How to Know if a Puppy Is Old Enough to Neuter or Spay

Last Updated: April 27, 2019 References

Deciding when to spay or neuter your puppy is an important decision that every owner of a young puppy will have to make. Spaying or neutering too early can be bad for your dog, but spaying or neutering to late can also have negative repercussions. To figure out when to spay or neuter your dog you will need to assess your dog's age, pick a time you think is right, and then consult with your veterinarian to get his or her advice as well.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Deciding When to Spay or Neuter Your Puppy

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Wait until your puppy is several months old. There is some debate about when exactly a puppy should be fixed.^{[1]
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Research source} Some say when the puppy is two months old is a good time. Others say to wait until the puppy is four to six months old. In general, however, there is an age range when you can begin to think about getting your puppy desexed and that is usually after it has been weaned from its mother but before it reaches sexual maturity.^{[2]
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- There is some evidence that spaying and neutering can affect the growth of a dog, with an early spay or neuter increasing the dog's growth because it increases the length of time the bones grow. However, waiting until the dog's skeleton has matured would require a very late spay or neuter, which would create other health issues.^{[3]
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2
Have a female puppy spayed before its first estrus. The estrous cycle in female dogs usually starts when the dog is about six months old, lasts for three to four weeks, and occurs about every six months. Having a female dog spayed before this cycle begins can have positive benefits for the dog's lifelong health.
- Spaying a female puppy before her first reproductive cycle will reduce her risk of mammary tumors later in life.^{[4]
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Look for clues about age, if age is uncertain. Telling the difference between a two month old puppy and a four month old puppy can be difficult. If you have adopted a puppy and you are not sure exactly how old it is, you can look for clues that will give you an approximation. Begin my looking at your puppy's teeth. Assess both the number and type of teeth the puppy has, as well as the condition of its teeth.
- If your female puppy is going into heat, meaning that it is having an estrous cycle, then it is old enough to be spayed.
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Consult with your veterinarian. Every dog is different and that should be taken into consideration when you decide when to get is spayed or neutered. Discuss when your veterinarian thinks it should be done and why that time is ideal.
- One variable that may affect when your puppy gets fixed is if it has any medical problems. Dogs that have illnesses or ailments, and thus have compromised immune systems, may need to wait until they are well to get spayed or neutered. Spaying and neutering requires anesthesia and, while very common, is a surgery that should be taken seriously.^{[5]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Deciding to Spay or Neuter Your Puppy

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Consider the benefits to your puppy.^{[6]
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Research source} Spaying or neutering your dog can help the dog's health over the course of its lifetime. In addition to avoiding unintended reproduction, spaying and neutering can reduce the risk of a variety of cancers and infections.
- Spaying reduces the risk of uterine cancer, uterine infections, and reduces the tendency to fight with other animals.^{[7]
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- Neutering can reduce a male dog's chance of getting testicular tumors and prostate inflammation.
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Consider the benefits to your household. Having a pet that has an accidental pregnancy, or a pet that accidentally impregnates another animal, can complicate your and your families lives. Additionally, the positive impacts to your dog's health and personality that often go along with spaying and neutering not only affect your dog, but your family as well.
- Deciding what to do with additional, unexpected pets can be a serious issue. Finding homes for more puppies can be easily avoided with a prompt spay or neuter at a young age.
- Neutering your male dog also reduces the likelihood of it marking its territory, including your home, with its urine.^{[8]
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- In general, neutered dogs are also less aggressive due to a lack of sexual competitiveness and the chance of inappropriate "humping" will also be reduced.^{[9]
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Consider the benefits to society. While you may have reservations about getting your puppy spayed or neutered, it is in the interest of your community and your society that you do. There are thousands of homeless and neglected pets out there that need homes, and adding to the pet population with an unintended pregnancy only exacerbates that problem.^{[10]
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- There are numerous homeless pets that live on the streets or in shelters and pounds that are desperate need of a good home. If you are considering keeping your puppy's sexual organs intact, think about all the dogs out there that don't have a loving and caring home. If your dog has puppies, they will take homes that could go to dogs that are in need.

Expert Q&A

Question

Can you neuter a dog at 2 months?

Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
Veterinarian
Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.

Pippa Elliott, MRCVS

Veterinarian

Expert Answer

Many rescue shelters neuter at a very young age, often 10-12 weeks. Eight weeks is very young, with the main concern being how the youngster would cope under anesthesia.
Question

How can you tell if a puppy has been neutered?

Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
Veterinarian
Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.

Pippa Elliott, MRCVS

Veterinarian

Expert Answer

A male should have two discernible testicles in the scrotum. It's much more difficult with female dogs as the reproductive organs are internal. Feeling for scar tissue in the midline or flank can be informative, although other operations other than spay can mean a pup has a midline scar. Alternatively, wait to see if the female comes into heat or not.
Question

Should you let your dog go into heat before spaying it?

Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
Veterinarian
Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.

Pippa Elliott, MRCVS

Veterinarian

Expert Answer

A single heat can be beneficial to large breed dogs. It helps the growth plates in their bones close down, and allows the urinary tract to mature. However, spaying before the second heat is advisable, as it protects against mammary cancer in later life.