Spay and Neuter Recommendations

One of the most common questions veterinarians hear is, "What is the best age to spay or neuter my pet?"

Cats:  

Female kittens may enter their first heat cycle as young as four months, but usually not until they are fiver or six months old.  AAHA endorse the "Fix Felines by Five" initiative.  It recommends sterilizing cats by 5 months of age.  This helps prevent unwanted litters and greatly decrease mammary cancer risks in female cats as well as spraying & marking in male cats, but still allows kittens time to grow.  Kittens sterilized at this age quickly bounce back from surgery.

Dogs:

This depends largely on your dog's projected adult size and breed related health risks.  This is why the best age to spay or neuter a dog is not the same for every breed.  The AAHA Canine Life Stage Guidelines give different timing for small and large dogs.

Small breed dogs (Under 45lbs projected adult body weight) should be neutered at 6 months of age or spayed prior to the first heat  (5-6 months).

Large breed dogs ( Over 45lbs projected adult body weight) should be neutered after growth stops, which is usually between 9 & 15 months of age. 

Many factors influence the decision on when to spay a large breed female dog. Your veterinarian can help narrow down the recommended window of 5 to 15 months depending on your dogs breed and lifestyle.

At Wandermere we consider the combined research on the topic performed by UC-Davis veterinarians.  They have produced the following chart based on their research performed on 40 breeds.