About what age to spay/neuter Great Pyrs?

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On my little dogs-- chihuahuas, I have them altered around six months. On my giant breed dogs, I wait until at least 18-24 months. An early pregnancy is less risk than spaying too early on a giant breed dog. It's not fair to alter too early and cause hip issues or spay incontinence for the rest of their lives. I just won't do that to them. IMO, there is no reason to alter a male unless they have prostates issues or testicular issues. Castration greatly increases the risk of certain cancers, so it just isn't in the best interest of the dog. The risk of testicular cancer in male intact dogs is less than the risk of prostate or bladder cancer in altered male canines. Neutering significantly increases the risks of those cancers in male dogs.
 
OK, here is an article supporting what I said earlier in this thread. The appropriate quote is below. I suggest everyone interested in this thread should read the entire article.

http://www.littleriverlabs.com/neuter.htm

There are a number of studies that suggest that those of us with canine athletes should be carefully considering our current recommendations to spay or neuter all dogs at 6 months of age or earlier. A study by Salmeri et al in 1991 (Salmeri et al JAVMA 1991;198:1193-1203) found that b!tches spayed at 7 weeks were significantly taller than those spayed at 7 months, and that those spayed at at 7 months had significantly delayed closure of the growth plates than those not spayed (or presumably spayed after the growth plates had closed). The sex hormones close the growth plates, so the bones of dogs or b!tches neutered or spayed before puberty continue to grow. This growth frequently results in a dog that does not have the same body proportions as he/she was genetically meant to. For example, if the femur is normal length at 8 months when a dog gets spayed or neutered, but the tibia, which normally stops growing at 12 to 14 months of age continues to grow, then an abnormal angle may develop at the stifle. In addition, with the extra growth, the lower leg below the stifle becomes heavier (because it is longer), causing increased stresses on the cranial cruciate ligament. This is confirmed by a recent study showing that spayed and neutered dogs have a higher incidence of CCL rupture (Slauterbeck JR, Pankratz K, Xu KT, Bozeman SC, Hardy DM. Canine ovariohysterectomy and orchiectomy increases the prevalence of ACL injury. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2004 Dec;(429):301-5).

This is well known in the dog training/showing community. I like my vet because she will listen to me when I say something because she knows I have been professionally involved with dogs for 24 years and know what I'm talking about.
 
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Not all Vets say you should wait.
My Vet says 6 months

I've never had a Vet say to wait longer for a female especially
I see no difference in my neutered dogs and my intact dogs at maturity

I have had a vet say wait.. with my English Mastiff...
 
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Quote:
Not all Vets say you should wait.
My Vet says 6 months

I've never had a Vet say to wait longer for a female especially
I see no difference in my neutered dogs and my intact dogs at maturity

I have had a vet say wait.. with my English Mastiff...

I knew you had Saints but didn't remember the Mastiff. I love Mastiffs! One of the days I moght get a Bull Mastiff.
 
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Interesting. I've never encountered this info in my schooling or afterwards. I'm going to pass along those journal citations to a couple of orthopedic surgeons and see if any vets have seen this as a possibly outcome. Thanks for the info, Brindlebtch.

Neil
 
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Interesting. I've never encountered this info in my schooling or afterwards. I'm going to pass along those journal citations to a couple of orthopedic surgeons and see if any vets have seen this as a possibly outcome. Thanks for the info, Brindlebtch.

Neil

Let us know what they think. I'm sure everyone has a different opinion, but it is always interesting.

I have a friend down here who is a vet. She graduated magnum cum laude from A&M. She is the one that told me about the hormone cue years ago before I ever read this article.
 
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