[Lara's mom]

As many of you know my male puppy (Superfly's Sir Lancelot) - Lance for short, is being considered for a stud, providing that all of his tests come back clear. Now, normally a puppy would be neutered at six months of age.

Of course, we are hoping that all goes well and that he passes his tests with flying colours. However, if there is any indication that he shouldn't be bred, I intend to have him neutered immediately. He will live out his life as mommy's boy. My question is, is there any difference between neutering at six months and neutering at the age of two? Are there health issues I should be aware of or behavioral issues?

[CorkyMax]

Found this on the net:AT WHAT AGE CAN NEUTERING BE PERFORMED?

Neutering can be performed at any age over age 8 weeks provided both testicles have descended. Dogs neutered before puberty (generally age 6 months) tend to grow a bit bigger than dogs neutered after puberty (testosterone is involved in the causing bones to stop growing so without testosterone the bones stop growing later). The same behavior and prostate health benefits can be realized no matter what age the dog is. (In other words, a dog does not become "too old" to obtain the same health and behavioral benefits of neutering.)

The traditional age for neutering is around 6 months of age and many veterinarians still recommend neutering at this age.

Here is link that the above info came from:
Canine Neuter

Another article------------------------------------------>

Best Age to Neuter or SpayWritten by Dr. Sherry Weaver


I was writing to ask about the right time to neuter a Lab male. When he got his annual exam and shots, the vet said to leave him unneutered until he was two years old as "large-boned dogs get cancer if they are neutered before then." I had never heard of this before and have always been a proponent of early neutering, but since this has come up, I am now unsure what to do. Is there any truth to this? What is the best time to neuter/spay a dog?

Thanks,

Eileen


Dear Eileen,

I would start by saying that there are many different vets with as many different experiences and opinions. In these articles, I try to express my personal experiences as well as current research. No research is perfect, and no experience is absolute. In reality, there are very few definite "right" answers. The best answer to most questions is to find a vet who you trust to tell you the whole story and make your decision based on that information.

Early neutering is a controversial topic. A very few uncontrolled studies have shown a link with early neuters (before 14 months of age) and some forms of cancer and joint problems. Both the joint problems and the cancers that they have linked are relatively common in large-boned dogs, so the challenge is to prove whether the early neuter actually caused an increase in the incidence. There have been no studies that prove this.

On the other hand, there have been several good studies done to look at different potential complications from early neutering (as early as 6 weeks of age) that have found no adverse effects other than slightly longer legs and less "masculine" muscle development. These pro-early neuter studies were not carried out long enough to evaluate the risk of cancer.

In my experience, dogs neutered under 6 months develop less obesity and don’t establish some of the “male” behaviors that neutering is meant to treat. They are also less likely to jump a fence, fight, or get hit by a car. With no true proof of the risk of increased cancer--and the very real risk of bad behaviors or even physical injury from running away or fighting--I am letting my clients make their own decisions based on a debatable risk of cancer vs. the very real behavioral risks.

Spaying females before 6 months is less controversial than neutering; preventing the first heat nearly eliminates the risk of breast cancer which is much more common than bone cancer.

Dr. Weaver

[Todd]

I would have it done somewhere between 6 months and 1 year. Studies have actually shown that neutering a dog by the age of 6 months greatly reduces the instance of developing testicular cancer. Also, if you wait until he's 2 he may develop aggression, dominance, and other behavioral problems that may not just go right away after having him fixed.

Again, I'd recommend somewhere between the 6 month and 1 year range, preferably closer to 6 months, but no younger. Hopefully his tests come out fine though.

[CorkyMax]

Another link (Most interesting towards end of topic)
Early Neutering

[Yogi]

Well being that this dog is to be used to stud, early neutering is out of the question. Many of the traits males learn that most people do not like if neutered after 6 months is the obvious, marking. Not limited to the outdoors. Given a female in season anywhere where he is down wind and the obvious starts to happen. In addition, the roaming if given even the slightest opportunity.
Neutering as proven to some what curb this behavior after the puberty stage again the earlier the better. At 2, he will have already started with much of the typical male problems but at the same time if neutered at 2 after the test results if he needs to be, he is not totally far into the instincts being bad habits. You should be able to train him to a fair degree. I have never seen a dog though that once it went through puberty and after it had learned to mark, totally quit. In addition, a neutered male that was allowed to go through the puberty stage still carries its instincts to mate. It will still attempt to mount and will often tie with an intact female given the opportunity.

[chiclet]

Originally Posted by Corky/Max

Another link (Most interesting towards end of topic)
Early Nuetering

Great, my dog was nuetered at 4 months.

[nattiej1976]

Originally Posted by Corky/Max

Another link (Most interesting towards end of topic)
Early Neutering

this snippet from that link " (because absence of sex hormones delays maturation of osteoclasts and thus results in delayed closing of the growth plates in the long-bones) "

Is the main reason why kato was neutered at 13 weeks, it was at this time that the issues with his rapid bone growth started to arise. (he had a bone in each of his hind legs that were not reaching the growth plates because the bone next too it grew too rapidly) so to give his legs a better chance and more time for this issue to hopefully rectify itself, he was neutered immediately.