Spay / Neuter Decision
The decision to spay or neuter is a both a situational and medical decision owners must take at various points in a dog’s life.
The best timing for spay / neuter is a matter of some contention. I try to give puppies a year (first season), ideally 2 years before I consider spaying or neutering.
If a female is not going to be bred, I will spay. If a female is done breeding, I will spay.
I don’t let females go beyond their 5th birthday without spaying because of the risk of pyometra, a serious and potentially life-threatening infection of the uterus that causes it to fill with bacteria and pus. Females can get pyometra at any age, but the risk are higher as they age and the secretions of the estrus cycles go unexecuted.
I typically do not neuter my males unless there is a medical reason to do so …but for other s there are clearly situational needs to neuter.
Choosing a Spay / Neuter Clinic
The costs to spay / neuter can vary widely, from as little as $200 to $1200 (or more!). It pays to consider options.
If your veterinarian offers cost-effective surgery, that is a good first option. Many vets perform the service at cost as a service to their clients and the community.
Alternatively, there are community organizations, often shelters and human societies, who provide low cost, high quality options to the public as part of their mission. Since these organizations spay / neuter all the time, they are efficient and good at it. They are where I get my dogs spayed (and occasionally neutered).