Spaying or neutering your dog
Spaying your bitch or neutering your dog isn't a question of right or wrong: it's a decision to build with your vet, based on his size, sex, age and lifestyle. There's no single rule, and you shouldn't feel guilty about any choice.
There's no wrong choice, just the right one for your dog
Two camps often clash: « you should always spay early » versus « you should never do it ». Both are wrong. Neutering has real benefits and real trade-offs, and the balance shifts from one dog to the next. A small bitch and a giant-breed male aren't in the same situation. So the right answer is an individual one, weighed up with your vet, never a rule copied from the neighbour.
What it really brings
- In females, spaying removes the risk of pyometra, the womb infection that affects, according to the benchmark Swedish data, nearly one entire bitch in four before the age of ten (Hagman et al.).
- Done early, it lowers the risk of mammary tumours, the most common tumours in the entire bitch. The protective effect is clearest before the first season, even though one review (Beauvais et al. 2012) judges the evidence « limited »: it's a likely benefit, not a proven figure.
- No more seasons twice a year, so no more accidental matings or repeated false pregnancies.
- In males, neutering genuinely reduces the hormonal roaming and restlessness when a female is in season nearby (Neilson et al. 1997), and rules out testicular tumours.
The trade-offs, in all honesty
- In large and giant breeds, neutering before growth is complete can raise certain joint risks (cruciate ligament rupture, dysplasia) and certain cancers. This depends heavily on the breed and stays very low in small dogs (Hart et al. 2020).
- Some spayed bitches develop, sometimes years later, urinary incontinence (leaks while resting), which is more common in large breeds. It's usually well managed.
- Energy needs drop after the operation: without adjusting the bowl, the dog puts on weight.
Weight gain after spaying is not inevitable: you reduce the ration a little right from the operation and keep an eye on the outline (ribs easy to feel, a visible waist) in the following months. Anticipated, it's very easily avoided (AAHA consensus 2021).
The right time depends mostly on size
Your small dog
- The joint risk linked to early neutering is very low.
- Neutering earlier remains acceptable and still makes full sense.
- You settle the timing with the vet, without any rush.
Your large or giant build
- Sex hormones help « close » the growth of the bones.
- The trend is to wait for skeletal maturity, often around 12 to 18 months or more.
- The right age really depends on the breed (Hart et al. 2020).
Your bitch
- Pyometra and mammary tumours are the risks for a female left entire as she ages.
- Spaying before the first season maximises the protective effect on the mammary glands.
- If she stays entire, learn to spot the signs of pyometra.
Your male
- Neutering acts on the hormonal side (sexual roaming, marking), not on training.
- An undescended testicle (cryptorchidism) is a genuine reason to neuter (tumour risk).
- A reversible hormonal implant can sometimes let you « test » the effect before deciding: worth raising with the vet.
So, should we do it? The decision, with your vet
Cases where it's often a real plus
- Your bitch is diabetic: spaying helps stabilise the disease.
- Your male has an undescended testicle (cryptorchidism).
- Your male switches off and bolts as soon as a female is in season, and securing things is no longer enough.
- Your mature bitch stays entire and you want to rule out the risk of pyometra.
Cases where you take the time to talk it over
- You have a large or giant build still in full growth.
- You're hoping to fix a behaviour issue (anxiety, reactivity): neutering doesn't erase it.
- You're unsure about the timing: there's no rush, you plan it together.
After the operation: a few quiet days, that's all
A routine spay or neuter mainly calls for rest. In the bitch, it's abdominal surgery, a little « heavier » to recover from than neutering the male, which is more superficial.
Rest for roughly 10 to 14 days
No running, jumping, free use of stairs or bathing, while the skin heals over (ASPCA, AKC, AAHA).
Keep the cone on until the wound has healed
Saliva and licking soften the wound and infect it. You don't touch or clean the incision: you protect and you watch.
Outings on a short lead, even in the garden
Just for the toilet, with no freedom or rough play.
Replace physical activity with mental activity
Suitable chews, snuffle mats, calm scent games: a busy dog holds his rest without frustration.
Don't miss the check-up
It's the check-up that gives the green light, not the appearance: the dog « looks recovered » well before the tissues are solid.
If you choose to leave your bitch entire: within the two months after a season, a bitch who is down, drinking and urinating a lot, being sick or with a distended belly, with or without discharge, may have pyometra. It's a life-threatening emergency, see a vet without delay (the form without discharge is the most serious).
- Hart B.L., Hart L.A., Thigpen A.P., Willits N.H. — Assisting Decision-Making on Age of Neutering for 35 Breeds of Dogs, Frontiers in Veterinary Science (2020)
- Beauvais W., Cardwell J.M., Brodbelt D.C. — The effect of neutering on the risk of mammary tumours in dogs: a systematic review, Journal of Small Animal Practice (2012)
- Jitpean S., Hagman R. et coll. — Closed cervix is associated with more severe illness in dogs with pyometra, BMC Veterinary Research (2016)
- Brodbelt D. et coll. (CEPSAF) — The Confidential Enquiry into Perioperative Small Animal Fatalities, Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia (2008)
- Neilson J.C., Eckstein R.A., Hart B.L. — Effects of castration on problem behaviors in male dogs (1997)
- Nutrition and Weight Management Guidelines, AAHA (2021)
Frequently asked questions
Why neuter a dog?
To remove unwanted litters and genuinely reduce the hormonal roaming and marking linked to females in season (Neilson et al. 1997). Neutering also rules out testicular tumours, especially if a testicle hasn't descended. On the other hand, it doesn't erase anxiety, reactivity or a lack of training.
Do you really have to neuter your dog?
There's no single answer: it's a decision to weigh up with your vet based on the breed, adult size, age and lifestyle. In a large build, you often wait for growth to finish. And securing the environment against escapes stays useful, neutered or not.
When should you spay your bitch?
It depends mostly on her adult size. In a small bitch, spaying fairly early remains acceptable. In a large or giant one, you often wait for skeletal maturity (often 12 to 18 months) to protect her joints (Hart et al. 2020). Spaying before the first season maximises the protective effect against mammary tumours.
How much does it cost to spay a bitch?
It depends: it's abdominal surgery, so often more expensive than neutering a male, and the price rises with the size of the dog. Only the clinic's quote puts a figure on your actual case; ask what it includes (work-up, anaesthesia, cone, check-up). Cost should never decide in place of the medical side.
Will neutering calm my dog down?
Not like a magic wand. It acts on what is hormonal (sexual roaming, marking, restlessness around a female in season), not on fear, reactivity or training. For those points, it's the everyday work, with a « yes » that marks the good behaviours, that changes things.
Will my dog put on weight after neutering?
His energy needs drop, so he can put on weight if nothing changes, but it's not inevitable. You reduce the ration a little right from the operation and keep an eye on his outline (ribs easy to feel, a visible waist). Anticipated, weight gain is very easily avoided (AAHA 2021).
Loading your progress…