At what age did you spay/neuter your pet? I have heard so many different opinions that I'm so confused Some say to wait until 4 months after birth; others to do it as early as 8 weeks. I spayed Lady when she was approximately 4 months old.

8 weeks seems awful young...juneau was already altered when I got him, but I think a few months of age sounds about right, but I could be wrong

A Native American saying: "We do not inherit the land, we borrow it from our children."
Human beings are the only animals of which I am thoroughly and cravenly afraid.
-- George Bernard Shaw

Barbi this is a painful issue for me. according to our vet you can do it at any age but the younger the better. my fav cat had the surgery when he was 6 years old (they said it will prolong his life it didn't) and it changed him. after that experience i'm totally against it and will never do it again not even at 4 months old cause i will always wonder what his/her nature would be with out the surgery. and i also don't feel right changing god's work. this is only my opinion and what ever is right for you guys is right for you.

Barbi...like you said it varies from vet to vet. When I looked into getting Twink and Twilight done, the vet told me I had to wait till 4 months old or at least 4 lbs. But I have heard of a vet doing it at 8 weeks too, but I feel that is way to young yet. Nova was neutered at 8 months old, thats when the vet suggested we have it done so that he wouldn't get old enough to lift his leg to pee, since I live in an apartment. The only reason I want to get Twink and Twilight done is because Twink goes into heat too often and I know that probably isn't good for her. Plus I have sometimes noticed that she feels the need to pee on things when she is in heat. Almost like she is mad at me for not letting her outside.

Maya, I have to get Mia spayed because I cannot risk a possible pregnancy with Tobi. Or, I could have Tobi neutered and then Mia wouldn't need the surgery since I have no other male dogs. I have to think about this.
I never spayed Tobi because Lady is fixed, but look what happened when Tootsie was here. Can't possibly risk any more accidental pregnancies. One of them has to have the surgery

We had Roxey spayed at 4 months, and Angus didn't get neutured until he was 10 yrs. The only reason we had him spayed is because he ended up getting an enlarged prostate. If I would have known back when we first got him some of the problems they could have I would have had him neutured right away. we were afraid it would change his actions, but the old guy never acted any different at all
I personally feel all pet should be spayed & neutured. It doesn't necessarly make them live loner per say, but it keeps them from having problems that could lead to death down the road. Just my 2 cents

Anna, nice avatar!! You're really good at creating those.

I'll probably spay Mia when she's 4 months old; I don't think I want to do it before then; that's too young. Four months old sounds like a good age.

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Originally posted by Barbi:
Anna, nice avatar!! You're really good at creating those.

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Thanks Barbi

Speaking of spaying...have you ever heard of the non invasive spaying? I know a woman who had it done to her dog and the incision was so small there were no stitches at all. So there was really not much of a recovery time like with a usual spaying.

I had Colby spayed at 6 months old. My vet says you can do it as early as 4 months and the chance of recovery is better when they are younger.

Non-invasive spaying? Can't imagine a Vet spaying "without" entering the pet's body with surgical instruments, which is my understanding of what "non-invasive" means. I've never heard of that. Has anyone else?

I am 100 % in favour of spaying and neutering ALL CATS and DOGS regardless of their gender or if they are inside or outside pets. I don't believe it changes their personality etc. My first dog was neutered at a few months of age, not sure exactly...I will ask my mom
Gus and I have had err...discussions on this very subject. He is opposed to spaying / neutering (#$$) But I told him any cats or dogs WE get will be from the SPCA and those are ALWAYS altered. I abso-freaking-lutely will not budge on this one!

A Native American saying: "We do not inherit the land, we borrow it from our children."
Human beings are the only animals of which I am thoroughly and cravenly afraid.
-- George Bernard Shaw

Barbi, the lady told me there is a small incision so I guess it's not really invasive That's just what she called it.
Now I'm going to have to search and find this somewhere!

I'm going to have to get Midnight spayed, because when Curtis gets older, I don't want puppies. How old is too old to get them spayed, ?... Midnight is 6 years old, never had to worry about it before, I only had Lucy, she was spayed when I got her.

From what I understand from my Animal Science course 6 years old is o.k. but she may not recovery as quickly as she would have if she was younger. But medicine is so great now that there could be no problems. They also a pill coming out (or maybe out now) that acts as birth control so there is no surgury.

For the info !!

Lalania, it does change their personality! my boy change from a dynamic fun loving cat to a fat couch potato. but maybe doing it early (a few month of age) before their personality is set is the way to go. i really don't know.

Barbi, why don't you just get both Tobi neutered AND Mia spayed? It's much, much better for both of them. It decreases cancers, and both females and males live longer, happier lives. You wouldn't have to go through the heat cycles wih Mia, and no more accidental pregnancies. And, most likely his personality/temperment will NOT change. I know plently of people who had their dogs neutered, and they're still the same, great dogs.

Both of mine were spayed at 6 months of age, it's what my vet recommended.

I've seen plenty of non-altered cats that are fat...perhaps an age-related issue? Heck, I'm not spayed and *I* have piled on the pounds since about 24 or so I think.

A Native American saying: "We do not inherit the land, we borrow it from our children."
Human beings are the only animals of which I am thoroughly and cravenly afraid.
-- George Bernard Shaw

My vet will do it no earlier than 4 mos.....Yvonne, Rosie was spayed at 8 years when she was rescued from the puppy mill......When we got Toby done at 4 mos, the vet said some one tried to neuter him at a much younger age and that made my vet really have a hard time neutering him...When we went and picked him up he started griping us outthinking we were the ones that butchered him up....We had just gotten him a couple days before we took him to get fixed....The people also tried to debark him....by ramming something down his throat....He makes the worst yapping sound you have ever heard....Poor Toby was so mistreated before we got him!

Oh Kathy that is horrible to think that sometime did that to Toby. Honey and Licky were both spayed when they were 6 months old. Mee Mee was done when she was a little over a year old. The people that had her before us never even took her to a vet! I personally think spaying and neutering is the BEST thing you can do for your pets.