Is 5 months too early to spay a dog

When it comes to spaying your female dog, you probably have plenty of questions. For some pet owners, spaying is an overwhelming decision they know they’ll have to make at some point, but put off because the research seems daunting.

Here’s everything you need to know about spaying your dog, including when you should do it and what the best method is.

Should I Spay My Dog?

First, we’ll answer the simplest question: should female dogs be spayed?

In almost all cases, the answer is yes. Some pet owners consider having at least one litter of puppies before spaying their female dog, but we don’t recommend this. For many pet owners, managing their dog’s pregnancy and puppies means a significant time and money commitment they’re not prepared for. Pregnancy and birth also come with health implications that could put your dog at risk of injury or even death. Consider the circumstances carefully before you choose to breed your dog.

Spaying comes with many benefits.

• Spaying prevents heat periods: Your female dog will go into “heat” regularly without spaying, causing inconvenient “heat periods.” Heat periods are messy and can be a significant nuisance. Females in heat have to be kept inside at all times to prevent an unplanned litter of pups and can stain your furniture or carpet.
• Spaying prevents deadly uterine infections: Almost a quarter of female dogs who aren’t spayed develop an infection called pyometra, a swelling of the uterus with toxic pus that can only be cured by an emergency spay. This surgery is dangerous for elderly or middle-aged dogs and isn’t always successful.
• Spaying prevents pregnancy: Of course, the most obvious reason to spay your dog is to prevent pregnancy. At the same time, it also prevents the nuisance of false pregnancy, the condition that some females who aren’t spayed have after going into heat. False pregnancies can be difficult for dog owners to navigate and can cause dangerous health problems in your dog.

When Should I Spay My Dog?

Now that we’ve established how important it is to spay your female dog, we should discuss how to time the procedure.

There is most certainly such a thing as spaying your dog at the wrong time—in particular, too early while she’s too young—and it’s something that you should work to avoid at all costs. Spaying your dog too early can result in health problems later on since her hormones should have some time to work. Early spaying can increase the risk of hip dysplasia, torn ligaments, bone cancer, and urinary incontinence. That said, it's wise to let your dog go through one heat cycle so she can get those hormones running through her system.  Your dog’s ideal time to spay will also be based on her breed and size, so it’s best to work closely with a veterinarian to determine when is the right time.

How Should I Spay My Dog?

Here at Intermountain Veterinary Hospital, we offer the traditional procedure (what requires the cone of shame), but we also offer an alternative method using laparoscopy.

Laparoscopic neutering is less invasive than traditional spaying and only involves the removal of the ovaries instead of a full hysterectomy (removal of the uterus). This means that your dog will enjoy less discomfort, faster healing time, and less risk of post-operative complications. But most importantly, your pooch will avoid the cone-of-shame.

To learn more about spaying your dog, contact us today.

Topics: Neutering Pets

Written by

Nikki is the marketing manager for IPH and has been writing for Intermountain Pet Hospital since 2014.

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Deciding when to spay or neuter your puppy is an important decision that every owner of a young puppy will have to make. Spaying or neutering too early can be bad for your dog, but spaying or neutering to late can also have negative repercussions. To figure out when to spay or neuter your dog you will need to assess your dog's age, pick a time you think is right, and then consult with your veterinarian to get his or her advice as well.

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   Wait until your puppy is several months old. There is some debate about when exactly a puppy should be fixed.[1] Some say when the puppy is two months old is a good time. Others say to wait until the puppy is four to six months old. In general, however, there is an age range when you can begin to think about getting your puppy desexed and that is usually after it has been weaned from its mother but before it reaches sexual maturity.[2]

   • There is some evidence that spaying and neutering can affect the growth of a dog, with an early spay or neuter increasing the dog's growth because it increases the length of time the bones grow. However, waiting until the dog's skeleton has matured would require a very late spay or neuter, which would create other health issues.[3]

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   Have a female puppy spayed before its first estrus. The estrous cycle in female dogs usually starts when the dog is about six months old, lasts for three to four weeks, and occurs about every six months. Having a female dog spayed before this cycle begins can have positive benefits for the dog's lifelong health.

   • Spaying a female puppy before her first reproductive cycle will reduce her risk of mammary tumors later in life.[4]

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   Look for clues about age, if age is uncertain. Telling the difference between a two month old puppy and a four month old puppy can be difficult. If you have adopted a puppy and you are not sure exactly how old it is, you can look for clues that will give you an approximation. Begin my looking at your puppy's teeth. Assess both the number and type of teeth the puppy has, as well as the condition of its teeth.

   • If your female puppy is going into heat, meaning that it is having an estrous cycle, then it is old enough to be spayed.

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   Consult with your veterinarian. Every dog is different and that should be taken into consideration when you decide when to get is spayed or neutered. Discuss when your veterinarian thinks it should be done and why that time is ideal.

   • One variable that may affect when your puppy gets fixed is if it has any medical problems. Dogs that have illnesses or ailments, and thus have compromised immune systems, may need to wait until they are well to get spayed or neutered. Spaying and neutering requires anesthesia and, while very common, is a surgery that should be taken seriously.[5]

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1. 

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   Consider the benefits to your puppy.[6] Spaying or neutering your dog can help the dog's health over the course of its lifetime. In addition to avoiding unintended reproduction, spaying and neutering can reduce the risk of a variety of cancers and infections.

   • Spaying reduces the risk of uterine cancer, uterine infections, and reduces the tendency to fight with other animals.[7]
   • Neutering can reduce a male dog's chance of getting testicular tumors and prostate inflammation.

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   Consider the benefits to your household. Having a pet that has an accidental pregnancy, or a pet that accidentally impregnates another animal, can complicate your and your families lives. Additionally, the positive impacts to your dog's health and personality that often go along with spaying and neutering not only affect your dog, but your family as well.

   • Deciding what to do with additional, unexpected pets can be a serious issue. Finding homes for more puppies can be easily avoided with a prompt spay or neuter at a young age.
   • Neutering your male dog also reduces the likelihood of it marking its territory, including your home, with its urine.[8]
   • In general, neutered dogs are also less aggressive due to a lack of sexual competitiveness and the chance of inappropriate "humping" will also be reduced.[9]

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   Consider the benefits to society. While you may have reservations about getting your puppy spayed or neutered, it is in the interest of your community and your society that you do. There are thousands of homeless and neglected pets out there that need homes, and adding to the pet population with an unintended pregnancy only exacerbates that problem.[10]

   • There are numerous homeless pets that live on the streets or in shelters and pounds that are desperate need of a good home. If you are considering keeping your puppy's sexual organs intact, think about all the dogs out there that don't have a loving and caring home. If your dog has puppies, they will take homes that could go to dogs that are in need.

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Add New Question

• Question

  Can you neuter a dog at 2 months?

  

  Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.

  

  Veterinarian

  Expert Answer

  Many rescue shelters neuter at a very young age, often 10-12 weeks. Eight weeks is very young, with the main concern being how the youngster would cope under anesthesia.

• Question

  How can you tell if a puppy has been neutered?

  

  Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.

  

  Veterinarian

  Expert Answer

  A male should have two discernible testicles in the scrotum. It's much more difficult with female dogs as the reproductive organs are internal. Feeling for scar tissue in the midline or flank can be informative, although other operations other than spay can mean a pup has a midline scar. Alternatively, wait to see if the female comes into heat or not.

• Question

  Should you let your dog go into heat before spaying it?

  

  Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.

  

  Veterinarian

  Expert Answer

  A single heat can be beneficial to large breed dogs. It helps the growth plates in their bones close down, and allows the urinary tract to mature. However, spaying before the second heat is advisable, as it protects against mammary cancer in later life.

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Article SummaryX

To know if a puppy is old enough to neuter or spay, wait until after it's been weaned from its mother but before it reaches sexual maturity, which is usually between 2 and 6 months old. It's important to have a female puppy spayed before its first estrus, which typically happens around 6 months old, to reduce her risk of mammary tumors later in life. If your puppy has an illnesses or ailment that compromises its immune system, it's best to wait until it's well to get it spayed or neutered. If you aren't sure about your puppy's age, or if you have other questions, you can consult your veterinarian for specific advice. To learn more about the health benefits of spaying or neutering a puppy, read on!

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