Neutering male and female dogs
At Westway Veterinary Group we recommend that the vast majority of pet dogs are neutered. You may hear this described as spaying in females (removal of the ovaries and uterus) and castration in males (removal of the testicles). In both male and female dogs, neutering decreases the chance of a number of diseases in later life, some of which can be life-limiting. We recommend that you discuss neutering with your vet as soon as you have ownership of a new dog.
We recommend most small-breed dogs are neutered at six months of age, and for female dogs this is before the first season. Alternatively you can choose to have your bitch spayed 3 months after her season, although we recommend that this be carried out after the first season to avoid an increased risk of mammary tumours later in life. Having a litter of puppies does not benefit your bitch’s health in any way.
Owners of larger breed dogs may prefer to postpone neutering until approximately one year of age as these dogs mature a little slower. Again, we recommend that this is planned together with your vet.
There are very few instances where we would not recommend neutering of your dog and we recommend individual cases are discussed with your veterinary surgeon at a pre-neutering check appointment.
