Pediatric Spay/Neuter
We have found two Vets that do this procedure routinely for the local Human Societies
and I have seen cats and puppies run around 1 hour after their spay and or neuter with no apparent discomfort.
The choice is yours if you wish to have your puppy have an early spay (hysterectomy) or neuter (castration)
commonly referred to as Pediatric Spay/Neuter by us, through our Veterinarian, with us assuming all risks and costs involved.
You will have to let us know prior to 4 weeks of age so we can book
enough time at our Veterinarian for the surgery.
As you know this procedure could cost you between $200.00-$500.00 so having us do it would be a huge cost savings to you.
Why we would offer Pediatric Spay/Neuter at an additional expense for us?
Because we feel after our research that our pups would be healthier and recovery quicker with less trauma.
History of Spay/Neuter Surgery
In the 1940s and 1950s, veterinarians had primitive anaesthetics, monitoring equipments, and surgical tools.
Anaesthetics 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 (heat, when females will bleed and when they will get pregnant
this can happen at 4-24 months of age) the advice of waiting until after the first estrus (heat) still 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 1960s.
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 percent, if we spay before the first estrus (heat).
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 (heat).
Determining when the first heat begins presents problems, however.
It differs among large dogs (4-14 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 (heat).
Now in the 20th century Veterinarians discovered that puppies and kittens can be done at 5-8 weeks of age with phenomenal results.
(Of course the age which a Vet is comfortable doing this procedure is contingent upon their surgical skills)
Veterinarians have found that the amount of anaesthetic on a 5-8 week old puppy is minimal and that incisions heal up easier than on an older puppy.
Breeders have found that puppies done at 5-8 weeks that abdominal muscles also knitted up better than on an older puppy keeping a healthy looking body.
Owners found that their puppies were more complacent not going through their adolescent power struggle especially found this in guardian breeds.
After a spay or neuter no matter what the age of the dog is, they will be incontinent for 3-10 days (normal after the surgery).
If the puppy is done at the Breeders home, then you the owner, will not have to cope with that.
People worry that this early procedure might stunt growth.
In fact, research shows that the dogs will actually get a little larger.
The reason for this is that the long bones tend to grow for a slightly longer period.
Since this extra growth is not caused by more rapid growth,
but instead by prolonged growth, the implication is that this might be a good thing in our breed.
It is known that when growth proceeds slowly over a longer period, the bone density (strength) increases.
The puppy will recover within the hour, requiring less anaesthesia, less surgery time and less scarring and quicker recovery time.
The puppy will not have that huge belly often seen in older dogs after a spay.
The owner does not have to be faced with any guilt about neutering or spaying their puppy
or having to work around unexpected heat cycles (bleeding) and trying to also trying to find funds for surgery.
Pediatric Spay/Neuter is endorsed by the American Veterinary Medical Association