Early Spaying & Growth in Golden Labradors

[Elle Mae]

My Golden Labrador puppy is 5 months old and just finished her puppy kindergarten class. The instructor was very concerned that we are planning to have her spayed now, and told us it would stunt her growth. Everything I have read online says the opposite. Any comments ?

[Noweia]

Spaying early prolongs growth plate closure in the bones, so the animals may grow to be bigger. They shouldn't be stunted.

[daisymumbles]

We have a black Labrador bitch who is now 5 years old. We were recommended by our vet to have her spayed at the same age as yours because her reproductive organs would be less developed, and it was much less invasive. Also it would be much less likely she would become incontinent as a result. we took the advice and I am happy to say she is perfectly well, and an extremely large dog!

[Illyria54]

It will do her no harm to be spayed early, though personally I have always let my bitches have one season first, I keep German Shepherds and like them to mature a bit before they get spayed/neutered, but that is my personal choice, why don't you phone your puppies breeder and ask for their opinion, I have known a Springer Spaniel that was spayed early and her coat was never very good, it always stayed as a puppies coat would and was always a bit fluffy, not sleek like it should be, so it would be worth asking the breeder about this aspect of things.

[lankeela]

Guide Dogs always spay their bitches before a first season, and I had a collie cross who was done at six months as I had 3 entire males dogs. She grew normally and never had a problem.

Most larger breeds don't have a first season until about 8 or 9 months at least, so why not wait until she is about seven months and get her done, if she doesn't come in season before then.

By the way there is no such thing as a 'Golden Labrador'! They are 'Yellow' Labrador Retrievers (unless she is a cross between a Golden Retriever and a Labrador).

[Snappy]

it wont stunt her growth but it will make her leggy and juvenile in appearance. i can spot an early neutered dog a mile off!
have a read of this
http://www.dogclub.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic =6466.0

[Snappy]

especially this bit

A study of 1444 Golden Retrievers performed in 1998 and 1999 also found bitches and dogs spayed and neutered at less than a year of age were significantly taller than those spayed or neutered at more than a year of age.(2) The sex hormones, by communicating with a number of
other growth-related hormones, promote the closure of the growth plates at puberty (3), so the bones of dogs or bitches neutered or spayed before puberty continue to grow. Dogs that have been spayed or neutered
well before puberty can frequently be identified by their longer limbs, lighter bone structure, narrow chests and narrow skulls. This abnormal growth frequently results in significant alterations in body proportions and particularly the lengths (and therefore weights) of certain bones relative to others.