Gatropexy & Spaying at 5 Months?

[jonboy0000]

Gatropexy & Spaying at 5 Months?

Hello!

I'm a new Mastiff puppy owner (Neo and Bull mix). We just finished up with her final round of shots and scheduled the spaying - and to my surprise the vet said it could be done at 5 months. We also heard that Gastropexy, to help prevent bloat, would be a good idea to have done during the Spaying Surgery. We asked the vet about this, too, and she said it'd be a great idea. So Reagan is scheduled to come in for the Spay and Pexy at 5 months old.

But after doing a bit of research online, it would appear that 5 months old seems way too young to have either of these operations performed! I'm thinking about moving them back a couple months. Does anyone know for sure if 5 months is too young? It seems like she'd still have a lot of growing to do! I'm surprised that the vet did not say anything about her being too young...

Thanks a lot in advance!

 

[Enzos Dad]

Re: Gatropexy & Spaying at 5 Months?

From What i have read and researched 5 months is to young atleast for my EM. My vet also keeps trying to push neutering him on me but i refuse every time. She trys to tell me there is no benefit to wait which i strongly disagree. I plan to change vets any way because the women doesnt seem to know jack about giant breeds From what I have gathered around 18 months is a good time to do spay/neuter but at that point i dont even see a reason to do it at all.

 

[BlackShadowCaneCorso]

Re: Gatropexy & Spaying at 5 Months?

Mastiffs take a long time to grow and mature, sometimes taking 2+ years so spaying or neutering at 5 months is too young IMHO, and isn't beneficial to the dog's health in the long run.. I would wait as long as you think you can but probably a minimum of a year to get her spayed.

 

[moose]

Re: Gatropexy & Spaying at 5 Months?

I would at least wait till two years old although I do not neuter my dogs. There is a lot of conflicting information out there about when to neuter. Most vets and shelter workers will push for you to neuter because there is a huge pet overpopulation and most of the public can not handle the responsibility of owning a intact dog.

http://www.mastiff-forum.com/showthread.php/73-Spay-Neuter-Risks-amp-Benefits here is a good thread to look at

 

[ElJayBee]

Re: Gatropexy & Spaying at 5 Months?

My vet always recommends to wait at least 18 months before spaying or neutering giant breeds because they grow and mature so much slower than smaller breeds, and it's healthier for their bones and joints to grow with the normal influence of hormones. 5 months is waay too young IMO to do a spay. it's cool that they offer the gastroplexy as well, but i would wait on it too. as far as preventing bloat, there are things you can do to help with this without surgery, such as not letting them have any physical activities and hour before or after eating and feed two smaller meals instead of one big one.

having a dog in heat is a big pain in the neck, but it's only for 2-3 weeks, twice a year, generally speaking. just make sure to keep her away from other dogs during this time and everything should be fine. if u decide to wait until 18 months to spay, hopefully you will have only had to go through 2 heats. not too bad of a trade-off if you ask me, to ensure a dog with healthier bones and joints as well as mental and physical maturity.

 

[J-Varns]

Re: Gatropexy & Spaying at 5 Months?

My vet always recommends to wait at least 18 months before spaying or neutering giant breeds because they grow and mature so much slower than smaller breeds, and it's healthier for their bones and joints to grow with the normal influence of hormones. 5 months is waay too young IMO to do a spay. it's cool that they offer the gastroplexy as well, but i would wait on it too. as far as preventing bloat, there are things you can do to help with this without surgery, such as not letting them have any physical activities and hour before or after eating and feed two smaller meals instead of one big one.

having a dog in heat is a big pain in the neck, but it's only for 2-3 weeks, twice a year, generally speaking. just make sure to keep her away from other dogs during this time and everything should be fine. if u decide to wait until 18 months to spay, hopefully you will have only had to go through 2 heats. not too bad of a trade-off if you ask me, to ensure a dog with healthier bones and joints as well as mental and physical maturity.

What exactly can happen? I got my pup spayed at 7 months thanks to the recommendation of my EX-vet but i was just curious. So far she is right on line with height and weight (she is now 9 months 26 inches at the withers and 100 pounds), but you have me extremely worried now.

 

[ElJayBee]

Re: Gatropexy & Spaying at 5 Months?

Well for larger breeds the growth plates in the long bones stay open until almost a year of age. when you spay before a year old, it causes the bones to grow longer than they should, which may lead to orthopedic problems. so instead of slightly shorter thick bones, you have slightly longer slimmer ones. also, spaying or neutering too early keeps the skeletal system from developing normally with the hormonal influence. those extra hormones help muscle development, which aids in skeletal support. and giant breeds are SLOW to completely fill out muscle-wise, up to 3 years for some. the muscle thing isn't quite as important for females as it is for males, since it's mainly subject to testosterone, but it still helps.

but chances are, your dog will probably be fine. just keep her slim and physically fit. the better the musculature, the more support for the bones. besides, she is already spayed now, so not like you can change that. try not to worry too much. i'm sure there are plenty of mastiffs out there who were spayed early that are probably fine.

 

[Little Monster]

Re: Gatropexy & Spaying at 5 Months?

It is a tough decision and I am sure your vet has your dog's best interest in mind. Waiting to spay and waiting to neuter are two very different things. Every time your bitch goes into heat, her risks of mammary cancer, uteran cancer and ovarian cancer increase dramatically (if you plan on spaying her no matter what - uteran and ovarian aren't a huge deal because all those parts are removed. The boys don't have similar concerns. They deal with prostatitis and testicular cancer and of course behavioral problems, all of which are easier to deal with than mammary cancer. This is why your vet is suggesting you spay her so young, to prevent these issues as well as unwanted pregnancies. Also, the risks associated with anesthesia and a big surgery like a spay go up with age.

However, as many others have already mentioned, there are orthopedic concerns. There is some research that says neutering or spaying early increases the risks of rupturing the cruciate ligament (ACL) because they are actually shaped different than the would be if they had finished growing before surgically altering. You can look at a dog and tell if it has been neutered or spayed too early. Long lanky legs, skinny head, no bulk. Once you know what to look for it's obvious. So if you want a big, thick, wide dog, wait to spay her. If you don't really care, spay her early. I have a male dog so the decision for me was easier. You can have x-rays taken to see if her growths plates are closed before you do the surgery to prevent some of the orthopedic problems. Spaying early also can cause urinary incontinence in dog when they turn 4-5 years old.

The discussion of whether or not to do the gastropexy should be different. You don't have to do it at the same time, but it would a lot less stressful for her in the long run - the doctor's already in there! Be sure you choose a veterinarian that knows what he/she is doing. This is a huge surgery that can have serious complications. While there are things you can do to prevent GDV (gastric dilation volvulus) or bloat, ask the people that have had dog's torse what they would have done differently. Statistics show most dogs torse during the night or when your not home, not right after a meal or exercise. Also, it used to be that feeding your dog on a raised feeder (that is a food dish that is elevated) was best to prevent issues. Now they say the opposite. Feeding your dog on a raised feeding INCREASES the risk of GDV or bloat. These things change every day. The biggest deciding factor of torsing is genetics. Ask your breeder if any of their dogs have torsed. If her mom or dad has, her risk just shot up 50-70%!! So I would DEFINITELY recommend tacking her (performing the gastropexy) at the time of her spay. I have known many people that wait until the dog is older to do the gastropexy. The risk of torsing also increased with age. I hope all this helps, please feel free to ask me anything else on the subject. I found myself in the same position asking the same questions when I purchased my Corso. I did a ton of homework and got opinions from at least 6 veterinarians before I made my decision.