Kahler: Spaying at an early age has benefits

E-Mail

Comments (0)

Text Size:

tool goes here

A new puppy in the house always makes for fun and excitement.

It can also create some sleepless nights, which end rather quickly because of a dog's quick entry into adulthood. That's why decisions concerning early health care need to be made in a timely fashion. Toward that end, Cami from Santa Barbara has a question concerning spaying her puppy, Shy.

Shy is a 7-week-old terrier mix Cami has had for just a few days. She realizes the need for vaccinations and parasite treatment and has begun a puppy program with her veterinarian. She's unsure of when to get Shy spayed.

Cami has heard that having Shy spayed too soon can cause problems, although she does not elaborate. Shy's veterinarian recommends spaying at 6 months of age.

In dogs, I recommend spaying as early as 12 weeks of age.

A 12-week-old dog does not present any unusual anesthetic challenges and heals faster than an older dog. Remember, a spay is a major surgery and recovery is much easier on a younger patient vs. one who is older. This is true for humans, too.

Another reason for earlier spaying is the prevention of mammary cancer. If a dog is spayed before its first estrus (heat) cycle, it will virtually eliminate the possibility that that dog will suffer from mammary cancer. Estrus cycles in dogs begin anywhere from about 4 months of age up to around 7 or 8 months. This is why I advise not waiting until 6 months of age to have a spay performed. Why take the risk? Mammary cancer can be fatal.

In cats, I recommend spaying as early as 8 weeks of age.

Some short-term studies have concluded there were no appreciable drawbacks to early spaying in either dogs or cats. Having practiced veterinary medicine for more than 20 years has allowed me to follow many of my own patients through their lives after early spaying, and I have not seen problems associated with this procedure. The benefits are apparent and the risks are not. Do always remember that your companions feel pain just like we do, so make sure they have good pain management when they have their spay surgery.

Jeff Kahler is a veterinarian in Modesto. Questions can be submitted to Your Pet in care of LifeStyles, The Modesto Bee, P.O. Box 5256, Modesto 95352.