It’s hard to know when to spay or neuter – or if you should at all. Here’s the best veterinary advice for your English Springer Spaniel?.
So you’ve decided to spay or neuter your English Springer Spaniel– but when?
Often called getting your dog Fixed or Done (nomenclature that bugs me, because, fixed, implies broken, which is kinda mean!), the majority of dogs have this minor procedure performed upon them at a young age. Usually on a veterinary recommendation.
I know when Indie was little, I was told: “Six months, on the dot” – which is common advice given across America and Europe. If you ask the Internet (i.e. Facebook) usually recommendations say later and say a minimum of twelve months.
But is that even right? Or is it founded in any sort of science?
With this conflicting information, how are you meant to know? Trust your vet? Do as your family has always done? Or trust the rando on the internet who appears to know it all.
None of that seems to be a good idea when the potential consequences of these procedures are rumoured to be some of the scariest diseases and ailments a dog can face… Cancer, Hip or Elbow Dysplasia, and other rotten afflictions like pyometra. All of this is the result of removing the availability of hormones…
Luckily, research has come forward which is not just size specific, but breed-specific for 35 breeds! So, here we’re going to discuss the ideal times for spaying or neutering your dog.
First, let’s do a little housekeeping…
Did you know I helped write the breed profile on Chewy’s blog for the English Springer Spaniel? I was really pleased to be asked to help with this wonderful breed! And they definitely didn’t just ask because I’m English too… promise! Go check it out!
This is the surgical castration of a male dog – usually by the removal of his testicles (sorry for making you cringe, gents!). This process means that your male dog cannot breed and that they are no longer producing hormones that are important to your dogs’ development – both emotionally and physically.
Similar to neutering, spaying is a form of surgical castration that removes the ovaries and most often the fallopian tubes along with it. This means your girl cannot breed, but it also means she is missing some critical hormones.
This process can be done in a ‘keyhole’ surgery at extra cost, though it is much better for recovery times.
Male – It’s your choice!
Female – 1 year
It’s hard because the sample size of spaniels was quite small. 212 dogs over 15 years provided this data.
It does mean that this is one of our weakest statistics within the group, but still, it’s 212 actual results. So whilst I would encourage you to examine a number of things when you look to make this decision (some of which are outlined below! and maybe in a forthcoming episode? What do you think? Let me know!) – this can still be helpful in aiding your decision.
So let’s get into the details.
English Springer Spaniel puppy. That face! What a cutie! The age of your pup is really important as a factor in their future health as you consider spay or neuter surgery. If you need more info on the process, head over to The Rebarkable Spay & Neuter Information Center!
Here’s a quick overview of what the study says the breed suffers from depending on when their surgical castration (Spay or Neuter) was performed. The aim of providing this information is about giving you all the information to make the best decision.
Disorders include – Cranial cruciate ligament tears or ruptures, Hip Dysplasia, Elbow Dysplasia
Cancers include – Lymphoma, Hemangiosarcoma, Mast Cell Tumours, Bone Cancer (Osteosarcoma),
Comes from Assisting Decision-Making on Age of Neutering for 35 Breeds of Dogs: Associated Joint Disorders, Cancers, and Urinary Incontinence (Hart et al, 2020) where 212 English Springer Spaniels were monitored over the course of 15 years to collect this data.
The interesting thing here is that this wonderful breed seem to struggle quite a lot with these conditions generally, though there are definitely some spikes I can see in there that I would (if I owned a Springer) avoid unless I had strong evidence to the contrary.
To me? This begins to imply that we need to focus on breeding. That we need to focus on a quality breeder. I know that’s a little tough if you’ve adopted (thank you!) or if you already have your dog – in which case, make the best of the situation that you can and learn going forward. If you need to find a great breeder in the future, this may help!
It’s sad, but it’s true. We just have to keep learning, right?
With the numbers looking like this, it may be in your best interest to look into alternative options… So what are they?
If you’re doing what I am doing and looking at this research and reconsidering? It’s good to know that there are other options available.
Yes! On the presumption that these issues are caused by the lack of hormones (which is almost certainly the issue!) – there are a couple of ways to keep hormones but not facilitate breeding.
This and so many
more questions are
answered for you
in Pupdates…
helping you raise
your puppy right,
right from the start.
Please Help!
This is the surgical removal of the uterus and only part of the fallopian tubes! The removal of these means that your girl is without the ability to breed – however – as she keeps her ovaries, hormones will still be produced and should mean that her risk levels are the same as an intact female – without the risk of pyometra! Though, there is a risk that the breeding instinct can remain? Which may be quite risky if a male tries to breed with her.
The tubes that run from the testes are called the vas deferens – these are what get cut or removed in this instance – rendering your dog without the ability to impregnate a female. It leaves his hormones (and likely his desire to breed as a result) but also means that your dog should have the same risk factors as an entire male.
Did you know that surgical castration is not legal in Norway? Consequently what is common in Sweden, Denmark, and Norway is chemical castration which is an injection your dog will have to have every six months that drop the levels of testosterone by approximately half. Which is proven to be effective in temporary neuter for your dog. This means you can actually test what castration might do to your dog and is often how it’s used in the UK and America – but it’s also a fantastic way of not putting your dog through surgical procedures.
2 English Springer Spaniel learning how to be friends Before and...
So you’ve decided to spay or neuter your English Springer Spaniel– but when?
Often called getting your dog Fixed or Done (nomenclature that bugs me, because, fixed, implies broken, which is kinda mean!), the majority of dogs have this minor procedure performed upon them at a young age. Usually on a veterinary recommendation.
I know when Indie was little, I was told: “Six months, on the dot” – which is common advice given across America and Europe. If you ask the Internet (i.e. Facebook) usually recommendations say later and say a minimum of twelve months.
But is that even right? Or is it founded in any sort of science?
With this conflicting information, how are you meant to know? Trust your vet? Do as your family has always done? Or trust the rando on the internet who appears to know it all.
None of that seems to be a good idea when the potential consequences of these procedures are rumoured to be some of the scariest diseases and ailments a dog can face… Cancer, Hip or Elbow Dysplasia, and other rotten afflictions like pyometra. All of this is the result of removing the availability of hormones…
Luckily, research has come forward which is not just size specific, but breed-specific for 35 breeds! So, here we’re going to discuss the ideal times for spaying or neutering your dog.
First, let’s do a little housekeeping…
Did you know I helped write the breed profile on Chewy’s blog for the English Springer Spaniel? I was really pleased to be asked to help with this wonderful breed! And they definitely didn’t just ask because I’m English too… promise! Go check it out!
What is Neutering?
This is the surgical castration of a male dog – usually by the removal of his testicles (sorry for making you cringe, gents!). This process means that your male dog cannot breed and that they are no longer producing hormones that are important to your dogs’ development – both emotionally and physically.
What is Spaying?
Similar to neutering, spaying is a form of surgical castration that removes the ovaries and most often the fallopian tubes along with it. This means your girl cannot breed, but it also means she is missing some critical hormones.
This process can be done in a ‘keyhole’ surgery at extra cost, though it is much better for recovery times.
So when is the best time for my English Springer Spaniel?
Recommended age:
Male – It’s your choice!
Female – 1 year
It’s hard because the sample size of spaniels was quite small. 212 dogs over 15 years provided this data.
It does mean that this is one of our weakest statistics within the group, but still, it’s 212 actual results. So whilst I would encourage you to examine a number of things when you look to make this decision (some of which are outlined below! and maybe in a forthcoming episode? What do you think? Let me know!) – this can still be helpful in aiding your decision.
So let’s get into the details.
English Springer Spaniel puppy. That face! What a cutie! The age of your pup is really important as a factor in their future health as you consider spay or neuter surgery. If you need more info on the process, head over to The Rebarkable Spay & Neuter Information Center!
What Are The Risks?
Here’s a quick overview of what the study says the breed suffers from depending on when their surgical castration (Spay or Neuter) was performed. The aim of providing this information is about giving you all the information to make the best decision.
Disorders include – Cranial cruciate ligament tears or ruptures, Hip Dysplasia, Elbow Dysplasia
Cancers include – Lymphoma, Hemangiosarcoma, Mast Cell Tumours, Bone Cancer (Osteosarcoma),
| Gender | Age of Surgical Castration | Disorder risk | Cancer Risk |
| Male | Under 6 months | 8% | 0% |
| Male | 6 to 11 months | 7% | 0% |
| Male | 12 to 23 months | 10% | 9% |
| Male | 2 years to 8 years | 0% | 0% |
| Male | Intact | 8% | 6% |
| Female | Under 6 months | 0% | 0% |
| Female | 6 to 11 months | 3% | 3% |
| Female | 12 to 23 months | 0% | 0% |
| Female | 2 years to 8 years | 13% | 6% |
| Female | Intact | 5% | 6% |
- 6% of intact females developed Pyometra
- Urinary incontinence was associated with an occurance of 13% in spayed females between 6-11 months which may have reached significance with a larger sample
- Mammary Cancer in intact females was diagnosed in 6% and 15% of females spayed at 2-8 years.
The interesting thing here is that this wonderful breed seem to struggle quite a lot with these conditions generally, though there are definitely some spikes I can see in there that I would (if I owned a Springer) avoid unless I had strong evidence to the contrary.
To me? This begins to imply that we need to focus on breeding. That we need to focus on a quality breeder. I know that’s a little tough if you’ve adopted (thank you!) or if you already have your dog – in which case, make the best of the situation that you can and learn going forward. If you need to find a great breeder in the future, this may help!
It’s sad, but it’s true. We just have to keep learning, right?
With the numbers looking like this, it may be in your best interest to look into alternative options… So what are they?
Are there other options?
If you’re doing what I am doing and looking at this research and reconsidering? It’s good to know that there are other options available.
Yes! On the presumption that these issues are caused by the lack of hormones (which is almost certainly the issue!) – there are a couple of ways to keep hormones but not facilitate breeding.
Just Got A Springer?
This and so many
more questions are
answered for you
in Pupdates…
helping you raise
your puppy right,
right from the start.
Please Help!
For Girls
Hysterectomy
This is the surgical removal of the uterus and only part of the fallopian tubes! The removal of these means that your girl is without the ability to breed – however – as she keeps her ovaries, hormones will still be produced and should mean that her risk levels are the same as an intact female – without the risk of pyometra! Though, there is a risk that the breeding instinct can remain? Which may be quite risky if a male tries to breed with her.
For Boys
Vasectomy
The tubes that run from the testes are called the vas deferens – these are what get cut or removed in this instance – rendering your dog without the ability to impregnate a female. It leaves his hormones (and likely his desire to breed as a result) but also means that your dog should have the same risk factors as an entire male.
Chemical Castration
Did you know that surgical castration is not legal in Norway? Consequently what is common in Sweden, Denmark, and Norway is chemical castration which is an injection your dog will have to have every six months that drop the levels of testosterone by approximately half. Which is proven to be effective in temporary neuter for your dog. This means you can actually test what castration might do to your dog and is often how it’s used in the UK and America – but it’s also a fantastic way of not putting your dog through surgical procedures.
2 English Springer Spaniel learning how to be friends Before and...