When To Spay Or Neuter Large A Giant Breed Dog
A dog is considered to be a large breed dog if their ideal adult weight is over 45 pounds. Giant breeds are dogs weighing 75 pounds or more.
Any dog that will be over 45 pounds as an adult should be neutered after their growth stops. This time period is typically between 9 and 15 months of age.
For females, the decision to spay is based on additional factors. Some of these factors include your dogs disease risk as well as your and your dog’s lifestyle. After reviewing the pros and cons with your veterinarian, together, you may alter the recommended window to between 5 and 15 months.
Areas Of Attention: Spay Or Neutering Your German Shepherd Puppy
- Only intact, non-sterilized dogs are allowed to compete in conformation shows. Why? Because the goal is to rate a dogs full appearance to how well her or she conforms with the breeds standard. And thus produce pedigree German Shepherd puppies.
- There is data to indicate that spayed dogs are more apt to gain weight. This is likely due to the hormonal changes that occur post-surgery.
- Again, due to hormonal changes, dogs that are spayed may have an increase in cancer of the blood vessels . And, neutered dogs could have an increased potential for hyperthyroidism.
- As with any surgery, there is the general risk of anesthesia associated with spaying or neutering your German Shepherd dog.
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When To Neuter Your German Shepherd
There are a lot of ethical reasons to neuter your dog. Overcrowding in animal shelters is a serious issue. Each year, over 2.7 million animals are euthanized in US animal shelters alone.
Puppies are cute, but birth is taxing to a mother dog and can be fatal if the mother doesnt have the strength to take care of her litter. And most people cant afford to take care of a mothers litter and end up donating the pups to a shelter anyway.
You can end a lot of animal suffering by neutering your dog before he goes off and has children. But what is the best age to do it and are there any health risks associated with neutering?
Until recently, there was a common consensus among veterinarians and breeders that it was best to neuter a German Shepherd after 8 weeks but before 6 months.
Neutering before a dog reached full sexual maturity would cause less growth problems and would prevent deadly prostate cancers from developing. Or so the reasoning went.
Recently, however, a new study recently published in the veterinary journal veterinary medicine and science finds convincing evidence that that might not be true.
German Shepherd dogs neutered before the age of 1, the study finds, have a significant increase of cranial cruciate ligament tears and ruptures.
The CCL is one of the most important stabilizers in a German Shepherds knee and damage to it is one of the most common causes of hind leg lameness, pain, and knee arthritis.
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What Are Spaying And Neutering
Even though spaying and neutering are common procedures, a lot of pet owners do not know exactly what happens during the operation.
Of course, we have a general idea of what happens, but veterinarians dont really go into too much detail about what this procedure entails.
Although these terms are often used interchangeably, they are actually two different procedures.
Even though they both have the same purpose, spaying is the term used when the procedure is conducted on a female dog, and neutering is used when the dog is male.
So, with that in mind, lets take a look at exactly what the spaying and neutering process is.
Challenges Of Living With An Intact Dog
Having an intact dog means you’ll need to be more aware of potential behavior challenges, medical issues, and difficulty in finding certain services for your dog.
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Behavioral Risks Of Spaying Or Neutering
When dealing with problematic behavioral issues, in the past many dog trainers and behavior consultants had recommended spaying or neutering as a first course of action. However, with increasing studies being done on the impact of this procedure on certain behavioral traits, this standard is changing. Some study results have noted an increase in possessive aggression , fear-related behaviors, and over-excitability in male dogs after neutering, more so when they are neutered earlier rather than later. Spaying may also cause an increase in owner-directed aggression, resource guarding, and fearful reactivity in female dogs, also linked to the timing of the spay.5
The question for professional canine behavior consultants then comes down to not if someone should spay or neuter their dog, but when. More studies are needed to help us better understand the behavioral consequences of early spaying and neutering. But the trend does point towards the benefits of allowing our dogs to remain intact longer to allow for more hormonal exposure and growth.
Anesthesia During Neutering And Spaying
During a spaying or neutering procedure, your GSD should be placed under general anesthesia meaning that your dog will be asleep because of heavy sedation. Anesthesia is a serious measure in itself, and if it is performed improperly, it can be fatal to your dog. Each year, approximately 1 in 1,000 dogs that go under general anesthesia die.
Unfortunately, not all practitioners take the proper precautions and follow correct procedures while administering anesthesia to a dog which can result in their death. Each year, approximately 1 in 1,000 dogs that go under general anesthesia die.
To make sure that your whoever is performing the procedure on our dog is doing it properly, and to give yourself peace of mind, you should discuss the procedure with the person performing it and make sure that you have clear answers to the following questions:
- What are the most common complications that do occur during this procedure for my dog breed specifically?The team member should be able to give you specific examples of complications that have occurred in the past and how the veterinary team has handled and is prepared to handle them.
- Can you describe the process of anesthesia that my dog will be undergoing?You will want to make sure that anesthetic will be introduced through an intravenous tube and not a mask. Also, be sure that other intravenous fluids and drugs will be on hand in case of complications.
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Some Behaviors Of German Shepherd After Neutering
Spaying German Shepherds can cause behavioral changes in your dog. German Shepherds after being spayed can become violent and aggressive towards people and other dogs. As a spayed German Shepherd ages, he is more likely to have brain disease similar to dementia. Its termed geriatric cognitive impairment. The implication is that he wont be able to recognize people such as your family and places like home. Hed also forget many things including all the training you have given him, like potty training. Spaying also modifies the sexual-based behaviors of dogs. As a result, they will no longer have strong sexual urges.
Additional Cocker Spaniel Information
Study suggests BOTH sexes of Dachshunds can be desexed at ANY age. Changed recommendation to 1 year as per Dachshund IVDD risk and neuter age study, Neuter status as a risk factor for canine intervertebral disc herniation in dachshunds: a retrospective cohort study
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Recovery From Neutering Or Spaying
The recovery process after you neuter or spay a German shepherd is the same as with an injury.
You avoid physical activities. You let them rest and so on.
However, there are pointers to be followed after the neutering or spaying of a German shepherd. Its important to follow this strictly to help your dog heal most properly.
- Prepare a quiet place for your dog to rest, preferably inside the house. Restrict their interactions with other dogs as it may encourage physical activity.
- A neutered/spayed German shepherd needs at least a month of no activity. Putting physical strain during recovery may result in complications.
- Monitor your German shepherds opening from the surgery. Check for unusual characteristics such as swelling, bruising, and more. If you notice an abnormality, ensure that you reach out to your vet.
- German shepherds are active dogs and can sometimes be unpredictable. Prevent your dog from hurting himself/herself by giving them a cone or collar.
- Its important to find out when to take the cone off your dog after neutering/spaying so you wont be stripping your pet off their freedom. The optimal number of days before you have to remove the cone is 5-8 days. However, its recommended that you wait until the stitches are removed.
- A German shepherd that exhibits vomiting, decreased appetite, and diarrhea has a high chance of having complications. In this case, contact your vet immediately.
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Spaying Or Neutering Your Gsd Is A Good Thing
Here are only a few truths of the many benefits of spaying or neutering your GSD:
Spaying and neutering can reduce many health problems.
Spayed or neutered pets often live longer, healthier lives.
Spayed or neutered dogs do not necessarily get fat or lazy.
Spayed or neutered pets are often more affectionate companions.
Spaying your female German Shepherd eliminates the possibility of uterine or ovarian cancer and greatly reduces the possibility of breast cancer.
Neutering your male GSD eliminates the possibility of testicular cancer and lowers the incidence of prostate problems.
Having your pet spayed or neutered is a very important part of responsible pet ownership.
This one process, to spay and neuter your GSD, greatly increases the lifespan of your dog!
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Neutering German Shepherds Too Early Can Harm Joints
You are free to share this article under the Attribution 4.0 International license.
German shepherds are often the preferred breed for police and military work, and are also popular as service dogs and family pets. But joint disorders are a big concern.
Neutering or spaying German shepherds before 1 year of age triples the risk of one or more joint disordersparticularly for cranial cruciate ligament, or CCL, tears.
Debilitating joint disorders of hip dysplasia, CCL and elbow dysplasia can shorten a dogs useful working life and impact its role as a family member, says lead investigator Benjamin Hart, professor emeritus in the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of California, Davis. Simply delaying the spay/neuter until the dog is a year old can markedly reduce the chance of a joint disorder.
To prevent pet overpopulation or avoid unwanted behaviors. dog owners in the United States typically choose to spay or neuter their dogs prior to 6 months of age.
For the study, published in Veterinary Medicine and Science, researchers examined veterinary hospital records over a 14.5-year period on 1,170 intact and neutered German shepherd dogs for joint disorders and cancers previously associated with neutering. The diseases were followed through 8 years of age, with the exception of mammary cancer in females, which was followed through 11 years.
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Spay And Neuter Your Gsd
You really need to spay and neuter your GSD if you havent already. If your female dog is spayed before her first heat cycle she will have almost azero chance of developing breast cancer later in life!
Concerning male dogs, the process of neutering helps to prevent prostate enlargement as well as cancer down the road as your dog matures.
It also often cuts down on the need to wander by many male dogs and many other territorial behaviors. But first, it is important to understand exactly what happens whenever you spay or neuter your German Shepherd puppy and what to expect during the process.
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Taking Care Of A Female German Shepherd In Heat
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There are many ways of caring for a female German shepherd in heat. With what you learned in the previous topics, you should already have an idea of what to do.
Practice Good Hygiene: As previously mentioned, one of the signs that a German shepherd is in heat is bleeding.
So, to avoid stains in your house, you should keep your female German shepherd clean at all times. She may also clean herself by licking.
In this case, you can simply cover your furniture since your female GSD are likely to rub against them. That way, you can leave your dog be and let her clean lick herself as a dog should.
Attend to Your Dogs Needs: A female German shepherd in heat is likely to undergo some personality changes. Thats why you should always pay attention to what your dog is doing.
For example, if shes being restless, you can play with her, brush her hair, or do anything that involves activity.
Keep Your Dog Inside: If you dont want your female dog to be pregnant, Id suggest leaving the doors closed every time you go out. Why?
During the heat cycle, male dogs will be hanging out in your place waiting for your female pet to go outside. So to minimize the risks of accidental mating, its only natural to avoid these male dogs.
If youre able to do all these, you dont have to worry about any problems coming your way with a German shepherd in heat.
How To Recover From Neutering Or Spaying
Whenever you do a spay or neuter procedure, you should think about proper recovery. Recovery will be similar to that of an injury, and you should avoid physical activities your dog should rest to recover properly.
You can follow some tips for your German shepherds recovery from neutering or spaying. If you want to help your dog in his recovery, you can strictly follow the following tips:
If you follow these tips, you will be sure that your German shepherd will recover correctly and without complications. As you can see, this is a very sensitive issue that must be dealt with by experts to prevent your pet from having health problems.
If you decide to neuter or sterilize your German shepherd, you must consider all the health risks that can occur if the correct precautions such as age are not taken. But despite the problems and how difficult they can be, you will be helping your German shepherd in many ways.
With neutering or spaying, you will help your dog and improve his health and avoid overcrowding.
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When Should I Get My German Shepherd Spayed
Spaying at younger than 6 months old gives your German Shepherd the highest risk of developing at least one type of cancer. Based on cancer risk, the best spay age is between 6 months and less than 2 years of age.
When to have a female German Shepherd spayed? Based on cancer risk, the best spay age is between 6 months and less than 2 years of age. Taking into account the risk for joint disorders, female-specific diseases, and associated cancers, the best age to spay a female German Shepherd is around 1 year old.
Can You spay a German Shepherd? Neutering or spaying German Shepherd Dogs training for police or military work is optional. However, it is important that these dogs be healthy and fit to do their jobs, and neutering or spaying before 6 months of age could increase the risk of a debilitating joint disorder such as hip dysplasia or CCL.
When do German Shepherds go into heat? Pregnancy Most German Shepherds will not go through a heat cycle until they reach AT LEAST 8 months of age. Many of my shepherds dont come into heat until after 1 year of age. It is very important that you dont let your shepherd get fat. The earlier maturing, more rapidly growing shepherds are more likely to cycle earlier.
What Is Neutering Or Spaying
Neutering is the removal of the reproductive organ of an animal. This can be either partially or totally to the reproductive organ.
This is commonly done to pets, especially dogs. After all, neutering is an attempt to prevent overpopulation.
While you may think that neutering is done with males, it actually involves both sexes. It can be done to male AND female animals.
However, since this misconception is a bit prevalent, spaying was introduced.
Spaying can be considered as neutering but only done with females. Technically it refers to the removal of ovaries of animals.
While it may be a common practice nowadays, you cant help but wonder the reason behind the neutering or spaying of a German shepherd.
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