ABOUT SPAY AND NEUTER

 

Generally, five to six months has been the conventional age for neutering, but it was arrived at using purely anecdotal information. "In addition, although many veterinarians express reluctance to perform pediatric neutering because of the lack of formal studies about the long-term effects, no studies have been performed to determine the long-term safety of performing the surgery at six to seven months of age, either.

 

"In our third-year surgery lectures, I discuss the advantages and safety of early spay/neuter," says Clare R. Gregory, DVM, DACVS, a professor in the Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences at UC-Davis. "In our experience at UC-Davis, the procedure is as safe as the procedures in older animals."

 

"Pediatric spay/neuter is safe and is less stressful on the patient than waiting until the animal is older, [when he or she also] loses the benefits of avoiding accidental pregnancy or mammary gland cancer, pyometras, false pregnancies, prostate disease and behavioral problems," says Miller.

 

"Most veterinarians who perform pediatric neutering admit that they prefer it to conventional age neutering, once they become comfortable performing it," Miller continues. "It is not microsurgery, and requires no special skills or equipment beyond good surgical technique and anesthesia. The patients are handled more easily, bleeding and fat are minimal, and the patients can go home the same day.