When To Neuter A Male Labrador Puppy
Each dog is an individual and you should consider the advantages and disadvantages of neutering your dog carefully. Your vet will be able to discuss the best course of action and, if appropriate, the best time to neuter. You may also want to speak to your dog's breeder about how neutering may affect your dog's future weight and coat quality.
When to neuter a male labrador puppy. A male dog can be neutered any time after eight weeks of age.A few years ago, most veterinarians advised waiting until puberty hit at about six months, and some still make that recommendation. Neutering Labradors and other dogs is a topic which comes up regularly. In my email inbox, in the comments section of the website, and on the forum, where we have recently had quite an in-depth discussion on the subject. “Should I have my Labrador neutered” and “when should I have my dog neutered” are two very different questions, but both come up with equal frequency. Waiting to neuter your male does not have the same risks as a female dog. In fact, I cannot think of a reason to neuter your male dog before the age of one year. All of the recent studies suggest that the old logic and reasoning are, well… OLD and OUTDATED. There are lots of reasons why people neuter their dogs, and those reasons are based on beliefs that people hold about the outcome of neutering and how it will affect their dog. In general, apart from birth control, people tend to neuter male dogs for behavioral reasons, and to neuter female dogs for reasons of convenience. Birth control
It is very strongly discouraged to neuter a male Labrador before 6 months of age due to hormonal and developmental immaturity at earlier times. Studies have shown that such early neutering of male Labs has shown an increase in the number of cases featuring cranial cruciate ligament ruptures and elbow dysplasia. I have a 9 month old labrador puppy. I have only had German shepherds for most of my life and still have 2 shepherds as well. Shepherd people seem pretty set on not neutering before 2 but my puppy's breeder recommended age 1. I am trying to plan the neuter in conjunction with Xrays for OFA (either prelims or final) while he is under anasthesia. A male or female Labrador dog? Even if you plan to spay or neuter your Labrador, it is still important to consider the characteristics of male and female dogs, as they will still be present even after the procedure, although the characteristics will not be as pronounced. Pros and Cons of Neutering your Labrador. Before neutering your labrador retriever, it is important to know and understand its pros and cons clearly. Just have a look one by one. Pros of neutering your labrador. 1. Neutering prevents testicular cancer in male labradors. 2. Reduced behaviours such as humping and leg lifting in some male dogs. 3.
For example, a male and female from the same litter who are adopted into the same home should be spayed and neutered earlier, before the female goes into heat, Brown says. On the other hand, there’s less urgency to spay or neuter if the puppy is the only intact dog living in the house, she adds. While waiting to neuter your male doesn’t have the same immediate risks as with a female dog, there aren’t really many reasons why you should. Actually I can’t think of a single truly valid reason to neuter your male dog before he is one year old. All of the recent studies suggest that the old reasons are just that, OUTDATED and OLD. Male dogs are neutered, a procedure that removes the dog’s testes, and female dogs are spayed, a surgery that removes the uterus and the ovaries. Typically neutering is an easier procedure that is less taxing on the dog than spaying, though both surgeries are quick and recovery time is short. Once you have your Labrador neutered, then he cannot breed anymore. This means that whatever desirable trait your Labrador has, he can no longer pass it. But if you do not really have plans to breed, then this is not a problem. Growth Problems. Veterinarians say male dogs can be neutered as early as they turn 6 to 9 months old.
We have a 15-week old black lab puppy Dennis. I have been reading about the best age for neutering and had in my head it would be after 12 months, but hopefully wait until 18 months. I have been looking at options for him once my husband and I both need to be back in our full-time work in September. When you become the owner of a puppy, there are several things you should do to encourage its overall wellness, like making sure it gets plenty of exercise, feeding it high-quality food, attending frequent vet checkups, and scheduling a spay or neuter appointment at the appropriate age. Most people hear that you should spay or neuter your puppy as soon as possible (as young as 6 months old), so as to diminish the unwanted puppy population. While we agree that there is unfortunately a growing population of unplanned puppies, there are also valid arguments for waiting to spay or neuter a dog, that affect its lifetime health. Should you neuter your lab right away or at a certain age? Veterinarians actually recommend waiting until your Labrador is at least 2 years old or until it’s fully grown. This is because hormones are important in the development and maturation of a dog’s body.