There are a great number of opinions out there advising on the question When Should I Spay or Neuter my Labrador? These varying opinions are a result of the many different reasons you should fix a male dog and a female dog. Some reasons can be to best care for the health of your dog while other reasons for fixing could be to eliminate risk of having an accidental mating resulting in unwanted puppies who may end up in shelters or homes where they are not cared for properly.
There are different reasons to spay and neuter a Labrador if you are considering health first. Don’t get me wrong, I believe spaying or neutering dogs should be done unless you are a competent breeder who is breeding for the right reasons. However, fixing your dog at the wrong time could increase the risk of many health issues for your Labrador that could otherwise be avoided.
First off you will want to keep your Lab away from other dogs who you do not know if they are fixed or not. Female dogs emit a strong scent that males can smell from miles away. So if your female is not yet fixed be sure to keep her inside or on a leash and supervised while outside. All it takes is thirty seconds of her not being watched and suddenly you could have an intact male jump your fence or dig under resulting in a lock between the two.
So having your dog neutered early and spayed early is important to do your part to keep the unwanted pet population down. However, it is important that the females are spayed earlier than the males for health reasons. It is generally accepted practice to spay the female Lab early, and by early I mean before their first heat. It is also accepted that male Labs be neutered a little bit later once they are fully grown.
Let’s have a look at spaying a female first. The recommendation is to spay before their first heat which helps eliminates unwanted dogs in shelters AND eliminates some big cancer and other medical risks for her. However, spaying your female this early could contribute to joint issues such as hip dysplasia because their hormones are being altered before they are fully grown. One problem that arises if she is not spayed prior to her first heat is the risk of Pyometra.
Pyometra is a severe infection of the uterus that could happen a couple weeks after a female’s first heat cycle. In intact females the effect of sex hormones can result in over stimulation of cells in the uterus which eventually may result in a severe E coli infection and a pus infection in the uterus. Signs of Pyometra can include lethargy, increased thirst, increased urination, not eating, a foul odor coming from their behind, draining of Pus from the vulva, excess licking of the vulva, collapse or fever related to signs of shock. If you observe any of these symptoms in your Lab after her heat cycle take her to the Vet right away as Pyometra could result in death for her if her uterus ruptures and causes a severe infection bacterial infection in the blood stream and abdomen.
Other issues that present themselves if you leave your female Labrador to have a heat while in tact are cancer related. On average a female Lab will have her first heat around six months of age so spaying her in advance of this will help avoid most issues related to cancer such as mammary tumors. The statistic available at the time of writing this is that Labradors who are spayed prior to their first heat only have a 0.5% risk at developing mammary tumors where the risk increases to 8% if they are spayed by their second heat. Risks for other cancers such as uterine also decrease when they are spayed prior to their first heat. It is important to point out that not all mammary tumors are cancerous and actually most of them are not cancerous, but there is no reason to encourage these tumors simply because they are not cancerous.
The down side to spaying before your girl is fully grown is that her hormonal balance will be altered. In order for her to grow naturally she needs the hormones available to her naturally. Altering this natural balance could result in development problems with her joints and result in hip dysplasia or other joint issues or tendon ruptures. One study I’ve read states that cranial cruciate ligament rupture chances increases 5% in females and 10% in males who are fixed early (female prior to first heat and male prior to fully grown).
The same study goes on to identify that hemangiosarcoma cases in late-spayed females was 4 times more than females spayed early. A third statistic from the same study is that there was nearly a 6% chance of mast cell tumors in late spayed females compared to no cases in intact females. One final point to mention is that spayed females may also develop a weakened bladder known as spay incontinence or urinary incontinence.
So, to sum this all up for female Labradors, at present it appears that fixing them early can greatly reduce the risk of certain types of cancer while increasing the risk of joint-related problems. So how do you decide? We recommend becoming as informed as possible, consulting with your Veterinarian, and then prioritizing your reasons for spaying. Our position is prior to first heat because the risk of cancer and joint issues kind of cancel each other out, so you might as well be safe so you don’t have to worry about your girl getting pregnant and you being responsible for rehoming 8 or 10 puppies to good homes where they will be taken care of.
On the male Labrador side, if you neuter your pet you can still have a happy pet and often more healthy! Generally you neuter a male after they are fully grown because they require their hormones to thicken up and develop as a male dog would normally. Fully grown is at different times for different breeds of dogs. Generally the larger your dog is the longer it takes them to mature. Large breeds could take up to two years to fully grow and medium breeds are closer to one year.
Neutering your Lab will also pretty much eliminate the risk of prostate disease including cysts, abscesses and prostate enlargement. Perineal hernias can also be mostly avoided as they are primarily seen in intact males. A Perineal hernia is when organs from the belly slip through the weakened muscles of the pelvis resulting in a bulge on one or both sides of the anus. As well, neutering your Labrador removes the risk of testicular cancer which is mostly seen in intact male dogs.
There are some behavioral issues related to neutering that are worth mentioning. In a nutshell a dog’s training, temperament and personality are a result of the combination of their genetics and upbringing not their hormones. There are however some behavioral issues that are related to male hormones. These can be things such as roaming, mounting other dogs, attraction to female dogs, urine marking and even aggression. It’s important to note that all aggressive dogs should be neutered so they cannot reproduce and pass those genetics on. Good Labrador Retriever breeders would do this in their breeding programs, however, I have never seen an aggressive Labrador who has been trained and cared for properly. Normally an aggressive dog will be neglected or abused which ends up training them to act that way. Neutering may help to dampen or eliminate any behaviors that are related to the hormones.
So there are many points that require your consideration, advice from your breeder and advice from your Veterinarian. In the world we live in today we are all trying to do the absolute best we can for our pets. When you adopt your new Labrador retriever puppy you fall in love with them and losing them because of something you didn’t think of or forgot to control can be quite upsetting. We cannot, however play God. So once you have enough information sit with your family and have a brief discussion. Weigh the pros and cons of spaying and neutering and then make your decision. Then, forget about it. Once your decision has been made return to enjoying your Lab puppy for the time you have with them.
