[racmoo]

Bella is due for her spay. We mentioned this to the behaviourist at training school, she told us for a large dog (ab,abxbullmastiff) it is best to let her grow to her full potential before having her desexed. She said that it is more important for a male dog, but either way the dog or bitch may not grow into their full size. That some dogs she had seen were disproportionate due to this, most often a large dog with a smaller than usual head.
have you heard this before? i did a forum search and didnt find anything. do you think it matters as much for a bitch?
we have no intention of breeding her, and always thought we would have her spayed before her first heat.

 

[AllAmericanPUP]

studies show that the difference is very slight, nothing that is really noticeable. i dont know the exact study but we had a discussion about this on a dane board i am on...

 

[Chico.Heidi]

We had Heidi spayed at 5mos. and she's 83lbs. I'd hate to see what she would have grown into if we didn't have her spayed!!!! :shock: She looks almost exactly like her mother so I really don't think the growth thing was a problem. We never had to go through a heat, it was nice.

 

[pitmommy]

With the male it will prevent the head from reaching its potential, but I have not the experience with the female.

 

[racmoo]

bump

 

[Miakoda]

The trainer does not know what he/she's talking about.

It's best to have female dogs fixed BEFORE they come into heat for the first time. Once they'e been through a heat cycle, their risk of cancers (mammary & uterine) increases by approx. 30% & just goes up from there. It's an myth to let them wait.

 

[Lisas1]

I hope you don't mind if ask a question on your thread. I was wondering if a dogs nipples will ever go down after a spay? April as far as I know only went through two heat cycles and was about to go through another when she was spayed(and never bred) but her nipples are still pretty big from the cycle she had in august(the 2nd cycle). The vet told me once the changes happen to the breasts they never really go back. Just curious if this is normal.

 

[Miakoda]

I hope you don't mind if ask a question on your thread. I was wondering if a dogs nipples will ever go down after a spay? April as far as I know only went through two heat cycles and was about to go through another when she was spayed(and never bred) but her nipples are still pretty big from the cycle she had in august(the 2nd cycle). The vet told me once the changes happen to the breasts they never really go back. Just curious if this is normal.

Sometimes they might, but often they do not. Just consider your dog a lucky gal. :lol:

 

[racmoo]

The trainer does not know what he/she's talking about.

It's best to have female dogs fixed BEFORE they come into heat for the first time. Once they'e been through a heat cycle, their risk of cancers (mammary & uterine) increases by approx. 30% & just goes up from there. It's an myth to let them wait.

thanks for answering. i really need to look in to this as we have been putting off her spay unnecessarily then.

 

[halo]

I just read somwhere

I just read somewhere online while i was reserching neutering (i just had my 2 done) for infomation that a dogs growth plates take longer to close after neuter or spaying and that they acually will be a little larger than they normally would don't know how true this is but I found in on a lot of places while i was looking they all said the same thing. and that is why there was aocntroversy on early neuter spay because they grow even bigger when its done to early. But I think You should do it before her first heat it is much healther for her

 

[Redbull]

Female spay = good for her health
Male neuter = In my honest opinion, unneccessary and harmful especially with large breed dogs

This is one of the best articles I have read on spay/neutering right here:

http://www.showdogsupersite.com/kenlclub/breedvet/neutr.html

written by a long-time practicing / breeding vet


halo: what you are saying is true if you get your dog neutered at an extremely young age and they don't have time to start producing testosterone. It is testosterone which tells their bodies to stop growing. If it never exists, the growth period is longer, but neutering at such a young age can be harmful imo (3months or so) and I wouldnt' do it. So long as male on male aggression can be kept in check and managed, then I am against neutering large breed males simply for health reasons (mainly skeletal). Plus, the cancer that an unfixed male may aquire is much more treatable than the cancer that a fixed male can get. All of this knowledge and more can be found in the link above.

 

[halo]

I did mine

Mine where done wensday but not early they are 6 months soon to be 7 I was afraid to do early neuter. even though the shelter recomends it I didn't do it. I waited till they were old even. Thank You for the info. I though it was harmful anyway thats why i held off. These are the first I have ever neutered because everyone told me this was healthyier for them.

 

[racmoo]

hey RedBull

Thanks for the article. You're right it is an informative read. I have done quite a bit of research now and am all the more confused why the trainer said to wait. Bella is booked for the op on the 8th of March. Yay. Glad to not have to do the nappy/diaper thing. And not too fearful of weight gain, she gets plenty of exercise, which means I do too.

Thanks all for your input

 

[Fina]

.............totally off topic, but can we please see some new pics of Bella? She's got to be a big girl by now!

 

[racmoo]

Hi Bridget

Sure thing but not till after the weekend. And yes she is huge. Checking the thread on weight and age, she is pretty much on par with the boys. She weighs 30ish kgs at 7.5 months. She is a gorgeous girl and getting more and more obedient by the week.
On another tangent altogether it's great to see Fina's extented family on the forum. and congrats on your reposting, you must be excited to get back to the US.

Rachel and Bella