# Spaying our Mastiff puppy



## Noah's Mom (Mar 29, 2010)

We have a 3 month old Dogue de Bordeaux puppy, who had her first visit to our vet today. We have no intention of breeding her, and plan to have her spayed. Our vet said he would be willing to do the surgery as soon as 4 months of age (after she's had her last puppy vaccinations), and that it would be cheapest financially to do it while she is smaller and before she's had a heat cycle.

This is the first giant breed dog I have owned, and I am unsure about how spaying at 4 months of age might affect her growth and what the long term health implications might be. Can anyone share any info or links with me? Thanks!


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

It would be cheaper (and easier for the vet!) to do it now, but for a dog that large the lack of hormones at crucial growing ages could be a big problem. Here's a good link: http://www.naiaonline.org/pdfs/longtermhealtheffectsofspayneuterindogs.pdf


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## Dog_Shrink (Sep 29, 2009)

I recognise that article  I absolutely suggest waiting until she is very close to her first heat. Females benefit just as much as males (if not a little more) from that hormone surge that happend when they reach their first heat and sexual maturity. I spay my females as soon as they have lost all their puppy teeth and all adult teeth are in , and their vulva is starting to swell a little indicating the onset of heat. I let the swelling go about a week then spay before you get into active estrus and spotting. When you spay a female too early (like the age you mentioned and thru about 6 months) they tend to act like juvenile males (pushy, challenging authority, general misbehavior, can lead to some aggressions if not properly socialized etc) for the majority of their life. With a breed like a bordeaux that already has a strong personality and temperament that could be 4 years of misery. 

There are a couple fo heated debates over the age of which to spay/neuter. Maybe do a thread search. I know I've taken part in a couple. Honestly tho... please wait to spay your gal. You'll both be better for it in the long run. It may not be the cheapest option but large breed dogs need those hormones to develop both mentally and physically. Vets often tend to over look the behavioral side effects of S/N too soon.


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## CoverTune (Mar 11, 2007)

No personal experience here.. but I have heard/read that it's best for giant breeds to be spayed a little later than smaller breeds. If that's worth anything..


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## Noah's Mom (Mar 29, 2010)

Willowy said:


> It would be cheaper (and easier for the vet!) to do it now, but for a dog that large the lack of hormones at crucial growing ages could be a big problem. Here's a good link: http://www.naiaonline.org/pdfs/longtermhealtheffectsofspayneuterindogs.pdf


Thanks for the link! Very interesting reading. All I had heard from vets were the benefits of S/N, but never the risks that were mentioned in the study. Our other dog (mixed breed) was neutered at 7 weeks by the shelter we adopted him from, and I wonder if that contributed to his "lanky" look.



Dog_Shrink said:


> Honestly tho... please wait to spay your gal. You'll both be better for it in the long run. It may not be the cheapest option but large breed dogs need those hormones to develop both mentally and physically. Vets often tend to over look the behavioral side effects of S/N too soon.


Thanks for the advice! If it is best for her health, we will definitely wait. I will continue to search for more info on mastiff health topics - there seems to be so much to learn!


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## cshellenberger (Dec 2, 2006)

Keep in mind that giant breed bitches often do not come I to thier first heat until 10-12 months old. I would personally wait until AFTER the first heat to be sure the growth plates close. Allowing this to happen will greatly reduce the chance of osteosarcoma, which has been linked to pediatric spay/nueter as well as protecting her joints which can be damage by the growth plates not closing at the proper time causing the bones to grow more than normal and putting additional stress on the joints.


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## Xeph (May 7, 2007)

> I would personally wait until AFTER the first heat to be sure the growth plates clos


I strongly agree.


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