When Should a Goldendoodle Be Spayed?

Spaying your Goldendoodle is something that you may be considering for your dog. This may be your first time owning a Goldendoodle and have a lot of questions about when you should have them spayed. This article contains answers to many common questions about spaying your Goldendoodle. When Should a Goldendoodle Be Spayed? This will all depend on how big your Goldendoodle is. Less than 45 pounds: Should be spayed between 4 to 6 months of ageOver 50lbs should wait until 5 to 15 months. There are many great benefits to having your Goldendoodle spayed, and it is very important to know all the details before making this decision. Spaying a female Goldendoodle is a common procedure performed at a veterinary clinic. But there are many things that you should understand before having this procedure done, such as how the procedure will be performed, the risk, the cost of surgery and the recovery time When Should You have your dog spayed or Neutered? The most common age to spay or neuter your Goldendoodle is around six months of age. Many different factors would influence when you should spay and neuter your dog. Large to giant breed dogs tend to mature later in life, and some people will wait until the dog is a few months older before spaying and neuter. The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) has recently changed its stance on when you should spay your Goldendoodle. They recommend different ages for different size dogs. Smaller dogs under 45 pounds: Many veterinarians will advise that you should spay your Goldendoodle before their first heat cycle, while your dog’s first heat cycle can be anywhere between 5 and 10 months. The reason that your veterinarian advises that your female dog be spayed before their first cycle is to reduce their risk of developing mammary cancer. By spaying your dog early, you will decrease your chance of mammary cancer by about 90%. Larger Dogs Over 50lbs: Some vets will advise larger dogs to wait until they are 5 to 15 months old. Waiting until after their first heat cycle, but before their second will still have a decrease in the risk of mammary cancer and will also decrease the risk of cancer, bone, ligament, and joint problems. It may also decrease the risk of urinary incontinence. All of these are common problems seen in larger breed dogs. Why should you spay your Goldendoodle? There are many great benefits to having your Goldendoodle spayed. These are some of the most common reasons. Overpopulation: By spaying your Goldendoodle, you are helping decrease the number of unwanted litters and dogs in shelters. Mammary cancer: By spaying your Goldendoodle early, you will decrease the chance of mammary cancer. You will decrease mammary cancer in your Goldendoodle by 90% if you spay your Goldendoodle before their first heat cycle. Pyometra: A Pyometra is an infection in the uterus that can be prevented by spaying your Goldendoodle. A pyometra is an infection in your Goldendoodle’s uterus. This is a very common occurrence in older intact female dogs. These dogs can get very sick and need emergency surgery from this infection. In some instances, this can even be fatal. During your Goldendoodle’s spay, the uterus will be removed, thus cannot get infected. Stop unwanted guests: By spaying your Goldendoodle, there will no longer be male dogs unexpectedly entering your yard trying to mate with your dog. A male dog can smell the pheromone released by a female dog up to a mile away. If that male is intact, they will find a way to get over and fence to mate with your female dog. Before you spay your Goldendoodle, your veterinarian should have a complete health checkup. This is to make sure that there are no underlying conditions that would cause your Goldendoodle not to have a successful surgery. What aftercare is needed after surgery After your Goldendoodle’s surgery, there are certain things that you need to do to help them quickly recover. These are: Some vet clinics will allow you to take your dog home the same day, where some want to keep your dog overnight.Keep your Goldendoodle inside for two weeks after surgery. Only allow them to go outside to potty and a very short walk when on a leash.Keep your Goldendoodle calm and quiet and not allow them to run and jump around. Make sure that your Goldendoodle cannot lick their incision. You may have to use a cone of shame.Look at the incision each day and let your vet know of any problems, smells, or discharge.Do not bath your Goldendoodle for 10 to 14 days after surgeryNotify your vet immediately if your Goldendoodle is lethargic, not eating, vomiting, or has diarrhea. If you notice any problems, make sure you let your veterinarian know right away if you do not follow all your veterinarian’s aftercare instructions, your Goldendoodle can have complications. Make sure that your Goldendoodle receives their pain medication after the procedure. This may only be needed for a day, but some dogs will need pain medication for a few days. A good way to tell if your Goldendoodle is painful is to monitor their activity. If your dog is not active, they are usually painful. Just because your dog wants to be very active, they should still be confined for 14 days post-surgery. What is the difference in Spaying and Neutering a Goldendoodle Spaying is removing the female reproductive organs, such as the ovaries and uterus. Neutering is commonly used for removing the testicles of a male dog but can also mean making your Goldendoodle gender-neutral. So, it can actually be used for both male or female. What is the difference between an ovariohysterectomy and an ovariectomy? Most veterinarians perform a produced known as an ovariohysterectomy. This is where both the uterus and ovaries of your Goldendoodle are removed. Some veterinarians will only remove the ovaries. This is a quicker procedure and is known as an ovariectomy. Both surgeries are very effective in preventing unwanted litter. Is surgery risky? No surgery is without risk. Your veterinarian will examine your Goldendoodle before surgery. Your Goldendoodle will be under general anesthesia and should be monitored monitoring equipment during the entire procedure. During surgery, a veterinary technician will monitor your Goldendoodle the whole time. Most of the time, veterinary surgeries have a whole team of people working on your Goldendoodle from pre-op to recovery to being discharged. Your vet will ask you not to feed your Goldendoodle after 10 pm the night before. This helps prevent your Goldendoodle from vomiting during surgery from the anesthesia. Make sure to follow these pre-op instructions for a successful surgery. How much Does It Cost to Spay Your Goldendoodle? The cost of spaying or neutering your Goldendoodle will all depend on where you live. Vets who are in a bigger city will charge a little more than a vet who is in the country. There are many other factors that may affect the cost. Most veterinarians recommended pre-operative bloodwork the be ran on your Goldendoodle before surgery. T his will check liver and kidney function before surgery. They will also give your Goldendoodle pre and post-op pain medications. These are all an added expense to the cost of surgery. Vets highly recommend pre-op bloodwork even in very young Goldendoodles. Your Goldendoodle could have been born with a congenital defect that could potentially cause severe to fatal results if not caught beforehand. It is not very common, but it does happen. Some dogs just develop slower and may not handle the anesthesia well. If any abnormalities are seen on the bloodwork, then the veterinarian may adjust anesthesia accordingly or even use a different kind altogether. For Goldendoodles that have a liver or kidney defect, or their lab values are not where they should be, then a different type of anesthesia should be used. Most anesthetic drugs are broken down in the liver and filtered out of the body by the kidneys. If these organs are not functioning properly, then it is best to use an anesthetic drug that is metabolized by the lungs. There are also usually added costs for overweight Goldendoodles, dogs who are currently pregnant or dogs who are undergoing a heat cycle. This is because it takes more time and is much more labor-intensive, too, especially if you are trying to save puppy lives. There are low-cost clinics that can do the procedure at a discounted rate. These non-profit organizations are usually funded by the state, and they do not have to charge as much for the procedure. Low-cost clinics may also have minimal monitoring equipment and usually will not do surgery on large breeds or overweight patients. FINAL THOUGHTS While you may just be about to get your Goldendoodle spayed or your dog may have just finished surgery, by following your veterinarians’ recommendations, your Goldendoodle will have a successful surgery. While not all surgery is without risk, the reasons to have your Goldendoodle spayed is the best for your dog. By spaying your dog, your dog will be much healthier and live a happy and long life. The exact age to have this procedure done all depends on the size of your Goldendoodle. Try to weigh the pros and cons of waiting vs. having their surgery done early. Discussed these with your vet, and they can help you decide when is the best time to spay your Goldendoodle.