Desexing And Growth

[ButerflyGirl]

Ok I have heard that desexing a male dog at a young age makes them grow bigger than if they were desexed later. I have also heard that if a dog was to be desexed around 6 months old they may grow taller and more leggy than if they were left until say around 12 to 18 months old, as it affect the hormones which are used/produced during this time.

Anyone have any experience to back this up or contradict this, particularly with Rottweiler type (large) dogs

Vanessa

[Ellie1]

Ok I have heard that desexing a male dog at a young age makes them grow bigger than if they were desexed later. I have also heard that if a dog was to be desexed around 6 months old they may grow taller and more leggy than if they were left until say around 12 to 18 months old, as it affect the hormones which are used/produced during this time.

Anyone have any experience to back this up or contradict this, particularly with Rottweiler type (large) dogs

Vanessa

I heard the opposite is true, the earlier you desex them the less they grow and I heard that when you desex males their heads stop growing, would love some info on this....

[Ellie1]

Ok I have heard that desexing a male dog at a young age makes them grow bigger than if they were desexed later. I have also heard that if a dog was to be desexed around 6 months old they may grow taller and more leggy than if they were left until say around 12 to 18 months old, as it affect the hormones which are used/produced during this time.

Anyone have any experience to back this up or contradict this, particularly with Rottweiler type (large) dogs

Vanessa

I heard the opposite is true, the earlier you desex them the less they grow and I heard that when you desex males their heads stop growing, would love some info on this....

[Owned by Shelties]

We desex our puppies around 10wks old both males and females and they all grown up to be normal size.....not sure I have heard anything about the other posts.. this is just going by our experiences.

[ButerflyGirl]

I was talking to someone about that the other week, and they thought that having less hormones running through their bodies would make them not as big and muscley, but this was just their thoughts not backed up by any sort of research or facts.

[peaceful]

If they are desexed young they tend to grow taller and leggier than if they were desexed after they have reached their full height.

This is true. I have experience with it and so have many of my breeder friends.

[casowner]

Jake was desexed the day he turned 6 months old, he is over 80 kgs and still growing. I don't think it has affected his growth negatively at all. Even though this is a really crappy picture of him, he is in proportion and I have not seen any growth issues with him apart from a elbow hygroma which he got when he was younger, it has gone completely now with compress bandages. The vet wanted to operate, but he was only 1 year old and I didn't want him opened up and risking a skin graft on his elbow while he was growing. I'm glad we didn't do it.

Jake was always going to be desexed so I didn't feel the need to wait until he matured and as it happens he is over 2 and still maturing.

Edited September 29, 2009 by casowner

[Miss BeRidgierent]

Well I think in big dogs its better to desex them after they are a year old so there bones can develop properly.

[poodlefan]

Yes, desexing can influence growth patterns.

From a related website:

There are a number of studies that suggest that those of us with canine athletes should be carefully considering our current recommendations to spay or neuter all dogs at 6 months of age or earlier. A study by Salmeri et al in 1991 (Salmeri et al JAVMA 1991;198:1193-1203) found that bitches spayed at 7 weeks were significantly taller than those spayed at 7 months, and that those spayed at at 7 months had significantly delayed closure of the growth plates than those not spayed (or presumably spayed after the growth plates had closed). The sex hormones close the growth plates, so the bones of dogs or bitches neutered or spayed before puberty continue to grow. This growth frequently results in a dog that does not have the same body proportions as he/she was genetically meant to. For example, if the femur is normal length at 8 months when a dog gets spayed or neutered, but the tibia, which normally stops growing at 12 to 14 months of age continues to grow, then an abnormal angle may develop at the stifle. In addition, with the extra growth, the lower leg below the stifle becomes heavier (because it is longer), causing increased stresses on the cranial cruciate ligament. This is confirmed by a recent study showing that spayed and neutered dogs have a higher incidence of CCL rupture (Slauterbeck JR, Pankratz K, Xu KT, Bozeman SC, Hardy DM. Canine ovariohysterectomy and orchiectomy increases the prevalence of ACL injury. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2004 Dec;(429):301-5).

In addition, a study in 2004 in JAVMA (Spain et al. JAVMA 2004;224:380-387) showed that dogs spayed or neutered before 5 1/2 months had a significantly higher incidence of hip dysplasia than dogs spayed or neutered after 5 1/2 months of age.

It's not just ancedotal.. there are studies on this for those who care to look for them on the web.

[Kirty]

There are also studies that show there is no real difference or increased health risks. Depends where you look I guess. :D

From my experience, early desexed animals tend to be 'leggier' and can often be taller that their later desexed counterparts. Males desexed early often don't get the big boofy male head either.

[rexiam]

I have always desexed mine at 6 months and it hasn't been until I came onto DOL that i have encountered these discussions

So unfortunately I can not answer your question. To me whoever the dog was / grew into, they were just themselves :D

Molly and Chuzzy have just turned 6 months old - Molly today and Chuzzy yesterday and I have booked them into get desexed next week.

The thought of leaving them too much longer and heaven forbid we have a unplanned litter would push me over the edge I will take my chances of having leggier / less boof headed dogs dogs

Hope you find the answer to your question

[puggy_puggy]

My male pug was desexed when he was about 1 and a 1/2 and he is a leggy pug. Whilst my female pug was desexed when she was 6 months and she is short and stout.

[centitout]

Had 2 bloodhound males done at 12 weeks,both grew to 72 cm but were not overly leggy and had big,boof heads,weighed in around 60 kg+.Had a pup that was leggy and skinny done at 10 mths and he stayed tall and skinny!I get mine done and ask owners to do it by 8 mths.

[kyliegirl]

it seems its very noticeable in dobes, male dobes desexed before 6 mths are alot more leggy and lanky compared to being desexed at 18 months.

heres an example using some forum members dogs from another forum.

This is Quentin, he was desexed before 6 months

and this is Red, he was desexed at 17 months

there is a noticeable difference in the builds of both dogs, even Peaches running with Quentin in the first photo shows a difference in build.

[KitKat]

Not sure...i have GSD's that are half brothers...one desexed at 6months the other desexed at near 2yrs - the one done at 6months is taller, bigger and more heavyset in build then the one desexed at the later age.

[KitKat]

How much does breeding/lines come into it all tho?

[tdierikx]

I've not really noticed much difference myself... but I've not been looking for any either...

I have noticed that desexed dogs and bitches can get broader after the op though...

T.

[Guest rhapsodical78]

it seems its very noticeable in dobes, male dobes desexed before 6 mths are alot more leggy and lanky compared to being desexed at 18 months.

heres an example using some forum members dogs from another forum.

This is Quentin, he was desexed before 6 months

and this is Red, he was desexed at 17 months

there is a noticeable difference in the builds of both dogs, even Peaches running with Quentin in the first photo shows a difference in build.

OT but does the red dobe have his ears cropped? Can that be done in au?

[Guest rhapsodical78]

Anecdotally, I've noticed that my entire male Kelpie, Onyx, has a much more masculine head than many other early desexed male Kelpies I have seen.

[kyliegirl]

OT but does the red dobe have his ears cropped? Can that be done in au?

both of those dobes are not in australia rhap and yes the red dobe is cropped