Is it too late to spay an old dog?
Now at 8 ½ years old, a dog is less likely to get pregnant. Certainly older dogs can still get pregnant but she also a house dog, so shes probably unlikely coming into contact with entire male dogs. This factor is less of a risk and less of a consideration with this particular Chihuahua.
Theres also less benefit for a reduction in mammary tumors in older female dogs. We tend to believe that if were spaying a female dog before their first season we get about a 99.5% reduction in the risk of mammary tumors. If were spaying before the second season, its about a 95% reduction, and before the third season about a 75% reduction.
Now spaying later than this means there doesnt seem to be such a big difference in the risk of a dog developing breast cancer. Having said that though, there does seem to be an increased survival if a dog has been spayed within two years of mammary masses developing. That is being spayed up to 2 years before the mammary tumors developed
Mammary cancer is really pretty common in entire old dogs, and about 50% of those that do occur are nasty, malignant tumors. This means they can spread to other parts of the body and they can ultimately be fatal. Benign tumors are not always harmless, and can grow very big, causing severe problems as well.
Given that the two-year survival from mammary cancer is better if a dog has been spayed within the last two years means that there’s still going to be a potential benefit I think in spaying this particular dog from a breast cancer survival aspect.
Now moving onto pyometra, or an infection of the uterus, one in four female dogs will develop pyometra by the time they get to ten years of age if they remain entire. While this condition does have about a 95% survival rate if its treated appropriately, it does require expensive emergency surgery in the majority of cases.
Now some cases of pyometra can be managed medically, but these are really the minority of cases where this is preferable. Emergency surgery generally gives us the best outcome and is the preferred treatment and either way, both are still kind of severe interventions and theyre expensive treatments that carry some risk as well.
So those are really the benefits of spaying and I think they highlights the fact that in an older dog, there still is going to be a benefit to getting them spayed at this age and even later. Pyometra is that common and its much better to have an elective surgery when a pet is otherwise healthy than to wait until theyre really sick. Theres also going to be a big cost difference there as well, which is maybe something to consider depending on your financial circumstances.
Spay and Neuter Surgery Surgery for Dogs
It is estimated that 6.5 million unwanted animals enter US shelters every year. One essential way to help reduce the number of unwanted pets is to get your dog spayed or neutered.
There are various ways of saying that your dog has been fixed or received reproductive surgery. Below we will discuss each of the terms.
Dogs are expected to experience complete recovery within 10-14 days from the time the procedure has been performed. The rest period must be strictly imposed at least for the first few weeks, pet parents have to be extremely careful with overly active dogs as they may delay the healing process as a result or worse, could experience complications.
Another thing that can cross your mind is if it is indeed possible to have your dog spayed while they’re in heat. Spaying dogs in heat might sound uncommon, but it actually is not a unique case.
A lot of people often wonder if it is still possible to get their older dogs neutered. Neutering is generally performed when the pet is younger but it is also not uncommon to do it on dogs that are of more advanced age. While there may be possible side effects to the procedure on an older pet, there are many instances when it’s the right course of action to take, especially when used as a treatment for a condition or to prevent illnesses.
Generally, if there are side effects to neutering an older dog, it will be minimal. It’s important to understand that proper care after the operation has been performed is crucial to senior dogs. Just like how things are for humans in their advanced years, surgeries and hospitalizations are going to take a much heavier toll on older dogs compared to younger ones.
Although it is quite preferable for veterinarians to perform the procedure when the dogs are younger, even older dogs can be safely and effectively neutered provided that proper planning is laid out ahead of time. Older dogs will experience different benefits compared to what puppies would.
Spaying an Older Dog – is it Safe and are there Benefits? – Dog Health Vet Advice
In the United States, it is now common to have all dogs and cats not meant for breeding purposes spayed (ovariohysterectomy) or neutered (castration). In fact, 78% of dog-owning households have spayed or neutered their canine companions according to the American Pet Products Association’s 2019-2020 National Pet Owners survey.
This near-routine practice was a result of veterinarians and the animal shelter community working together to reduce the number of unwanted animals that would be euthanized. Currently, Statista estimates that 6.5 million animals enter U.S. animal shelters each year. Of that number, it’s estimated that 1.5 million are euthanized. Although euthanasia has decreased over the last decade or so, there remains a very strong case for routine spay/neuter of pet cats and dogs.
Often, the spay and neuter take place at a very young age for pets, at four to six months. However, studies have shown that this may not be the best age to spay or neuter your dog. The relationship between sex hormones and canine health was not well-considered and understood decades ago when the early spay/neuter campaigns were started. Today, we are discovering that possibly some of those decisions may have affected the health of some dogs.
Research conducted by the University of California – Davis reveals that for some dog breeds, neutering and spaying may be associated with the increased risks of certain health conditions such as joint disorders including hip or elbow dysplasia, cranial cruciate rupture or tear, and some cancers, such as lymphoma, mast cell tumor, hemangiosarcoma, and osteosarcoma. The research conclusions are not surprising. Sex hormones are important in the development of any animal. We know they affect psychological development as well as the musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, and the immune system.
Interestingly though, different breeds and different sized dogs mature at different ages, which means that early spay/neuter may not be bad for all dogs. The wide margin of maturation of dogs varies considerably, as toy breed dogs mature sexually as early as six to nine months of age whereas large and giant breeds may mature as late as 16-18 months of age. The end conclusion is that generally, the larger breeds had possibly more to risk in future health conditions in than small or toy breeds of dogs due to early spaying or neutering since they mature at a later age.
The American Veterinary Medical Association “promotes the professional judgment of the veterinarian in developing an informed, case by case assessment of each individual patient, taking into account all the potential risks and benefits of spay/neuter.”
My opinion on the topic is that the best age to spay or neuter should no longer be the standard “six months of age” response that many veterinarians have used as a guideline over the years, but rather tailored to each individual dog, especially if the dog is a large or giant breed. If you have a purebred dog, you should also speak with your breeder, who may be able to provide valuable insight. Then, a discussion with your veterinarian based on your dog’s breed or breed type, sex, and potential future medical concerns must be had.
An age of six to nine months of age may be appropriate for neutering or spaying a toy breed puppy or small breed puppy but a larger or giant breed may need to wait until they are near or over 12-18 months of age. It is also important to understand that often, the earlier these procedures are done, the easier the surgeries usually are for the veterinarian and recovery for the patient. The one rule I recommend is to not knowingly spay a female dog while they are going through their heat cycle as that may exacerbate excessive bleeding.
Spaying and neutering pets remains an important part of the effort to reduce the number of unwanted animals and unnecessary euthanasia in this country. When considering whether to spay or neuter your dog, with today’s information about the possible effects of age at the time of surgery on their future health, it is ideal to have a detailed discussion with your veterinarian to determine what is best for your dog.
AKC is a participant in affiliate advertising programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to akc.org. If you purchase a product through this article, we may receive a portion of the sale.