# When to spay?



## Abbeysmum (Jan 25, 2012)

Hi, does anyone have any views/advice on when it is best to spay? 

Old advice was to let them have at least one season, but now that seems to have changed and the current advice is before the first season.

HELP!!!! I keep getting conflicting information and don't know what to do for the best.


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## lady amanda (Nov 26, 2010)

This is a topic that has been debated many times...I say go with the advice of your vet whom you hopefully trust. We spayed at 6 months before her first season. But you will always come across differing opinions on this one


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## Sezra (May 20, 2011)

There are still vets giving out different advice. Have a chat with your own vet but it is worth doing a bit of reading of your own so that you feel happy with any decision made.

Have a look here: http://www.cockapoo-owners-club.org.uk/cockapoo_care_spaying_neutering.html

and here: http://www.naiaonline.org/pdfs/longtermhealtheffectsofspayneuterindogs.pdf

Lots of useful info!


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## Abbeysmum (Jan 25, 2012)

Thank you Lady Amanda and Sezra. I will look at the links you've posted.


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## kendal (Jul 16, 2009)

its realy up to you and your vet. some vets refuse to spay before a frist season, other will spay at 6 months. my mums cockers were spayed after their first season, both developped mammery cancer latter in life. when we got our first cockapoo Gypsy the vet advised that spaying before the first season reduses the risk. so realy only time will tell. 

the one dissadvantege for me is that i cant give advise on season as i have never had a dog go through one. 

the advantege was i didnt have to keep her away from other dogs for the duration of the season. 

so year realy need to decide yourself. the vet will normaly talk to you about it on your first visit.


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## ali-s.j. (Jun 6, 2011)

I have just been through this dilemma too, Abbeysmum. I had the added problem that the vet who could do keyhole spay (which I have decided upon) was away for an extended holiday, and Izzy will be 9 months when she returns, by which time we may be close to her first season....
So, I had to decide between pre season conventional spay, or post season keyhole. The reduced risk in mammary cancer by opting between pre/post season is not significant, and I was convinced by the arguments in favour of waiting for Izzy to be a bit more physically mature.
Like so many decisions, it is a personal choice, but thank goodness we can make an informed choice. Remember, you are choosing between 2 good choices, and whatever decision you make will be the right one


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## JoJo (Mar 2, 2011)

Different vets recommend pre or post season spaying ... find a good local vet and trust their advice would be my recommendation ... its one of those topics which always gets a mixed reaction  

Two really useful and informative cockapoo spay experiences shared here .. thanks to Colin & Simon and their lovely cockapoos Betty & Poppy  

http://www.mydogslife.co.uk/author/colin-bradburn/

http://www.mydogslife.co.uk/author/simon-j-garner/


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## Laura(L)Izzie (Sep 9, 2011)

I agree, follow the advice of your vet, both our vet & our breeder advised to spay at 6 months before their first seasons if we didn't intend to breed with them, I think because cancer is so common now we wanted to minimise the risks as much as possible :/

Izzie was spayed pre season & Poppy will be in a months time as well  We used to normal spay not the keyhole.


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## Kez (May 1, 2011)

Hi, I took Ruby at 6 months for pre spay check. She was still loosing her puppy teeth and peeing a bit when she got very over excited. My vet advised me to wait till after she had had a season for her to be a bit more mature. Apparently she would have an increased risk of incontinence if we spayed whilst she was still weeing when excited. shes stopped all that now and is 7 days in to her first season. Im going to get her spayed in a few weeeks time.


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