# what age is best to spay a maltese



## gill5444

hi

what is the best age to have a maltese spayed, i ve had two different vets , one saying before heat one saying after . also what age do they usually go through their first heat one vet said they mature quicker as they are a small breed?


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## edelweiss

Your vet is correct---usually small breeds do mature more quickly. 
Spaying isn't so much a question of age as size---I would wait until she is a good, healthy size. What you do want is for the bones to be fully developed.
The beginning of heat also varies but should be around 6 months give or take a month or two. 
If you do not spay before the first heat, do make certain that she is no where near a male dog during any part of her heat cycle!!! It is amazing how quickly a mating can take place!


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## vjw

Did the one vet. give reasons for waiting until after the first heat?


The American Veterinary Medical Association spay/neuter brochure says this:


*What is the best age to spay or neuter my pet?​*Consult with your veterinarian about the most appropriate time to spay or
neuter your pet based upon its breed, age and physical condition. Keep in mind that, contrary to popular belief, it is NOT best to wait until your female dog or cat has gone through its first heat cycle.

Link:

https://ebusiness.avma.org/EBusiness50/files/productdownloads/spay_neuter_brochure.pdf​


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## spookiesmom

I had Spookie done when she was about 5 1/2 months. My vet said before first heat, and I didn't want the Dobie across the street camping by my front door!


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## Sylie

I had MiMi spayed before her first heat. It reduces the chance of breast cancer to about zero. But it is tricky to have her full grown, before the first cycle. The poor little girl will be miserable if she goes through that...just miserable. So, sometime around 6 months.


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## MaryH

My puppy sale contract says that puppies must be spayed/neutered not before 7 mos. old and not after 9 mos. old. I want to give the puppy's adult teeth a chance to break through the gums before putting it under anesthesia so that if any puppy teeth, especially canines, have not fallen out on their own then they can be removed at the same time as the spay/neuter. I really do not want my puppies to be put under anesthesia twice in a short period of time. As for when they come into season, I have not had a puppy yet come into season for the first time before 9 mos. of age. It may be that mine mature late.


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## silverhaven

I had Lola done at 8 months. Seemed a good time, before her first heat but as Mary said, any issues with baby teeth were done at the same time with no problem. Not sure when Penny will be done as yet, but not before 8 months.


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## Sylie

MaryH said:


> My puppy sale contract says that puppies must be spayed/neutered not before 7 mos. old and not after 9 mos. old. I want to give the puppy's adult teeth a chance to break through the gums before putting it under anesthesia so that if any puppy teeth, especially canines, have not fallen out on their own then they can be removed at the same time as the spay/neuter. I really do not want my puppies to be put under anesthesia twice in a short period of time. As for when they come into season, I have not had a puppy yet come into season for the first time before 9 mos. of age. It may be that mine mature late.



Oh, right, Mary. I totally forgot that what finally determined the date was the teeth. MiMi had about 4 teeth that did not fall out, pulled while she was under for her spay. Very important point. I'm sorry, I forgot exactly how old she was.


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## gill5444

thankyou everyone, our UK vet said wait so she s matured but the cypriot vet said he could do early and that there was less chance of cancer, She s 6/7 months now (we don t know exactly) so maybe its too close to her heat now?


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## educ8m

Gracie is a MaryH puppy, and I had her spayed when she was 8 months and one week old. She had not come into her first heat, yet. She also had fourteen baby teeth pulled at that time. that had not fallen out :w00t:. She looked a bit like a shark with double rows of teeth. :HistericalSmiley:I also had her microchipped while under anesthesia.


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## puppy lover

I'm waiting until my puppy is over a year but not sure yet how much over a year. I'm also not doing a full hysterectomy but will just have ovaries removed as is the common procedure in Europe. It's around 65% less pain and recovery time. (I would only do this procedure with a vet who has a lot of experience with it and thankfully it's the only one my vet does now.) 
This link has some interesting information:Time 4 Dogs: The word is getting out!


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## vjw

Here's a little more detailed information about what the studies have actually shown regarding spay/neutering (There's several pages):


An overview of pediatric spay and neuter benefits and techniques - Veterinary Medicine


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## Aarianne

Long-Term Health Risks and Benefits Associated with Spay / Neuter in Dogs - Laura J. Sanborn, M.S - May 14, 2007

This is a balanced, informative, well-supported article on the topic imo--something a little different when it comes to S/N articles online imo. It actually discusses the risks--a very important factor that a majority of the articles or websites online seem to just glaze over, if that.


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## MaryH

Aarianne said:


> Long-Term Health Risks and Benefits Associated with Spay / Neuter in Dogs - Laura J. Sanborn, M.S - May 14, 2007
> 
> This is a balanced, informative, well-supported article on the topic imo--something a little different when it comes to S/N articles online imo. It actually discusses the risks--a very important factor that a majority of the articles or websites online seem to just glaze over, if that.


Thanks so much for sharing this article. I agree that it is balanced and informative ... made much more so by the fact that the author references the studies supporting her observations. What really made me take notice is that the referenced peer-reviewed published studies span an almost 30-year period. And the following two statements, both from the Precis written by Larry S. Katz, Ph.D., should be given great consideration during the spay/neuter decision making process:

_Often, tradition holds sway in the decision-making process even after countervailing evidence has accumulated.​Then, the best decisions should be made accounting for gender, age, breed, and even the specific conditions under which the long-term care,​housing and training of the animal will occur.


_


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## gill5444

thanks everyone, your info is much appreciated.


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## CrystalAndZoe

Aarianne said:


> Long-Term Health Risks and Benefits Associated with Spay / Neuter in Dogs - Laura J. Sanborn, M.S - May 14, 2007
> 
> This is a balanced, informative, well-supported article on the topic imo--something a little different when it comes to S/N articles online imo. It actually discusses the risks--a very important factor that a majority of the articles or websites online seem to just glaze over, if that.


Great article! I'll be hanging on to this to give customers who ask about spaying/neutering. We have so many around here who don't want to spay or neuter ever. But I do believe the common thinking of spaying/neutering early, by 6 months, is not the best 'rule of thumb'. Each dogs needs to be evaluated individually as to when is the best time. Both Jett & Callie were not spayed or neutered until they were a year old. Callie did not go into heat before her spay but I would have been ok if she had. 

Interesting enough, a friend of mine had her one male neutered very early, earlier then 6 months, and is now showing the beginning signs of hypothyroidism. She is seeing Dr. Karen Becker who routinely checks for this on male dogs she knows were neutered too young. It wasn't Dr. Becker who discovered he was in the beginning stages but his regular vet who did a full CBC & Chem Screen as requested by his mommy. And I'll have to double check but I'm thinking she is finding Spirulina to be quite effective in bringing the thyroid level back into the normal range when caught early.


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## Maltbabe

edelweiss said:


> Your vet is correct---usually small breeds do mature more quickly.
> Spaying isn't so much a question of age as size---I would wait until she is a good, healthy size. What you do want is for the bones to be fully developed.
> The beginning of heat also varies but should be around 6 months give or take a month or two.
> If you do not spay before the first heat, do make certain that she is no where near a male dog during any part of her heat cycle!!! It is amazing how quickly a mating can take place!


OH Boy! I can realte to this!! :w00t:


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## Sisie

gill5444 said:


> hi
> 
> what is the best age to have a maltese spayed, i ve had two different vets , one saying before heat one saying after . also what age do they usually go through their first heat one vet said they mature quicker as they are a small breed?


Since this thread is older I would like to know if there are any new recommendations when to have a female puppy spayed?


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