What Age To Spay German Shepherd

How Much Does It Cost To Neuter A German Shepherd

Depending on where the procedure is performed, the cost of neutering a German Shepherd can range anywhere between $35 $300. The cost of neutering your dog will also depend on a number of different factors. These include:

• Where you live
• The age of your dog
• The breed of your dog
• The health of your dog
• Whether your dog is obese
• The complexity of the surgery
• Whether your dog has diabetes
• Whether pain medication is included
• Where the procedure is performed
• If pre-anesthetic blood work is performed to check liver/kidney function

Generally speaking, the cost of neutering your GSD will cost more if the procedure is performed at your veterinarians office. However, you do have a number of other low-cost options available to you. You can contact your local shelter, Humane Society, or ASPCA for lower-cost options.

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The study population was 51 intact males, 72 neutered males, 87 intact females, and 76 spayed females, for a sample size of 286 cases. For males and females left intact, the occurrences of one or more joint disorders were just 4 and 1 percent, respectively, and for both sexes neutering was not associated with any increase in this measure. The occurrences of cancers in intact males were 2 percent and zero for intact females. For both sexes neutering was not associated with any increase in this measure. The occurrence of MC in females left intact was zero. The occurrence of PYO was 2 percent in intact females. There was no occurrence of UI in spayed females. Lacking a noticeable occurrence of increased joint disorders or cancers in neutered males or females, those wishing to neuter should decide on the appropriate age.

Why Neutering Is Sometimes Recommended At 6 Months And Why You Should Not Do It

Standards for neutering are usually drawn in broad terms and not done case by case.

For smaller dog breeds, it might be OK to neuter at around 6 months of age. These dogs generally develop faster and will face fewer issues if neutered early.

German Shepherds take longer to develop than smaller dogs and should therefore be neutered later.

Aside from broad diagnosis standards, people usually employ these reasons in favor of early neutering:

Early neutering:

I do believe all of these things are true but I feel that you still get these same benefits even if you hold off on your spay or neuter until 1 year of age. Says Dr. Sherle R. Thompson, head Veterinarian at the Sequoyah animal hospital, I strongly recommend that you wait until your dog is approaching 1 year of age before considering either spaying or neutering.

Here is a summary of what Dr. Thompson gives as a counter argument:

• Prostate problems are generally not an issue till a dogs senior years. This is also true of testicular tumors. Neutering early does little to nothing more in way of decreasing cancer compared to later neutering, but potentially causes a host of other issues. Is it worth the risk?
• Most German Shepherds become sexually active at around 8 to 10 months. While neutering at 6 months would prevent this, you can also prevent sexual activity by responsible ownership. Dr. Thompson recommends keeping your German Shepherds lean, but not too skinny.

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Whats The Best Age To Spay Or Neuter Your Dog

Typically, weâd like to see female pets spayed before their first heat cycle, so in the past, weâve recommended that pets get spayed and neutered around 6 months of age.

If you can prevent unwanted pregnancy, wait as long as possible before sterilization. For most of my patients, this means around 10 to 14 months of age.

But, as we advance veterinary medicine, we are realizing that this blanket approach is not always best for every pet. Here are some other factors to consider:

What Age Should You Spay Or Neuter Your German Shepherd

Studies have shown that German Shepherds have increased health risks if spayed or neutered too early.

In their latest study, they evaluated nearly 1,200 German Shepherds over a 14.5 year period. They wanted to determine if those spayed and neutered early had more or less joint disease and cancer, which cost German Shepherd pet parents on average $2,683 in 2018 according to Petplan claims data.

The results were surprising:

• Dogs spayed or neutered before 1 year of age had three times the number of joint disorders.
• Breast cancer was diagnosed in 4% of intact females, compared with less than 1% in females neutered before 1 year of age.
• Instances of other cancers were not higher in the spayed and neutered dogs than in intact dogs.
• Urinary incontinence, not diagnosed in later spayed or intact females, was observed in 7% of females neutered before 1 year of age.

The trend of several studies is becoming clearer: Early spay and neuter may increase the risk of joint disease. Other studies have shown early sterilization may also increase pet obesity and subsequent joint disease and other problems.

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Health Benefits Of Neutering:

According to the Animal Cancer Foundation, around 6 millioncompanion dogs are diagnosed with cancer each year in the United States alone.

In addition, a study published by the Journal of Comparative Pathology in 2008 revealed that 27% of unneutered dogs develop at least one testicular tumor.

Based on the research by the National Canine Cancer Foundation, testicular tumors make up 90% of canine cancers related to the male reproductive system.

Apart from preventing testicular tumors and cancer, neutering your German Shepherd would also prevent prostate problems as he ages.

Neutering is also believed to reduce the risk of diabetes as well as perianal fistulas, a medical condition thats relatively common among German Shepherds.

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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When Is It Too Late To Neuter

You might be wondering if there is a point when it is too late to neuter your dog but it turns out that there really isnt one.

Older German Shepherds can benefit from the effects of neutering just as much as younger dogs.

I know that a lot of German Shepherd owners wait until their dog is at least 2 years of age before they take them to be neutered. The reason being they want to make sure their dog is completely done growing before hand.

While this is a good sentiment, most experts agree that it is unnecessary. As long as he is at least a year he should be fine.

If you have an older German Shepherd that you are considering neutering, take him into the vet. You can run a blood test to see if your dog is healthy enough to be neutered.

Older dogs that are neutered are reported to be more docile and obedient. Although you can certainly have an obedient dog that hasnt been neutered with proper training.

Spay And Neuter Your Gsd

You really need to spay and neuter your GSD if you haven’t 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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How Can You Tell How Big A German Shepherd Will Get

Not all German Shepherds are built alike because not all of them are bred alike. While most GSDs reach their full height by the third year, you cannot sit in suspense wondering what your dogs final size will be. Fortunately, you dont have to.

You can tell how big a German Shepherd will get by first considering the parents genetic makeup and looking at the parents size. You can also refer to a GSD growth chart and check for consistent lag or lead. Additionally, paw size can be an indication of future size, although this is unreliable.

If your dog has consistently been an inch shorter than the charts standard, then you can assume he will be an inch shorter than the charts projected final size.

This also applies to the weight category as well. If your dog is a few lbs over the standard weight, he might weigh as much more by the third year. Weight fluctuates even past the complete development, though.

And that brings us to the alternative scenario: what if your dog is not consistently smaller or bigger than the projected growth chart?

If you notice that your dog is an inch smaller at one stage and half an inch smaller at the next, chances are, your dog is experiencing regular growth spurts as any other German Shepherd except that he is shorter by a set percentage.

In that case, you should refer to the percentage of full weight or height in the German Shepherd growth chart. The chart says that a GSD is at his 50% height by 4 months, for example.;

Here they are

Problems With This Study

In the original paper, the authors appear to make some recommendations based on very limited evidence. I have published the original study data so you can see the actual numbers involved and decide for yourself.

The authors also do not mention the well-known increase in lifespan associated with desexing male and female dogs, which tends to counteract most concerns about specific cancers. The following comment in the paper is a clue that it might also have been true for this population:

Across all breeds the mean age of last entry in the record for neutered males was 5.5 years , for neutered females 5.7 years , for intact males 4.9 , and intact females 4.7

The study tries to also look at the rates of mammary cancer & pyometra in females, but cannot give an accurate assessment for two reasons:

Regardless of any concerns, the authors are to be applauded to bringing into focus one of the most common questions from dog owners. For the German Shepherd at least, theyve made the decision a lot easier.

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What Might Be The Best Age To Get A German Shepherd Spayed Or Neutered Based On The Case Study Data

This is only speculation based on case study data, but it could be:

A female dog might be spayed at less than one years old if you want to decrease the risk of mammary cancer

A male dog might be neutered at older than one year old if you want to decrease the risk of Hip dysplasia

Talk to your vet about what is best for your individual dog and make the decision based on the data you provide and your vets professional opinion.

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Home » Health/Care » German Shepherd Neutering & Spaying: Info Guide

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How Long Should You Wait To Spay Or Neuter Your German Shepherd Puppy

A recent American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation sponsored research study found that holding off a little while can offer long-term health benefits to your GSD puppy. How long? Until after a puppy has gone through puberty. The study found that waiting until after a dog goes through puberty can result in a benefit orthopedic health, breed-specific cancers, and provide potential behavior benefits . Additionally, it showed that spaying and neutering early increased bone growth, resulting in a taller pet, creating concern for proper joint alignment. Considered the first study of its type, and while it did have many veterinarians surprised by the results, future research is planned to further our understanding of this very important topic.

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How Much Does It Cost To Get A German Shepherd Neutered

It can cost between £110 to £230 to spay a male German Shepherd and between £154 to £397 to spay female dogs based on the general pricing system. The price of neutering your German Shepherd is not a fixed one. The cost depends on the dogs weight, gender, and your chosen vet practice. It is more expensive to spay a female German Shepherd than to neuter a male one.

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 Spay A Femalepuppy

Conventional beliefs state that female German Shepherds should be spayed before they go into first heat, around 6 months of age.

This is because studies have shown that spaying at this time would practically eliminate the risk of breast cancer and the uterine infection called pyometra.

However, there are various other factors to consider before making the decision to spay.

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.

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.

Neutering German Shepherds Too Early Can Harm Joints

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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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The findings include:

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What Is The Best Age To Neuter A German Shepherd

I often hear discussion of neutering or spaying our dogs in general terms without understanding the procedure. There are many individuals for and against the procedure without knowing the details of the operation. This leaves many questions for new dog owners, especially the most basic when and why should I neuter my German Shepherd?

The best age to neuter a German Shepherd is sometime between 18 to 24 months of age. Smaller dog breeds can have the procedure done sooner, but for large breeds, it is important to wait until they are properly developed.

In this article, I will discuss the pros and cons of neutering, what can happen if I neuter my dog too early, how neutering impacts a German Shepherds behavior, which age is the best to have them neutered, and the general cost to neuter a male puppy.