female-dog-fixed/242715/6 "2004-04-29T20:47:52Z")
> [@Left Hand of Dorkness](#): > > Is your vet something of an old-school vet? Every now and then we hear from people whose vets have given a similar recommendation, and I’m unsure what logic those vets are using. **Vetbridge** , is it entirely based around anaesthesia protocols, or have you found that some vets have a metaphysical belief about the sanctity of puberty or something? > Daniel hehehe…It is hard to teach an old vet new tricks. If you’ve never performed surgery on an 8 week old kitten, it can be daunting. Once you do a few thousand, it is very easy. I can spay an 8 week old Golden Retriever in about 8 minutes (skin to skin). The exact same surgery at 8 months would take me around 20 minutes. This translates into a financial savings for the owner, as most veterinarians base the fee for a dog spay on body weight. Recovery is fantatstic. Most 8 to 12 week old animals are up and walking around in 10 to 20 minutes post-op. ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2004, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-to-get-a-female-dog-fixed/242715/7 "2004-04-29T20:49:29Z")
Or on preview, this: > [@Left Hand of Dorkness](#): > > Longterm, animals face reduced risk of certain cancers (testicular and ovarian, I believe) if they’re sterilized prior to undergoing puberty. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2004, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-to-get-a-female-dog-fixed/242715/8 "2004-04-29T20:50:38Z")
Our vet has always done our female dogs at around 5 months. IIRC, for the last one he wanted her to get up about 30 pounds; he seemed more interested in her size than her maturity.\* \*Which reminds me of the blurb I read somewhere about somebody wondering if the vet would neuter her guppy so it would quit having babies. Yeah, like he’s gonna try to spay a two-inch fish! ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2004, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-to-get-a-female-dog-fixed/242715/9 "2004-04-29T20:51:59Z")
> [@Zakalwe](#): > > Interesting. I was told several years ago that my vet prefers prepubertal (great word!) spaying because the risk for a certain type of cancer (forget which one) is higher for dogs who have been through a heat (even after spaying). In female dogs, mammary cancer is virtually nonexistent in early gonadectomized bitches. Ordinarily, a “lump” that develops in the mammary chain has a ~50% likelyhood for malignancy. BTW, I love the fact that I can use the term “bitch” without consequence;) ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2004, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-to-get-a-female-dog-fixed/242715/10 "2004-04-29T20:58:39Z")
> [@Scarlett67](#): > > Our vet has always done our female dogs at around 5 months. IIRC, for the last one he wanted her to get up about 30 pounds; he seemed more interested in her size than her maturity.\* > > \*Which reminds me of the blurb I read somewhere about somebody wondering if the vet would neuter her guppy so it would quit having babies. Yeah, like he’s gonna try to spay a two-inch fish! Actually, the veterinary schools in North Carolina and Florida have active fish programs, and they routinely do surgery on their patients (although not guppy spays). Personally, I have gonadectomized mice, guinea pigs, and parrots. At this point in my life I would want to use an operating microscope on any animal under 500 grams body weight though. ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2004, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-to-get-a-female-dog-fixed/242715/11 "2004-04-29T21:23:48Z")
> [@Left Hand of Dorkness](#): > > I manage the spay/neuter assistance program for our local humane society, and we recommend getting it done at as young an age as possible ## Sorry for making another post, but I just wanted to say my hat is off to Daniel. Mark ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2004, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-to-get-a-female-dog-fixed/242715/12 "2004-04-30T02:39:30Z")
> [@vetbridge](#): > > Personally, I have gonadectomized mice, guinea pigs, and parrots. At this point in my life I would want to use an operating microscope on any animal under 500 grams body weight though. MICE?!? :eek: :dubious: :eek: Yeah, I guess you’d have to use a microscope to find a mouse’s naughty bits. Do many rodent owners have their pets desexed? Do I want to know the answer? I’ve had several female cats go into heat in my house. It’s something I avoid if at all possible. Not just because there’s a risk of kittens, though that’s a factor, but because a queen in heat has to be heard to be believed. She’s suffering, and she wants RELIEF NOW. Since I am not a cat breeder, I will now get any new cats spayed or neutered as soon as possible. However, since I’m a sucker, I’ll occasionally take in a sick kitty, and she might have to go through a heat cycle before she’s well enough to be spayed. This is what happened last time. My ears are still ringing. ---
**Author:** ![Sutremaine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@Sutremaine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sutremaine)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2004, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-to-get-a-female-dog-fixed/242715/13 "2004-04-30T02:50:30Z")
Sorry in advance for the somewhat bizarre hijack, but does the information about quick recovery rates apply to humans as well? Note that I’m not talking about removal of the gonads (which would do Very Bad Things to potential hormone levels), but of reproductive capabilities. And now for something on-topic. Regarding the queens in heat, I believe it’s possible to give the cat relief yourself (in fact, I’m pretty sure the thread was here, a while back, although I can’t find it). Oh, the joys of pet ownership. :rolleyes: And that’s even before we get to the exploding hamsters. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2004, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-to-get-a-female-dog-fixed/242715/14 "2004-04-30T12:44:06Z")
> [@Sutremaine](#): > > Sorry in advance for the somewhat bizarre hijack, but does the information about quick recovery rates apply to humans as well? Huh? Not sure what you’re asking–are you asking if human babies would recover from vasectomies or tubal ligations faster than adult humans, given current surgical practices? If so, I’m afraid the question doesn’t really have much evidence to answer it with. Or, rather, I’m happy there’s no such evidence. But I’d guess that humans are essentially similar to other mammals in this respect. **vetbridge** you actually DO the surgeries–I just do the paperwork. Hats off to each other, eh? 😉 Daniel ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2004, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-to-get-a-female-dog-fixed/242715/15 "2004-04-30T13:42:44Z")
> [@Lynn Bodoni](#): > > MICE?!? :eek: :dubious: :eek: Yeah, I guess you’d have to use a microscope to find a mouse’s naughty bits. Do many rodent owners have their pets desexed? Do I want to know the answer? If you’re talking about a male mouse, the relevant bits are VERY easy to find, as I recall from my boa feeding days. (Snakes gotta eat too, you know, people!) ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2004, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-to-get-a-female-dog-fixed/242715/16 "2004-04-30T14:19:45Z")
> [@whiterabbit](#): > > If you’re talking about a male mouse, the relevant bits are VERY easy to find, as I recall from my boa feeding days. (Snakes gotta eat too, you know, people!) Yep, mice have large testes for their body size. I do maybe one mouse castration every few years. Usually for someone with a male and female who do not want pups. And hey, **Lynn Bodoni** cats are _induced ovulators_. Toms have many barbs on their penis(like a ribbed condom to the extreme). The pain of copulation causes ovulation. You can make your cats go out of heat by using a dildo-like device. If ya want. I didn’t think so. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![beltbuckle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3da27b/32.png) [@beltbuckle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beltbuckle)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2004, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-to-get-a-female-dog-fixed/242715/17 "2004-04-30T16:07:09Z")
Wow that is crazy information about the cat-dildo. Very interesting, yet disgusting. Thanks for sharing it. ---
**Author:** ![Sutremaine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@Sutremaine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sutremaine)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2004, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-to-get-a-female-dog-fixed/242715/18 "2004-04-30T16:33:05Z")
> [@Left Hand of Dorkness](#): > > Huh? Not sure what you’re asking–are you asking if human babies would recover from vasectomies or tubal ligations faster than adult humans, given current surgical practices? > > If so, I’m afraid the question doesn’t really have much evidence to answer it with. Or, rather, I’m happy there’s no such evidence. Well, I did say it was rather bizarre. Call it morbid curiosity. I guess then that it would be safe to say that younger humans tend to recover from operations better than older ones. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2004, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-to-get-a-female-dog-fixed/242715/19 "2004-04-30T21:58:00Z")
> [@vetbridge](#): > > Yep, mice have large testes for their body size. I do maybe one mouse castration every few years. Usually for someone with a male and female who do not want pups. > > And hey, **Lynn Bodoni** cats are _induced ovulators_. Toms have many barbs on their penis(like a ribbed condom to the extreme). The pain of copulation causes ovulation. You can make your cats go out of heat by using a dildo-like device. If ya want. I didn’t think so. 😉 I know that cats (and rabbits) are induced ovulators. I have just never been able to force myself to find and use a kitty dildo. As I said, I avoid having queens in heat whenever possible, so usually the situation comes as a surprise. And once the queen enters heat, of course, it’s impossible to think clearly. Usually, USUALLY…I make an appointment to get my new pet desexed the day I bring the animal home, if it’s not already desexed when I adopt. This last little queen charmed me at the local Humane Society. She was somewhere between a year and a year and a half old, and I picked her out one afternoon, too late to start the paperwork. I told the folks there that I’d come back the next morning to start the procedure. Their usual policy is to spay or neuter the animal after it’s been adopted, but before allowing the new owners to pick it up. Unfortunately, Sapphire picked up an upper respiratory infection overnight. She was about to go into quarantine when I showed up that morning. I told the Humane Society counselor that I knew how to give liquid medicine to a cat, though I didn’t really enjoy it, and that I’d be willing to medicate her and take her to the vet as necessary. I guess that she thought that if I was craz…errrr, loving enough to take a sick ADULT cat in, when they had plenty of healthy kittens, that I could be trusted to get her spayed as soon as she recovered. Besides, she had seen that this particular cat and I were really meant to be together. Fortunately for me, Sapphire has a very healthy appetite when she’s getting enough attention from me (when I go in the hospital or on a trip she doesn’t eat well), so I was able to simply put the medicine on a little canned food twice a day and she ate it all up. This was much easier on everyone, and I think that she got more medicine that way than if I’d tried using the old oral syringe. Just a little tip, there. She recovered fully and has succeeded in taking over the household. NOTHING goes on around here without her supervision. I’m not even allowed to take a shower without her watching me closely to make sure I don’t melt. ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2004, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-to-get-a-female-dog-fixed/242715/20 "2004-05-01T14:00:00Z")
> [@Lynn Bodoni](#): > > I have just never been able to force myself to find and use a kitty dildo. Looks like a sig waiting to happen. 😉 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-to-get-a-female-dog-fixed/242715.md?page=2)