# spaying and growth plates



## waggybaby (Jul 28, 2009)

Hi Everyone,

I am very confused. My breeder tells me to wait to spay until after the first heat. 
My vet tells me to spay at 6 months because of mammary cancer.

I'm not sure who to listen too.

I have read that if you spay to early the growth plates don't close when they are supposed to.

Does anybody have any information on early spaying and growth plates?

Thank you


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## ilovemymaltese (Oct 9, 2008)

Good topic!

I read about this too before spaying Gigi. About the growth plates, I read they recommend spay after 8 months old, the plates should have been grown by then, but I don't really remeber. I think I read it's mostly for big dogs(b/c little dogs bones mature faster than big ones.) Females can go into heat between 6-14 months old mostly. I waited to spay Gigi at 8 months but before her first heat. 

Hopefully someone more knowledgeable will see your thread.


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## godiva goddess (Nov 19, 2007)

I was told to spay AFTER the 1st heat but BEFORE the second, i.e., in between.


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## Bonnie's Mommie (Mar 2, 2006)

I spayed Bonnie before her first heat, as recommended by her vet. A dog's chances of getting mammary cancer are almost NIL if you spay before the first heat; the chances increase after.


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## myfairlacy (Dec 28, 2007)

Unless I get a dog to show in the future, all my dogs and cats will be spayed before their first heat cycle.


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

The growth plate issue really is not particularly applicable to our toy breeds, more to large dogs who grow well up to their 2nd year. Also, check that by early, your information is not truly discussing pediatric spays and neuters (ie 8-12 weeks old).

I personally do not see a benefit to leaving a toy breed female intact past 6-7 months of age.


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## ilovemymaltese (Oct 9, 2008)

Your vet should check her teeth too, I know that determines whether to spay earlier or later for many of us here.


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## LJSquishy (Feb 27, 2008)

I agree with most of the others in that the issue with growth plates is moreso in large breed dogs. With London (my girl) I waited until she was about 8-9 months old before having her spayed but only because I was hoping all of her baby teeth would naturally fall out (which they did). With Preston (my boy), I had him neutered when he was 14 weeks old and that was the best decision I've made with the dogs thus far. In the distant future, once these little ones have lived full lives and we get another Maltese, I will have them neutered/spayed at an early age as well.


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## princessre (Dec 23, 2008)

Hi Iris, I personally have had alot more success going with what Bonnie says over what my vet has recommended. Bonnie's babies seem to grow well into their second year, so I wonder if that accounts for the difference in opinion. xoxoxo


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## ilovemymaltese (Oct 9, 2008)

QUOTE (princessre @ Jan 6 2010, 12:03 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=870210


> Hi Iris, I personally have had alot more success going with what Bonnie says over what my vet has recommended. Bonnie's babies seem to grow well into their second year, so I wonder if that accounts for the difference in opinion. xoxoxo[/B]


Good point! But do they still grow into their second year now? I know they used to, I personally don't know if they do now.


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## myfairlacy (Dec 28, 2007)

Besides the fact that growth plates arent an issue with toy breeds and that they do best being spayed before the first heat, I don't like to see people waiting to spay because I can't tell you how many people (especially online) have had their dogs get pregnant or are worried that they are pregnant on their first heat. I just don't think most pet owners are responsible enough to have an intact female dog in heat. Not talking about the OP specifically because I feel like most people on this forum are very responsible and I'm sure the OP is too...it's mostly on forums like YorkieTalk that I see people afraid their puppy is pregnant..so just talking in general. I just always wonder why these people didn't spay their dog before they went into heat.


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## jodublin (Sep 27, 2006)

To spay before a first heat, A dog's chances of getting mammary cancer are almost NIL , the chances increase after.
summer is 6 months old to day ,she has not had a heat yet ,i have booked her spay for monday morning.


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## cyndrae (Aug 30, 2009)

I just had Lilly spayed on Monday she is 6 months old. I also heard about the waiting but saw it was for bigger dogs and my vet really wanted to get it done sooner than later. We went ahead and pulled teeth at the same time. Poor thing  she is really miserable now but they gave me pain meds for her.

Good luck


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

A toy dog's growth plates close around a year of age. Many continue to mature and fill out until age 2.


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## waggybaby (Jul 28, 2009)

Does anybody know if the early spay interferes with the growth of a toy dog since the growth plates mature much later?




QUOTE (JMM @ Jan 6 2010, 11:28 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=870282


> A toy dog's growth plates close around a year of age. Many continue to mature and fill out until age 2.[/B]


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## vjw (Dec 20, 2006)

QUOTE (waggybaby @ Jan 5 2010, 06:45 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=870104


> Hi Everyone,
> 
> I am very confused. My breeder tells me to wait to spay until after the first heat.
> My vet tells me to spay at 6 months because of mammary cancer.
> ...



Waggybaby, ask your breeder to provide references for his/her recommendations about waiting to spay after the first heat. I'd like to read the info. myself.

What I've read about hormones and delayed growth plate closure has pertained to males and large breeds. Doesn't mean there's not something out there though.

Here's a link about the mammary cancer risk in female dogs and age at spays:

NOTE: THERE'S A SURGICAL PICTURE AND YOU MAY NOT WANT TO VIEW WHILE EATING


veterinarypartner.com

I did note in that article they said a dog has ten sets of mammary glands. Don't they mean five sets?




Joy


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

BTW, my info on growth plate closure is coming from orthopedic specialists. I take all of my performance dogs at a year for hip, shoulder, elbow x-rays and knee palpation (I will not work an unsound dog). I've dealt with 3 specialists and they have all told me my toys can jump their full jump height at a year of age as their growth plates are closed, larger dogs 18-24 months (for even larger dogs this can be even later).


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## Tina (Aug 6, 2006)

I am not advacading for or against when you want to spay/neuter your dogs. I think you should be well informed about the decision. Here are some articles on growth plates and spaying. Jackie is right on smaller dogs growth plates closing sooner than larger breeds. But, it doesn't happen until they are around a year old. Someone posted an article on Rotties and how long they live after their ovaries are removed. Interesting article. 
Joy, dogs do have 10 pairs of mammory glands. 

http://www.caninesports.com/SpayNeuter.html

This one is lengthy with lots of information.
http://www.caninesports.com/SpayNeuter.html

JMO
Tina


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## vjw (Dec 20, 2006)

QUOTE (Tina @ Jan 6 2010, 06:19 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=870389


> I am not advacading for or against when you want to spay/neuter your dogs. I think you should be well informed about the decision. Here are some articles on growth plates and spaying. Jackie is right on smaller dogs growth plates closing sooner than larger breeds. But, it doesn't happen until they are around a year old. Someone posted an article on Rotties and how long they live after their ovaries are removed. Interesting article.
> Joy, dogs do have 10 pairs of mammory glands.
> 
> http://www.caninesports.com/SpayNeuter.html
> ...



Tina, there's been quite a few rebuttals of Dr. Zink's article. Here's a good one:

Link to article

Also, I looked in a canine veterinary manual to see what it said about canine mammary glands and this is what it said:

Link to canine anatomy manual




Joy


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## Tina (Aug 6, 2006)

QUOTE (vjw @ Jan 6 2010, 05:55 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=870395


> QUOTE (Tina @ Jan 6 2010, 06:19 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=870389





> I am not advacading for or against when you want to spay/neuter your dogs. I think you should be well informed about the decision. Here are some articles on growth plates and spaying. Jackie is right on smaller dogs growth plates closing sooner than larger breeds. But, it doesn't happen until they are around a year old. Someone posted an article on Rotties and how long they live after their ovaries are removed. Interesting article.
> Joy, dogs do have 10 pairs of mammory glands.
> 
> http://www.caninesports.com/SpayNeuter.html
> ...



Tina, there's been quite a few rebuttals of Dr. Zink's article. Here's a good one:

Link to article

Also, I looked in a canine veterinary manual to see what it said about canine mammary glands and this is what it said:

Link to canine anatomy manual




Joy



[/B][/QUOTE]

The first is an interesting article. It didn't address at what age is still a good age to spay or neuter our dogs. I had a Standard Poodle and an Airedale that were spayed at 6 months of age. Both had urinary incontenence. Badly. Would leave puddles after laying down for awhile. And both grew to be very large. 
As a farm/ranch kid, I always noticed the difference in bulls and steers and stallions and geldings. Always makes me wonder if this occurs in other animals. (?). No one has all the answers. Not all the liturature is totally accurate. I worked on a Meat Animal Research Center when I was in high school during the summer's. I collected data from the animals for the scientists. They researched the data and then wrote their paper's. Never once actually seeing the animal itself. Most of these scientists, veterinarians, did not do their own hands on research. I don't know how the study's are carried out and then interpreded. JMO. Thanks for the info. 
Tina


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