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Females
This preventive surgery can be performed as early as 2 to 4 months of age. Recent scientific research shows evidence that a younger puppy or kitten does better with the anesthesia and the surgical process. Talk to your veterinarian about when your particular pet should be spayed. Many veterinarians still choose to perform this routine procedure at about 5 to 6 months of age.
For their own sakes, all female dogs or cats should be spayed unless they are going be professionally bred or shown. It does not matter if she will ever be allowed outdoors unsupervised, the physical benefits of an early spaying operation are so great that there is no valid reason not to have it performed. In addition, behavioral problems that are related to sexual drive are avoided in a spayed female pet.
A female pet that is spayed before her first heat has a greatly reduced risk of developing ovarian, uterine, or breast cancer, the second most common malignancy in pets. In addition, she will never develop pyometra (an infection of the uterus). Pyometra can become seriously life-threatening and require an emergency spay operation. These infections very commonly occur in older, unspayed females.
Of course, an early spay operation also prevents an unplanned, unwanted pregnancy. If your unspayed female puppy does become accidentally pregnant, it can be potentially damaging to her health, since she is very young.
- Spaying and Neutering your Pet, Part III
- Spaying and Neutering your Pet, Part I
- Cat Myths
- Dog Myths
- Two Kittens – Twice the Fun!