[cajunred89]

Hey,

My dog Topper( male) is almost 6 months old. My vet told me not to get him fixed til he was 10 months old, but I thought it was closer to six months of age. He said females get fixed at six months, but not males. That seems kinda old to me. When did ya'll get your dogs fixed? Should I go to another vet or just follow his advice?

 

[dhatt]

Many vets don't like to neuter male dogs until they are full grown and the growth plates have closed. That can be anywhere from 9mos to as late at 18mos., depending on the breed and individual animal. Male dogs that are neutered very young often end up with lighter, longer leg bones because testosterone directly determines when/how fast the growth plates close. There is also some thinking that infant neutering (very, very young) contributes to incontinence, but I don't think there's any definite medical evidence or research one way or the other. Most male marking behavior is learned, so the older the dog is when neutered the more time it will have had to learn to mark. OTOH, many males neutered young still learn to mark, especially if they live with other males.

Talk to your vet if you have any particular concerns about waiting until Topper is older. Besides providing answers she/he can direct you to training classes (to help with unwanted "male" misbehaviors) and suggest books and other reading that will explain how puppies grow and mature.

 

[Mikey T]

Many vets don't like to neuter male dogs until they are full grown and the growth plates have closed. That can be anywhere from 9mos to as late at 18mos., depending on the breed and individual animal. Male dogs that are neutered very young often end up with lighter, longer leg bones because testosterone directly determines when/how fast the growth plates close. .[/b]

For and average size dog early spaying results in an average 1/4" taller dog than one that is nuetered after the growth plates closes.