top of page

When to Spay/Neuter

Updated: Feb 21, 2023

While not all breeds of dogs are the same, there is a growing body of knowledge that later, MUCH later is better. The Rottweiler community was approached some 20+ years ago, by a researcher from the Gerald R Murray Cancer Center, Dr. David Waters. They were looking to study longevity using Rottweilers as a model. The very first thing that jumped out was that hormones play the biggest part in female longevity. And in their findings extraordinary longevity could matched into 3 age groupings for females: a) females spayed under 2 years had x chance of reaching 13 years of age; b) females spayed between 2 and 6 years had 2x chance of making it to 13, and c) those spayed over 6 had 3 x chance! They weren't looking for that result, but that was the first thing to literally leap from their collected info. In talking with Dr. Waters one of the things that he says has happened is that researchers often note that a dog was spayed or neutered but not WHEN, and that has skewed a lot of earlier research. There are also a fair amount of issues that can be easily caught and diagnosed and treated that do not outweigh the benefits of hormones.


Anyhow as breeds do vary in terms of longevity and what diseases are prevalent, your breeder should be able to help you with this decision-making process. We do have to realize though that early spay/neuter is a medical response to irresponsibility in pet owners who fail to keep their dogs from conceiving and dump their problem on the general public. Most veterinarians do not believe that their clients have the ability to keep their girls from getting pregnant. That says more about us than the benefits to our pets. Personally, we ask in our pet contracts for spays after 2 years, which allows permanent OFA Hip x-rays to be done at the same time. Dr. Waters's research can be found by visiting the GRM cancer center at Purdue or googling The Old Grey Muzzle Tour.

 
 
 

2 Kommentare


Sunquan Guo
Sunquan Guo
07. Juni 2021

Thank you for this article. I feel comfortable buying from you because I know the detrimental effects of spaying and neutering too early.

Gefällt mir

lorareeve
24. Apr. 2021

Thank you for this information and the references. Good to know.

Gefällt mir

Northwest Lagotto

PREMIUM LAGOTTO ROMAGNOLO PUPPIES

We’re passionate about raising happy, healthy Lagotto Romagnolos that embody the best of the breed. Our dogs are part of the family and are nurtured in a loving home environment. With a focus on health, temperament, and breed standard, we’re proud to share these special companions with others.

  • Facebook
  • YouTube

To stay updated, follow us on socials and get all the latest news.

Join our waitlist to reserve your future Lagotto puppy.

© 2025 Northwest Lagotto  |  Website created by WebToday

bottom of page