did I neuter too early?

Elwood was neutered at 6 months and I went to another forum where they were appalled that I had neutered him TOO YOUNG! They said that males shouldn't be neutered until 18-24 months due to their growth. They told me that by neutering too early I have caused him growth plates to close and therefore he's subject too joint problems and he will not fill out as he should.

What is the right age to neuter, I was under the assumption as soon as their shots are done it's best to neuter/spay as soon as you can but is it best to wait. I always did it at 6 months for all the dogs because I thought the earlier the better.

I did both my guys at 6 months, didn't want the risk of puppies.

I think it also really depends on the breed, but 18-24 months? That seems pretty long to me... I think with larger breeds it is better to wait until later, but still... two years? Hmm...

Auggie's breeder recommended he be a year, especially because he's an agility dog, but due to the possibility of him being crytorchid we did it at 8 months. We decided it was best to risk a slightly early neuter over the complications of an entangled testicle.

6 months is what all the vets around here tend to recommend or push for, but I've heard more than one person say closer to 1 year... I don't think you've made a horrible mistake though!

I have always heard 6 months as a standard for spaying and neutering. I have to get Sam spayed at 4 months. The place we adopted her from requires it. I have always heard that you neuter a male at 6 months so it's done before they hit peuberty so they won't hump stuff.

If you want my honest opinion I would have waited till he was at least a year old. They do grow differently and the whole thing with the joint issues has been true in my home. My past two males were neutered at 6 months and both had joint issues at an early age. My male I just PTS in March had urethral sphincter issues basically incontinence at 10 years old and joint issues. IMO and some will agree, I won't ever neuter another male until I feel it is right for them. Caiza is a little over two and I'm on the fence about doing it now. I did show him a few times when he was younger and I am in the process of training him for Protection so he needs to hold on to his for awhile I wouldn't feel bad about the decision you made because you did what you thought was right. Vets aren't going to suggest you s/n at 18 to 24months because of the over-population problems and not everybody is "responsible" when it comes to owning an intact dog. Here is a great article: http://www.naiaonline.org/pdfs/LongTermHealthEffectsOfSpayNeuterInDogs.pdf

It's not unusual for a larger breed dog to still be growing at 24 months. Maybe not taller, but they are still filling out and growing internally. We haven't neutered Gunnar yet for just that reason, though I'm not sure whether we will or not at this point.

personally i think six months is fine for most dogs and most owners. i wouldn't worry about it.

My Bedlington was neutered at six months, and was sound, happy, and continent until organ failure kicked in a 15. While I'm sure the hormones do affect growth, it doesn't result in problems for every dog. I wouldn't feel bad about it.

6 months is a great age to get a pet dog done. The average person (perhaps not people on this forum - I am talking about average Joes) should NOT wait until a dog is 18-24 months before getting it fixed. What is the point? if the dog is not going to be shown or worked or whatever, it should be fixed ASAP.

Pet dogs should not remain intact.

My vet doesn't start until 6 months and my male got my female pregnant when he was only 3 months.

The rescue I used to foster for fixed at 6 weeks, now that I feel is WAY too young.

The dog rescue league I went to in NY spays/neuters by 8 weeks of age.

buster was done at 6 months. I've heard of some people don't neuter large breed dogs till later on to allow them to fill out more, then there are breeders that have all pups desexed before they go to their new home.

I believe to that if your neuter later your dog may become more "manly" if thats the word. Therefore maybe less tolerance to intact males, more doinance etc. But thats a guess, I'm not sure

If you neuter early the growth plates close late, so the dog ends up taller and lankier. IMO (not directed at the OP) is that if a person can't keep their male dog away from girls in heat, and vice versa, for a year or more, then they aren't responsible enough, and shouldn't own a dog. The more I have learned about the role of hormones (and we don't even know all the interactions) I am hesitant about lopping off, or removing hormone producing body parts before a dog is done growing.

Tosca was spayed at six months, right after she started becoming overly affectionate with inanimate objects. I just figured if she set her sights on a cat, she was going to lose an eye.

She is now 18 months old and doesn't appear to be oversized for her breed and gender, far as I can see.

TM we all know your dog is a floozy anyway...

Dekka, I totally agree with your post, that is exactly the reason why Gunnar isn't neutered.

As far as dominance or aggression- Gunnar is less dog aggressive now than he was a year ago, and he's never tried to be dominant. Those are all training issues, not hormone issues.

i personally like the look of lankier dogs over bigger builds, so I would have no issues with neutering early. and as harry has proved, keeping boys away form girls they really want to get to can be harder than expected. i was talking to someone that lost a wire crate to an intact boy, we just lost a screen door.

Its not a matter of looks, its a matter of health and longevity. The dogs that are neutered early (esp in juvile spay/neuters) have less bone denisty, and much much higher risk of bone cancer. The only advantage (other than its less messy and you don't have to be as diligent) in fixing dogs, is that females have a lower insidents of mammary cancer. But some studies are finding that there are more risks of other cancers in altered dogs. (these studies are not frequent, as they tend to be independently funded. Spaying and neutering is good for the vets and drug companies, and is considered socially responsible(..why removing god given (or nature given) parts of an animal so we don't have to be as accountable is considered socially responsible is beyond me)

To me looks are the least important issue with pets/performance dogs. (stucture being separate from pretty)

Well Dekka, I am reading here that size ..um..matters.. if you spay or neuter early, so "looks" ARE relevent.

I had three dogs other than Tosca in my life and everyone of them lived to ripe old ages but for one who ingested an entire choclate easter egg during times when nobody even knew about chocolate being toxic. The last one I had lived to age 18. They were all neutered at six months. My friend's Golden and my counsin's Akita were both neutered at six months and they are both in ripe old age right now. In other words, there are just as many stories of dog's living long lives being neutered early as otherwise. I would say it is also logical that genetics, breed tendencies can play just as important a role as anything else.

Spaying and neutering is not just good for vets. As a matter of fact, I signed a contract with my breeder that specified that I would do it and I honored my contract. I do not intend to breed my dog and I see no reason why spaying her is such a big problem. Perhaps if more people did it, we wouldn't see hundreds of thousands of dogs and cats killed each year. While I know that some people are just plain PERFECT and their dogs will NEVER get out of the home, some of us just aren't that perfect, particularly at a time when some dogs in heat can be very resourceful. I had a friend whose unneutered male went through a glass door to get out of the house. I also see no reason why a dog should be in discomfort with the need to breed when the owner has no intention of making that happen. Imagine if you could never mate but wanted to. It's kinda like that.

Edited because I realize now that I wasn't being referred to in the comment I commented on.

Harumph! She says to tell Gunnar thanks for last night, though.

I've always been told 5-6 months too.From experience,my Chessapeake bay retriever was left uncut untill he got a few testicle injuries,he was about ten at the time.He filled out evenly and lived to 15 yrs.My second male-a black lab I decided to neuter at 6 months.He turned out real mellow,but has alot of joint and hip problems later in life,i'm thinking it is related to neutering too early.My third male lab is 5 months today and I have decided to wait atleast two yrs. and just see how things gf course i'll have to be more watchful and keep him in a secure kennal at nights etc..