I have 3 month old lab and was wondering when is the right time to get him neutered ??

On 4/30/2011 5:33 AM, kundian wrote:
I have 3 month old lab and was wondering when is the right time to get
him neutered ??

Neutering can interfere with how a dog grows so if you insist on doing
it please wait until he's sexually mature, especially if you plan on
doing agility or other athletics with your dog. Statistics show that
neutered dogs have more injuries than dogs that are left natural.

Responsible pet owners don't neuter at all because they feel removing
body parts just for our own convenience isn't fair to the animal and can
cause harm in the future. However, if you feel you are in a situation
where your dog is not totally under your control, such as kept outside
without you being around, it is better to have it done. Having said that
I feel that people who don't want their dog to be inside with them as a
part of the family shouldn't have dogs. And of course, if they are
inside with you they can't be out impregnating bitches in heat.

In an interesting article in the August Veterinary Practice News
entitled "Can we neuter cancer in dogs?" veterinary oncologist Kevin
Hahn opens by saying that, after reviewing studies reported over the
last 30 years, he's not sure what to recommend to his clients. Like most
veterinarians, Dr Hahn mentions the higher incidence of testicular and
mammary cancer in intact animals, but also notes that spayed females
have a 4 times greater risk of cardiac hemangiosarcomas, and neutered
males also show a significant increased risk for this cancer compared to
intact ones.

Another cancer Dr Hahn discusses that deserves mention is prostate
cancer because a lot of people erroneously believe that castration
prevents this. In reality, it does not. In fact, castrated dogs have up
to a 4 times greater risk of developing prostate cancer than intact
animals. At the same time, spayed or neutered dogs have a 1.5 to 3 times
greater chance of developing bladder cancer. Because of this, rectal
examinations and abdominal palpation should always be part of a routine
veterinary physical examination.

The link between sterilization and osteosarcoma (i.e. bone cancer) is
also troubling: Spayed and neutered animals are twice as likely to
develop this cancer. Those spayed or castrated before their first
birthdays had a roughly 1 in 4 lifetime risk for osteosarcoma and were
significantly more likely to develop a tumor than intact dogs.
http://www.mmilani.com/commentary-200509.html

Here are some more links that might help you make your decision.
Education is the best way!

http://www.naiaonline.org/pdfs/LongT...uterInDogs.pdf
http://veterinarynews.dvm360.com/dvm.../detail/646838
http://www.veterinarypracticenews.co...ting-pets.aspx

"kundian" wrote

I have 3 month old lab and was wondering when is the right time to get
him neutered ??

'Right time' can vary a bit but it's best to wait until at least 6 months of
age and closer to 1 year is probably better. This answer is for male dogs,
not female dogs or cats of either sex.

"Char" wrote
kundian wrote:
I have 3 month old lab and was wondering when is the right time to get
him neutered ??

Neutering can interfere with how a dog grows so if you insist on doing it
please wait until he's sexually mature, especially if you plan on doing
agility or other athletics with your dog. Statistics show that neutered
dogs have more injuries than dogs that are left natural.

I think Kundian was looking for something a bit less vague. No earlier than
6 months, preference for 1 year.

Responsible pet owners don't neuter at all because they feel removing body
parts just for our own convenience isn't fair to the animal and can cause
harm in the future.

Lord Char. Responsible owners neuter. Rare exceptions are those doing
reputable breeding with a plan for the pups and folks like that don't ask
here for the normal age of neutering.