Watch This Before You Spay or Neuter Your Dog
When should you spay/neuter your dog?
Current veterinary evidence suggests that timing matters. Altering too early (before skeletal maturity) has been associated with increased risk of joint disorders in medium and large breeds, while waiting until ~9–12 months (in most non-giant breeds) allows for more complete growth plate closure and may reduce orthopedic risk.
At the same time, spaying provides important health benefits including prevention of pyometra and elimination of ovarian cancer risk, with mixed evidence regarding mammary tumor prevention depending on timing and breed.
It’s also important to recognize that early spay in shelters is often necessary for population control and to prevent unwanted litters, especially when follow-up care is uncertain.
This video reviews the evidence so you can make an informed, balanced decision.
References:
🦴 Growth plate / radiographic development
Todhunter RJ et al. (1997) — Onset of Epiphyseal Mineralization and Growth Plate Closure in Labrador Retrievers
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9154197/
Von Pfeil DJ, DeCamp CE (2009) — The Epiphyseal Plate: Physiology, Anatomy, and Trauma
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...
Sumner-Smith G (1966) — Observations on Epiphyseal Fusion of the Canine Appendicular Skeleton
https://vetfolio-vetstreet.s3.amazona...
🦴 Joint disorders & spay timing
Torres de la Riva et al. (2013) — Neutering Dogs: Effects on Joint Disorders and Cancers in Golden Retrievers
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles...
Hart BL et al. (2020) — Assisting Decision-Making on Age of Neutering for 35 Breeds of Dogs
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/...
🧬 Cancer evidence (balanced view)
Beauvais W et al. (2012) — The effect of neutering on the risk of mammary tumours in dogs: a systematic review
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22647...
🧪 Growth biology mechanism
Salmeri KR et al. (2018) — Growth Plate Physiology and Endocrine Regulation in Dogs
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...
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