I have read about people encouraging to spay at 6 weeks old. Is this too young? Whats a good age to spay?

6 weeks?!?! I hope you meant to say 6 months. Most vets will encourage you to spay/neuter at 6 months of age, but there have been studies that suggest waiting until the growth plates have closed is healthier. That would be closer to 18-24 months of age.

In bitches it is also important to wait until after the first season to prevent urinary incontinence.

Not to mention inverted vulvas...I am hearing so much about that now...

Check out the third paragraph on this site http://www.king.igs.net/~brica/esp.htm

They say 6 weeks old is old enough. Is this true?

Dear Anon, I am going to presume that you are honestly seeking information. So I will give you what I give all of my puppy owners.

Early Spay-Neuter Considerations
© 2005 Chris Zink DVM, PhD, DACVP

Neuter or not?
Those of us with responsibility for the health of active canines need to continually read and evaluate new scientific studies to ensure that we are taking the most appropriate care of our active pet and performance dogs. This article provides evidence through a number of recent studies to suggest that veterinarians and owners working with active canines should revisit the standard protocol in which all dogs that are not intended for breeding are spayed and neutered at or before 6 months of age.

Orthopedic Considerations
A study by Salmeri et al in 1991 found that bitches spayed at 7 weeks grew significantly taller than those spayed at 7 months, who were taller than those not spayed (or presumably spayed after the growth plates had closed).(1) A study of 1444 Golden Retrievers performed in 1998 and 1999 also found bitches and dogs spayed and neutered at less than a year of age were significantly taller than those spayed or neutered at more than a year of age.(2) The sex hormones, by communicating with a number of other growth-related hormones, promote the closure of the growth plates at puberty (3), so the bones of dogs or bitches neutered or spayed before puberty continue to grow. Dogs that have been spayed or neutered well before puberty can frequently be identified by their longer limbs, lighter bone structure, narrow chests and narrow skulls. This abnormal growth frequently results in significant alterations in body proportions and particularly the lengths (and therefore weights) of certain bones relative to others. For example, if the femur has achieved its genetically determined normal length at 8 months when a dog gets spayed or neutered, but the tibia, which normally stops growing at 12 to 14 months of age continues to grow, then an abnormal angle may develop at the stifle. In addition, with the extra growth, the lower leg below the stifle likely becomes heavier (because it is longer), and may cause increased stresses on the cranial cruciate ligament. In addition, sex hormones are critical for achieving peak bone density.(4) These structural and physiological alterations may be the reason why at least one recent study showed that spayed and neutered dogs had a higher incidence of CCL rupture.(5) Another recent study showed that dogs spayed or neutered before 5 1/2 months had a significantly higher incidence of hip dysplasia than those spayed or neutered after 5 1/2 months of age, although it should be noted that in this study there were no standard criteria for the diagnosis of hip dysplasia.(6) Nonetheless, breeders of purebred dogs should be cognizant of these studies and should consider whether or not pups they bred were spayed or neutered when considering breeding decisions.

Cancer Considerations
A retrospective study of cardiac tumors in dogs showed that there was a 5 times greater risk of hemangiosarcoma, one of the three most common cancers in dogs, in spayed bitches than intact bitches and a 2.4 times greater risk of hemangiosarcoma in neutered dogs as compared to intact males.(7) A study of 3218 dogs demonstrated that dogs that were neutered before a year of age had a significantly increased chance of developing bone cancer.(8) A separate study showed that neutered dogs had a two-fold higher risk of developing bone cancer.(9) Despite the common belief that neutering dogs helps prevent prostate cancer, at least one study suggests that neutering provides no benefit.(10) There certainly is evidence of a slightly increased risk of mammary cancer in female dogs after one heat cycle, and for increased risk with each subsequent heat. While about 30 % of mammary cancers are malignant, as in humans, when caught and surgically removed early the prognosis is very good.(12) Luckily, active canines are handled frequently and generally receive prompt veterinary care.

Behavioral Considerations
The study that identified a higher incidence of cranial cruciate ligament rupture in spayed or neutered dogs also identified an increased incidence of sexual behaviors in males and females that were neutered early.(5) Further, the study that identified a higher incidence of hip dysplasia in dogs neutered or spayed before 5 1/2 months also showed that early age gonadectomy was associated with an increased incidence of noise phobias and undesirable sexual behaviors.(6) A recent report of the American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation reported significantly more behavioral problems in spayed and neutered bitches and dogs. The most commonly observed behavioral problem in spayed females was fearful behavior and the most common problem in males was aggression.(12)

Other Health Considerations
A number of studies have shown that there is an increase in the incidence of female urinary incontinence in dogs spayed early (13), although this finding has not been universal. Certainly there is evidence that ovarian hormones are critical for maintenance of genital tissue structure and contractility.(14, 15) Neutering also has been associated with an increased likelihood of urethral sphincter incontinence in males.(16) This problem is an inconvenience, and not usually life-threatening, but nonetheless one that requires the dog to be medicated for life. A health survey of several thousand Golden Retrievers showed that spayed or neutered dogs were more likely to develop hypothyroidism.(2) This study is consistent with the results of another study in which neutering and spaying was determined to be the most significant gender-associated risk factor for development of hypothyroidism.(17) Infectious diseases were more common in dogs that were spayed or neutered at 24 weeks or less as opposed to those undergoing gonadectomy at more than 24 weeks.(18) Finally, the AKC-CHF report demonstrated a higher incidence of adverse reactions to vaccines in neutered dogs as compared to intact.(12)

To spay or not to spay
I have gathered these studies to show that our practice of routinely spaying or neutering every dog at or before the age of 6 months is not a black-and-white issue. Clearly more studies need to be done to evaluate additional effects of prepubertal spaying and neutering, particularly in active canines.

Currently, I have significant concerns with spaying or neutering active canines before puberty. But of course, there is the pet overpopulation problem. How can we prevent the production of unwanted dogs while still leaving the gonads to produce the hormones that are so important to canine growth and development? One answer would be to perform vasectomies in males and tubal ligation in females, to be followed after maturity by ovariohysterectomy in females to prevent mammary cancer and pyometra. One possible disadvantage is that vasectomy does not prevent some unwanted behaviors associated with males such as marking and humping. On the other hand, females and neutered males frequently participate in these social behaviors too. Really, training is the best solution for these issues. Another possible disadvantage is finding a veterinarian who is experienced in performing these procedures. Nonetheless, some do, and if the procedures were in greater demand, more veterinarians would learn them.

That's insane! I don't even know any vets that would perform a spay procedure on a puppy that young. I used to work in rescue and I know that the lady who ran the rescue I worked with would try to get puppies spayed/neutered before they were adopted at 8 weeks old. She had a hard time finding a vet that would agree to do the procedure that young. I never did like the idea of putting a young puppy through such an invasive surgery, but she didn't trust people to have it done at the right time. And we didn't have puppies all that often. I would NOT recommend this.

I recommend to all my puppy buyers to spay females at 6 MONTHS. 99% are spayed at that age, a few have been closer to 1 year, all prior to first heat. In 10 years there has never been a case of incontinence or any other health issue with one of my guys.

I have seen lots of females with incontinence problems either right away or later onset, but this is a WELL DOCUMENTED side effect of spaying AND neutering. I always educate my puppy buyers about this.

Best time is a year and a half, any earlier can cause other problems.
Aloha,
jackie

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Replying to:

I have read about people encouraging to spay at 6 weeks old. Is this too young? Whats a good age to spay?

Another source of information from the "pro" side:

http://www.columbusdogconnection.com/PedSpayNeuter.htm

IMO, it's a personal decision where the owner of the dog (or the litter) weighs the risks and benefits and proceeds with the decision that works best for him or her.

As a student, we are taught to rely on various sources to form our own opinions. We are taught to be suspicious and to take the findings presented in a lone article with a grain of salt, until more research backs it up. We are also taught and expected to find bias in articles and even research; so before taking any one person's opinion to heart and basing your practices on it, I think its important to know who funded the research Dr. Zink cites and how were the experiments controlled and executed? Were the dogs used from the same blood lines or did their heights and weights differ? Were the results based on controlled experiments or reported information? In a given litter, puppies who aren't altered may not all grow to the same size, and their growth may be significantly different. What was significant in these experiments and how many individual animals were used to find this? Is there any research that contradicts what she's cited? Probably.

Every time spaying/neutering comes up(not necessarily here, but in conversation also), Dr. Zink's article is the first posted; how many of you have looked into all the research presented? As she says in the title of her article, it is "One Veterinarian's Opinion." I'm not saying she's wrong, but I'm also not one to take any article at face value. I'm skeptical of her information after reading her books, at first, I admit I was a convert, but stepping back, I have decided not to form an opinion yet until I am better informed. At one seminar, my agility instructor found Dr. Zink's evaluations of dogs quite contradictory to those written in her books (She also wrote -"Peak Performance of the Canine Athlete"). Now, I haven't formed an opinion on her, but after reading a few things, I'm skeptical of her bias. I haven't formed an opinion on her and admittedly, I haven't researched her sources, but I'm not taking her articles and opinions to be fact. This article (as are many others) is one person's opinion - it may be your own also, and that's fine, but she's not "god" of the sports medicine world, she is human - she has her opinions and bias' as the rest of us do that shape the way she works and presents information.

If my insurance would pay for it, I'd be spayed now.

Nancy, you dont want more puppys?

I second that one Nancy!!!
In response to Scholar ... I do not at all disagree with looking at anyones research from a stance that questions results and looks for other sides etc. I would not throw out the baby with the bathwater either, nor would I take a scientist out of their realm and make them an expert in another field.
I also feel for the vets that see so many "accidental" litters and thus they adopt the spay/neuter NOW versus the responsible owner who has the ability to allow their dog to mature without being bred prior to being spayed or neutered.
Everyone has the ability to make their own choices. Isn't it great that we get to discuss different options here!!!

i would think that spaying before a bitch is finished growing (1.5-2 yrs old) would be like putting a body through menopause as a teenager...it cannot be good for the whole body/endocrine system.....no spays here until after 2 yrs old...at the earliest.

http://www.naiaonline.org/pdfs/LongTermHealthEffectsOfSpayNeuterInDogs.pdf

When women go through this we are given hormones to help balance our systems. Complete removal of hormones does put us in menopause. How can dogs be any different?? The only other thing that I would consider would be to leave some ovarian tissue in a female to complete the growing process and a vascetomy on a male. Then you have to consider putting them under again to finish the job..... live with the first procedure..... females can have a show of heat if ovarian tissue is left........ so I guess we have to go with what we feel is best for the pups we produce.
I personally think that under 12 months is too young.
JMO

No more human puppies for me! My youngest is 13 and I'm going to be free and single in less than 4 years! And I think 3 litters is more than enough for me. Besides, I'm 47 and way past breeding age. Although my body keeps trying relentlessly every single month on a depressionly regular basis.

Thank you 6 weeks!! That is a good article which addresses both sides and discusses in detail the reasoning and consequences.