Pediatric Spay Neuter

Pediatric Spay/Neuter last updated April 29, 2019

Is your vet, rescue, breeder, shelter or pet store doing their part to help end euthanasia of healthy dogs, puppies,cats and kittens?
Ask them why not?


    History of Pediatric Spay / Neuter
    In fo for veterinarians (Video from UC Davis)
  List of vets in Ohio who practice Pediatric S/N
    Pediatric articles & endorsements
    Veterinarian testimonial on P S/N
   Misconceptions about Pediatric S/N

Info on how to report a bad breeder, still good info for states who have no laws.

Statement from the American Veterinary Medical Association (AMVA)

"Lowering the number of stray dogs and cats is a high priority for anyone who cares.  The AVMA is on record as endorsing early age spay/neuter.
As president of the AVMA, I feel it is unconscionable not to use early spay/neuter since it is safe and very very effective in achieving our goals."
    -Dr Sherbyn Ostrich, President, AVMA, 1996


Dr Leo Lieberman, while president of the Connecticut Vet Medical Assn, started doing pediatric spay/nueter in 1970.
Research shows that other vets had been performing early spay/neuter for at least 20 years before him. Source: AHA

Article from Society for Theriogeneology, they say wait to do s/n.

History of Spay/Neuter Surgery

In the 1940 & and 1950's veterinarians had primitive anesthetics, monitoring equipment, and  surgical tools. Anesthetics were not terribly safe, especially for young animals; sophisticated surgical instruments that are now  used to find a tiny uterus did not exist. Veterinarians were   mainly men, working with horses and cattle ; heavy, physical work. They had big hands, and had to find that uterus with their fingers. Since a uterus is bigger and much easier to find after an estrus or after having a litter, the advice of waiting until after the first  estrus or after a litter began and persists decades later.   Often the practitioner selected the spay/neuter age of the animals based on his convenience and what was appropriate to his skill and  equipment. Now jump forward to the 1960's; It is discovered that the incidence of mammary  cancer (which is four times higher in intact bitches than in human  women) can be reduced by over 96.4%, if we spay before the first  estrus. So the veterinary profession begins teaching this, and now with better equipment, better drugs, and safer methodologies, veterinarians began to spay before the first estrus.   Determining when the first estrus begins presents problems,   however. It differs among large dogs (12-14 months), small  dogs (around 6 months), and cats (as early as 4-5 months). Since it's too confusing to tell owners different ages for different size dogs (and how do you guess on the mixed breeds) six months  becomes the standard, with the goal being to neuter the majority of  dogs before their first estrus. Although this practice is not based on objective scientific data (and is too late for many cats), for decades this is what veterinarians are taught. As for cats, they received little  attention and respect until the 1980s. Veterinarians were  trained, for the most part, to treat them like little dogs and the   6-month standard was applied, with no thought to the fact that many  cats became pregnant at 4 and 5 months of age. The 6-month  standard simply evolved. It was not based in research or  particular scientific reason.
At this time, pediatric spay/neuter is the best way to stem the  staggering pet overpopulation and allows us to combat the single  largest cause of death in companion animals: homelessness due to   overpopulation. Regardless of the industry, with the continual and sometimes rapid technological improvements and trends, some will be on the leading edge, some in the middle, and others left  behind. This is no different for the animal  industry. In over 100 years of adopting animals in the United  States, the overpopulation problem continues to increase. It is not   possible to adopt our way out of the overpopulation crisis. A neuter before adoption policy is a solution that is practical,  possible, and healthy.
by  Marci Hess

Need more information?

Resources for Vets

If you don't see a vet listed in your area, contact your local Veterinary Medical Assn and ask them to give you a list of vets in the area association who practice Pediatric Spay / Neuter.   www.OhioVMA.org

Not sure who which Vet Assn is closest to you?
Contact the Ohio Veterinary Medical Association
614-486-7253
[email protected]

Pediatric S/N video by Humane Alliance

Vets can order "Early Age Neutering: A Practical Guide for Veterinarians by AVAR & UC Davis. The video demonstrates pediatric surgeries on kittens/puppies and talks about the safety and ease of the procedure. Also demonstrates that recovery is rapid, (within an hour returning to normal activity). Lists other references that can further guide vets who are considering making the transition to pediatric sterilization.   $15.00 plus $5.00 for S&H. Send check to AVAR, PO Box 208, Davis, CA 95617-0208. Or call UC Davis at 530-752-1324 or visit their web site at www.calf.vetmed.ucdavis.edu

Rescues, Shelters, Reputable Breeders, and Pet Stores

If you are a rescue, shelter or humane society, join us and many other humane organizations that are helping to stop the problem at the source. Sterilizing the adult dogs & cats is good...but it won't solve our problem. Statistics report that less than half the coupons given for low cost spay/neuter are even used. Stop the problem before it starts, don't allow a dog/pup, cat/kitten to leave your humane organization without being sterilized....after all, if a dog/pup, cat/kitten leaves your care being able to reproduce....aren't you perpetuating the problem that you work so hard to overcome?

1. Start by spaying all the females
2. Add neutering of all adult males
3. Add neutering of all young males

Ohio Veterinary Offices who perform
pediatric spay/neuter

VCA Sawmill   Dublin 614-766-2222

Annehurst Vet Hospital    Westerville 614-882-4728

Village Gate Animal Hosp & Pet Resort Grandview                                                   614-545-4260

Northwest Animal Hospital Kenny/Henderson                                          614-451-4772

Petlovers Reynoldsburg                                               614-866-1912

Westerville East   Westerville                                                  614-890-1625

Care Pet Clinic                                                                      Columbus                                                    614-252-4353

Livingston Animal Hospital         Columbus                                                    614-231-8262

Whitehall Animal Hospital    Dr Duffus   Columbus                                                   614-235-9164

Bethel Animal Hospital                                                     Columbus                                                   614-429-1987

Animal Med Ctr Columbus/Gahanna

Town & Country                                                                           Columbus

Zanesville Animal Shelter Muskingum Co           Zanesville                                                    740-452-1077

Pet Health Plus   Delaware                                                    740-369-1922

Cold Springs Vet Clinic   Licking County                                              740-366-5449

Paw Patch     Dr Jorge Rosario Cygnet

Shawnee Animal Clinic Portsmouth                                                  740-353-5758

Fayette Vet Hospital                                                          Fayette Co                                                  740-335-6161

Scioto Trail Animal Clinic                                             Southern Ohio                                              740-353-2280

Dr Fred Altizer   Centerburg                                                  740-625-6748

Dr Susan Peters   Mt Vernon                                                   740-397-6958

Cherry Valley An Hospital Dr Burgin   Newark                                                      740-522-6056

Frederick Town Vet Clinic   Fredericktown                                               740-694-5926

Hillside Vet Clinic Mt Vernon                                                   740-392-6891

Dr Richard Ramseyer Utica                                                         740-892-2610

Dr Barry Reppart Mt Vernon                                                   740-397-7146

Dr Laurinda Morris Danville                                                      740-599-5991

Dr Greg Price Mt Vernon                                                   740-392-6396

Delaware Co Humane Society   Delaware                                                    740-369-7387

Knox County Humane Society   Knox County                                                740-392-2287

Miami Co Humane Society
provides ped s/n services for feral cats   Miami Co                                                     937-698-7322

Miami Co Animal Shelter
ped s/n for kittens only, adult cat s/n too                Miami Co                                                    937-332-6919

Pets In Stiches                                                                            Dayton                                                       937-630-3320

Dayton Animal Hospital Montgomery Co                                             937-890-4744

N Main Animal Hospital                                                  Dayton OH                                                  937-890-4744

One of A Kind Spay & Neuter Clinic                Akron OH 44313                                          330-865-6890

Bath Vet                                                                                    Bath OH                                                     330-666-0018

Animal Medical Center                                                      Niles OH                                                     330-652-0400

Dr Slenn                                                                                    Bath OH 330-665-1400

Petguards                                                                                  Cuyahoga Falls on Hardy Rd must make appt in person

Sigler Animal Hospital                                Summit Co OH 330-724-9019

Rolling Hills Vet                                    Brunswick OH 330-225-6336

Spay Neuter Clinics.net Girard OH 44420 330-545-2255

Byland Animal Hospital   Loudonville between Cleveland and Columbus         800-325-3119
419-994-5515

Barking Lot                                         Findlay, Hancock Co   419-859-2275

Diamond Vet Clinic                                Kenton OH 419-673-0426

Seven Hill Pet Clinic   Cinci Area Clermont Co   513-575-9696

Liberty Veterinary Hospital   Liberty Township   513-755-9700

All Creatures Animal Hospital   1894 Ohio Pike Amelia, OH 45102         513-797-7387

All About Petcare A Vet Hospital 3410 Tytus Av Middletown, OH 45042    513-424-1626

Evendale-Blue Ash Pet Hospital 10519 Reading Rd Cincinnati, OH 45241   513-563-0410

Staples Animal Hospital Breeders from N America go to him.
377 Commissioners Rd W
London, Ontario
N6J 1Y4 Canada                                                                        519-472-9301

Pediatric Spay/Neuter Articles

Pediatric Spay/Neuter is Endorsed By:



Pediatric Spay/Neuter Articles		Pediatric Spay/Neuter is Endorsed By:
Early Age Neutering: Perfect for Every Practice Pictures of Pediatric Spay/Neuter Pediatric Spay/Neuter Veterinary Journals *excellent referral to many vet articles regarding s/n Marci Hess, excellent pdf, a must read Early Spay/Neuter Early Sterilization Program Illinois Vet Bulletin Dog Owners Guide Early Spay/Neuter Many Years in the Making Ealy Spay/Neuter in the Cat, Winn Feline Foundation Early Sterilization in Dogs and Cats View Pictures of Pediatric Neuter Breeder Concerns Addressed (pups 1 hr after surgery) More Veterinary Journals The Effect of Prepubertal Castration on the Penile Urethra of the Cat - JAVMA Vol 160, No 2, Jan 1972, Herron Longterm coutcome of ganadectomy performed at an early age or traditional age in cats - JAVMA Vol 217, No 11, Dec 2000, Howe, Boothe, Slater, Hobson, Fossum Implications of Early Neutering in the Dog & Cat, Seminars in Vet Med & Surgery, Vol 10, No 1, Feb 95, Bloomberg & Stubbs, University of Florida Gonadectomy in immature dogs: Effects on skeletal, physical, and behavioral development - JAVMA Vol 198, No 7, April 91, Salmeria & Bloomberg		Columbus Academy of Veterinary Medicine AVMA-American Veterinary Medical Assoc HSUS, Humane Society of the US The Ohio State University FranklinCountyDogs.com Cat Fanciers Association Texas A & M College of Vet Med, Univ of Minnesota Knox County Humane Society Massachusetts Soc for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals American Humane Association Doris Day Animal League AKC AVAR (Assoc of Vets for Animal Rights) The American Animal Hospital Assn ASPCA

Vet Testimonial
I have always been a huge advocate for spaying and neutering all pets. I spend a lot of time educating my clients about the necessity of sterilization for a long and healthy life for their companion animals. Unfortunately, at least 6-10 clients/year at my hospital, have the misfortune of discovering their dog was "accidentally" bred. This usually occurs because the owner did not schedule the spay/neuter before their dog reached sexual maturity (5-9 months). This is always so frustrating to me and to the owner. I have researched prepubetal sterilization for over 2 years and have been eager to begin practicing the procedure. When Mirna Bowman, one of the directors of the Columbus Dog Connection, approached me about performing early sterilizations for their organization, I was very excited!! CDC was the perfect place to start. CDC (and myself) feel very strongly about not contributing to the over population problem that has made rescue organizations, such as CDC, necessary. What better solution than not adopting out any dogs that weren't fixed! It makes perfect sense. I have been amazed at how much easier the surgery itself really is--it literally takes half of the normal surgery time, the spay incision is half the normal length, and the dogs recover in less than half the normal time. The anesthetic protocol is extremely safe. There are only two hazards, both of which are easily avoided. 1). hypoglycemia (low blood sugar): we do not fast the young dogs for the normal 12 hours before surgery; instead, they are only fasted four hours before surgery. We feed them as soon as they are standing after surgery. 2). hypothermia ( low body temperature): the puppies have a warm towel underneath them during surgery and are immediately placed on heating pads post-operatively. I have had no complications after performing this service for the CDC for over a year. I encourage all veterinarians to try this procedure. The surgery is so much easier than an adult dog or even a six month old. I would be more than happy to discuss my anesthetic protocol or answer any other questions. My office phone number is 614-870-7008. Thank You! Beth Logan D.V.M.
An account of pediatric spay/neuter by CDC foster parent
The puppies were spayed at 9 weeks old. They came home the following day with only three stitches and their incision was approximately 1 inch long. One would never have known that they just had major surgery. They were playing, rolling, and tumbling with each other the very day that they came home. They had no decrease in appetite, nor did they sleep for hours due to the affect of anesthetic. Within three days, you could see that their incision was healing. They had no redness, no swelling. They never once showed signs of the stitches "pulling". When the stitches were removed, it took only two snips of the scissors and the stitches were out. The puppies didn't even notice this. In comparison, I had an older female spayed and she was about 5-6 years old. She had approximately twenty stitches and an incision about three inches long. When she came home the following day, she had no appetite, she was very tired. She had major redness and swelling. She needed 14 days to heal before the stitches could be removed. On top of this, she had two other incisions in her belly to remove mammary tumors because her previous guardians, didn't care enough to spay her at an early age.
Commentary by a Vet in Atlanta GA, over 50,000 s/n done
The reasons for spaying and neutering are compelling. Overpopulation and the resulting mass euthanasia and neglect. It avoids heat cycles, unwelcome visitors fighting on the lawn, accidental pregnancies, unwanted puppies and kittens, inconvenience and expense. Males and their owners are spared roaming and fighting, and the resulting injuries, spread of disease, and expenses. In our area, 80% of the dogs killed by cars and 80% of the cases with feline aids are unneutered males. Better-behaved pets - Neutered pets rarely spray or mark, roam and fight. 85% of bites involve unneutered dogs. Healthier pets - Neutered males don't have testicular cancer or the prostate problems common in intact dogs. Females spayed before their first heat cycle have 96.4% less breast cancer, a common cause of death. They have no risk of uterine infection, or the many complications associated with pregnancy, whelping or raising a litter. But why spay and neuter the babies? It's safer. Our mortality rate is lower. I've performed over 800 procedures with only one loss. Complications occur less often. Most compelling, in a study done by veterinary students, (completely inexperienced surgeons), their death and complication rates were lower. It's easier on the pet - anesthesia time is shorter and recovery takes only a few hours. It completely eliminates the possibility of accidental litters. We daily hear the infamous "I didn't know she'd go in heat so soon," and "she just got out for a few minutes." The list is endless. My personal favorite is "She can't be pregnant, I chained her up when she was in heat." It completely eliminates the possibility of intentional breeding by well meaning, but ignorant owners. The old "so the kids can have the experience", "just one litter," "we can make a little money," or "I found her a good home" that turns out to be a back yard puppy mill. Breeders can avoid having their names show up on poor quality stock and help control competition by backyard breeders. The bottom line is fewer unwanted pets, and fewer ill-bred animals filling up homes so that others go without. Dr Tracy Land


Endorse Pediatric Sterilization It is my understanding that you have an interest in early-age sterilization. Our organization has done extensive data collection on this subject and has recently co-produced a video with the University of California, School of Veterinary Medicine. It is entitled "Early-Age Neutering, A Practical Guide for Veterinarians." Needless to say, we and many other veterinary medical associations support and endorse early-age sterilization. Concerns about the effects, both long and short-term, of early-age sterilization surgery cited by some veterinarians as problematic have been unproven, and this is largely because they haven't read the numerous studies now available." Teri Barnato, National Director, Association of Veterinarians for Animal Rights (AVAR).		No "Cons" to Pediatric Spay/Neuter `As far as I'm concerned, there are no "cons" to early spay/neuter. The younger ones are up and playing the same day. No matter how good the s/n contract, you're still going to have people who will give you a hard time, saying they don't have time or never answer the phone or move away. Spay/neuter before adoption is the best solution." -- Diana Nolen, S.T.O.P.`
No Negative Data reported with Pediatric Spay / Neuter
"There is no up-to-date data on the problems of pediatric spay/neutering because there ARE NO PROBLEMS. I for one believe that all animals should be spayed/neutered before purchase or adoption unless they are going to a reputable breeder. NO EXCEPTIONS. - If the animal is old enough to be purchased/adopted it is old enough to be spayed/neutered. Current research has proven that all of the "old" (which is exactly what they are... old) concerns and myths regarding early spay/neutering are false. I defy anyone to provide CURRENT research from reputable individuals or groups that support any of the old myths regarding problems associated with early spay/neutering. Whether they are physical or mental in nature... The following is a list of: Controlled Studies, Personal Experiences and Personal Opinions. Most of them from experts in the field. It's a lot of reading but I'll tell you up front... they all say the same thing. There is no logical reason NOT to spay/neuter at an early age......... even as early as 6 weeks old. During my own research of this topic... the only negative information that I could find against early spay/neuter was dated at least 6 years ago or longer. Times are changing and people need to move forward. Considering the massive overpopulation of unwanted animals in this country... mandatory early spay/neuter before adoption/purchase is one of our greatest hopes for success in reducing this number. We already know that we can't count on John Q Public to do it himself... he has proven that over and over again. So the burden falls on the Breeders, the Pet Stores and the Animal Shelter/Rescue organizations. I'm sorry; it's not my fault! But if you won't do it, trust me, it won't get done... That, unfortunately, is a proven fact. " Sincerely, Amber Koeller
Misconceptions and Q & A about Pediatric Spay/Neuter
Pediatric spay/neuter is safe and effective when anesthetic and surgical guidelines are followed. The theorized concerns such as the potential for stunted growth, obesity, perivulvar dermatitis vaginitis, urinary incontinence, behavioral changes, impaired immunocompetence, and urethral obstruction in male cats for early age neutering (8 weeks) are unfounded. In fact, benefits of pediatric spay/neuter surgery include, less bleeding, less stitching, less time required for surgery, fewer drugs required, quicker recoveries, near zero complications, less fasting time, and less healing time. by Marci Hess

March 2014 Question: What about this Golden Retriever Study? Response from Dr Tracy Land Attached is the best over all resource I've come across for this & all the other studies that keep popping up. Bottom line on all this research - some isn't very good, too few subjects to be valid, not reproducible. But even if it is, look at the over all result. UGA study had over 80 thousand animals. Spayed & neutered animals live longer, stay in their homes longer. So even if we accept the studies, and there is a small increase in some uncommon cancers, the benefits still far outweigh any risk. Common things, like breast cancer and euthanasia for behavioral problems are huge. And again, if we view over population & mass killing as a disease, spay/neuter is the cure. In the 70's, we were killing over 20 million a year in our shelters, now down to around 4 - because of spay/neuter. Some areas have achieved no kill, which I previously thought impossible. And those areas have low cost & pediatric S/N, & NBA.
March 2013 Full Article http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0055937 Abstract In contrast to European countries, the overwhelming majority of dogs in the U.S. are neutered (including spaying), usually done before one year of age. Given the importance of gonadal hormones in growth and development, this cultural contrast inviteResponse from Dr Tracy Lands an analysis of the multiple organ systems that may be adversely affected by neutering. Using a single breed-specific dataset, the objective was to examine the variables of gender and age at the time of neutering versus leaving dogs gonadally intact, on all diseases occurring with sufficient frequency for statistical analyses. Given its popularity and vulnerability to various cancers and joint disorders, the Golden Retriever was chosen for this study. Veterinary hospital records of 759 client-owned, intact and neutered female and male dogs, 1–8 years old, were examined for diagnoses of hip dysplasia (HD), cranial cruciate ligament tear (CCL), lymphosarcoma (LSA), hemangiosarcoma (HSA), and mast cell tumor (MCT). Patients were classified as intact, or neutered early (<12 mo) or late (≥12 mo). Statistical analyses involved survival analyses and incidence rate comparisons. Outcomes at the 5 percent level of significance are reported. Of early-neutered males, 10 percent were diagnosed with HD, double the occurrence in intact males. There were no cases of CCL diagnosed in intact males or females, but in early-neutered males and females the occurrences were 5 percent and 8 percent, respectively. Almost 10 percent of early-neutered males were diagnosed with LSA, 3 times more than intact males. The percentage of HSA cases in late-neutered females (about 8 percent) was 4 times more than intact and early-neutered females. There were no cases of MCT in intact females, but the occurrence was nearly 6 percent in late-neutered females. The results have health implications for Golden Retriever companion and service dogs, and for oncologists using dogs as models of cancers that occur in humans. Response from Dr Tracy Land There's been a lot of discussion about this study on the list serve for the Shelter Veterinarians Association. Below I've copies what I think is the best response, coming from folks smarter than me about reviewing scientific articles. BCS = Body Condition Score, a measure of lean versus chubby, malnourished versus obese, etc "I spent some time in a discussion with veterinarians in the shelter medicine department here at the University of Florida about this particular article. Normally discussion of limitations of the data and their conclusions is included; however, limitations are not discussed in the paper. One critical limitation to the conclusions found is that although a large number of cases were viewed (>700), the actual number of cases for each disease of neutered vs. intact animals (females and males separately) is often in the single digits, with the highest number being <20. Golden Retrievers, a very popular breed, are predisposed to multiple diseases studied in this article. Any discussion of the limitation of applying these conclusions to other breeds was lacking, but should be considered. BCS was stated as not being found in every record included in this study, but statistics were calculated and found to show no significant difference between intact and neutered animals in any of the diseases studied, including hip dysplasia and cranial cruciate ligament disease. Unfortunately the authors do not discuss how many animals actually had a BCS in their record for each group - considering numbers for each disease were in the single digits and not all had BCS scores, I would call their conclusion into doubt without more information. Also of interest is that the only disease shown to have a significant difference for BOTH genders was cranial cruciate ligament disease. Perhaps if hormones were involved the gender difference truly is important to the pathophysiology of hip dysplasia (males), lymphosarcoma (males), hemangiosarcoma (females) and mast cell tumors (females). I find this information difficult to draw finite conclusions. While bias was not disclosed in this study, some of the comments lead me to believe there is some present. For example, during the discussion the authors comment that based on the data males should be neutered well beyond puberty; "However, the possibility that age-related cognitive decline could be accelerated by neutering should be noted [26]." That seems to be a comment that is relatively out-of-place. Conclusions are particularly unclear as spaying females was very simply stated as being "problematical." All in all this was a very interesting read, and while we cannot say there is NO link between these diseases and neutering, we can say there is no clear nor proven causal relationship. Personally, based on the lack of numbers of cases for comparison, lack of discussion of limitations and potential bias I would conclude very little from this study. Emily Swiniarski, DVM Shelter Medicine Intern Maddie's Shelter Medicine Program University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine


Comment from Breeder March 2011 As for spay/neuter prior to 8 weeks of age - absolutely not ! That is the worst thing you can do for the future of the dog. Please read: www.caninesports.com/SpayNeuter.html Chris Zink DVM, PhD, DACVP Response from Dr Tracy Land A top vet in the Association of Shelter Vets wrote an excellent response to this shortly after it first came out. Rebuttal from Lisa Howe, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVS, Associate Professor, Small Animal Surgery, Texas A & M

Comment from breeder, January 2009 A study on increased risk of osteosarcoma in Pediatric s/n of dogs - this study focused on rottweilers, because that breed has a sky high rate of osteo, but since doggie DNA is the same, we could conclude that the rate of increased risk, but not the actual rate of occurrence would be the same. http://cebp.aacrjournals.org/cgi/content/full/11/11/1434 Response from Dr Tracy Land This often misquoted study has absolutely nothing to do with pediatric spay/neuter, as their test group was spayed or neutered at less than one year. Pediatric spay neuter is now considered prior to four months, with the standard age moving rapidly from six months to four. So this study in no way can be applied to any pediatric discussion, only to spayed versus intact. My conclusion from this study, and other data from elsewhere is this - spayed & neutered Rotties live longer, therefore are going to show a higher incidence of most "old age" causes of death, which includes cancers of various types. Intact Rotties have shorter than their regular short life spans due to mammary cancer and sadly euthanasia due to aggression problems (thanks to poor breeding practices in my opinion, they were consistently big teddy bears before they became popular and widely bred by folks with no clue what they were/are doing). Tracy Land, DVM

Comment Quote from the Dalmatian Club of America - Study now appearing on website states For physiological and anatomical considerations that are logically and medically sound, the development of the os penis is incomplete until about 12 months of age in males. Castration prior to this age impedes the development of the os penis, and the resulting immature, small os penis size may contribute to the development of clinically relevant obstructive urinary stone disease in these animals. This subgroup analysis would be very important to conduct, if possible, from the survey results as it may support the recommendation to breeders, owners and others to delay male Dalmatian castration to one year of age. " Response from Dr Tracy Land Castration prior to this age impedes the development of the os penis, and the resulting immature, small os penis size *may* contribute to the development of clinically relevant obstructive urinary stone disease in these animals. That "may" is pretty telling. I can give you a stack of scientific studies like a phone book showing no problems. So the questions is do they have even one study to support their supposition? If they did, wouldn't they quote it instead of saying "may" - which also means "maybe not". Where is the study? And where is the logic? Doesn't intuitively make sense to me that a smaller bone would cause more of a problem? If the theory is that the bone causes the stones to block, wouldn't a smaller bone be a good thing? Actually, I don't think it's the bone that causes the blockage at all, but soft tissue swelling, though I'd have to consult a urologist to confirm that. Growth plates close at maturity, which stops the growth of the bone. Dalmatian size dog will close from ten to sixteen months in most cases. So if we neuter at 6, he's still not closed. Again - where is the logic (or study) that says six months is any better than six weeks? Seems to me another case of someone reaching to support a position that isn't backed up by the science. Tracy Land, DVM

Comment from Breeder, November 2007 We do not do pediatric S/N because of the increased risk of osteosarcoma in large breeds. Response from Dr Tracy Land This is an old one. If you actually read & understand these studies, the only remotely relevant finding is an increased risk of osteosarcoma in neutered vs unneutered Rottweilers, which are genetically predisposed to osteosarcoma anyway. The issue of age at sterilization IS NOT ADDRESSED. Overall, sterilized dogs live longer than those unsterilzied ones. True more osteosarc in sterilized Rottweilers, but overall they don't live as long due to deaths from other cancers & causes. I'm attaching an excellent article from a famous veterinarian that attempts to explain some of these specific issues, one that has done a lot of our studies proving the safety of pediatric S/N. It's a little complex, but is a great example of how studies can be misinterpreted by those lacking the scientific background to understand them, and how they can be just plain misquoted to support a position that otherwise can't really be supported. Do take the time to try to read it, and stash it away somewhere safe for future reference. It isn't as if we who support pediatric spay/neuter choose to ignore any relevant or even possibly relevant finding. Of the dozens of studies that will stand up to peer review that have been done, the ONLY negative finding is a slight increase in urinary incontinence in female puppies spayed prior to 12 weeks of age. Though the increase is slight (3%) and the finding contradicted by other studies, we acknowledge it, attempt to err on the safe side when possible, and fairly weigh the possible disadvantage against the benefit of NBA (neuter before adoption) programs - guess what, a few animals that may be incontinent, which is treatable, doesn't outweigh millions dead. You'll almost invariably find anyone who will argue that has never spent any time in a kill facility.

Comment from Dalmatian Rescuer November 2007 Dalmatians have a unique uric acid metabolism, with high levels of uric acid excretion in their urine, which can make kidney and bladder stone formation a possibility. Response from Dr Tracy Land Dals do indeed have that problem. The penis is indeed smaller in dogs castrated early - BUT - not the urethra, the difference is that the erectile tissue in the penis (around the urethra) does not develop. The thought process is logical, but basically flawed in that regard. The studies on cats are 30 years old, going way back to research on the old blocked kitty problem. I believe University of Florida repeated the study on dogs fifteen years ago

Comment, from a Weimaraner rescue person 99% of pediatric spays have incontinence Response from Dr Tracy Land Incontinence - If 99% of early spays were incontinent, we'd have stopped long ago - that's just absurd. One study showed a 3% increase in the risk of incontinence if female dogs spayed prior to 3 months, though that finding has not been the case in several other studies. The significance of a possible 3% increase in a treatable problem pales in comparison to six million dead annually due to overpopulation. I personally have done thousands of pediatric spays, and have NEVER ONCE had one of my pups come back incontinent. I do frequently treat incontinence in my outpatient clinic, and without exception, every single patient was spayed at or after six months, or not at all. Who ever is saying that just has absolutely no clue what they're talking about.

Comment, from Weimaraner Rescue We also prefer that they are developed hormonally and structurally to their best advantage. Response from Dr Tracy Land Hormones? Makes no sense. A weim spayed at six months is not "hormonally" mature either, so what's the difference? We're currently collecting mature ovaries for research into an injectable method of sterilization for dogs at Auburn. They don't want us to collect six month old ovaries, as they don't yet contain the hormones needed for their research. So there really is no valid issue there. Structurally - Dogs sterilized early will have slightly delayed closure of the growth plates, and therefore be a fraction of an inch taller than those sterilized later. Who cares? I do think this is a valid point for dogs being shown at conformation, as they will not develop quite the same extent of secondary sex characteristics - such as breadth of chest or head. But, the average pet over can't tell that difference, show dogs can't be sterilized anyway unless someone's cheating, and there is little or no difference between those spayed at six months or three. So again, logically not a valid issue there.

Comment from person who adopted rescue dog that was spayed at 8wks She has too much skin around her pee pee because the early surgery stopped her maturation of her vaginal area. This causes the skin around it to keep it covered, therefore keeping it moist. This can lead to bladder infections and staph, per my vet at XXX (Columbus Ohio Area Vetl Hospital). There is a host of other things that could come from this. I have also been told that a female should be at least six months of age before spaying. When I took her to this vet at an earlier date, the Dr that saw her said that they don't do spaying at 8 weeks. I have a lot of mixed feelings about this. I don't understand why this was done at such an early age. I would have taken her to be spayed when she was six months. Response from Dr Tracy Land I can tell you that the problem being described is usually seen in overweight dogs, and the cause is the obesity, not the age at spay. The cases I have seen have, with one exception, always been overweight. One was just primary anatomical problem. I've spayed a lot of puppies, (thousands) and never seen it as a problem in one of those. Only those spayed at six months or later, that were too chubby. Puppies spayed prior to six months usually have no significant difference in the size of the vulva than those spayed at six months. This is another classic and tragic example of a vet who hasn't done his/her homework on pediatric spay/neuter, and has no experience in the area, unjustly criticizing something they don't understand. Research, tons of it, have never mentioned this a problem finding. Tracy Land, DVM

Comment -sent to me by a breeder after we began discussing pediatric spay/neuter. Kellie, Here again, maybe for most breeds, but NOT shihtzus ! They have tiny noses, with tiny openings that don't totally open up until they are about 6 months old....so it is extremely dangerous for THIS breed especially to have pediatric s/n. I HAVE read up on it, and I have also called and talked to 22 vets, including Michigan state and Purdue! They said this is NOT necessary, good LORD girl, a 7 week old pup is not going to get bred, so it is ONLY COMMON SENSE, to wait a bit! Like I said, 4 months is adequate....that is how I feel, and its wrong and cruel to spay or neuter at 6-7 weeks old for a snub nosed dog....ANY snub nose dog. Sherry, breeder in Michigan Response from Dr Tracy Land Some special considerations have to be given to short-nosed breeds during anesthesia, regardless of their age or size. That said, it just isn't logical to say that they are at any greater risk at 7 weeks or 7 months or 7 years. I've done hundreds of short nosed puppies, of various breeds, including many Shih Tzu's over the years and never had a problem. I have a Japanese Chin breeder, and a King Charles breeder that regularly bring me their (very expensive) pups to alter before sale. Can't get much smaller and shorter nosed. No problem. Have the vets allegedly advising against pediatric spay/neuter actually done the procedures? Or are they offering an opinion based on no experience? If they are having trouble, and I'm not, you've got to wonder about the surgeon or the protocol. Properly done, there are no problems (coming from someone who has actually done hundreds). The younger the dog, the shorter the procedure time, and therefore the shorter the anesthetic time. Logically, that would render the anesthetic risk lower in the younger animals.