When Should You Spay Your New Labrador Puppy?

Spaying is recommended for Labrador retriever puppies. The Labrador Retriever Guide indicates that spaying alleviates a number of health problems and prevents the birth of unwanted puppies. Most veterinarians recommend spaying before the dog's first heat.

  1. History

    • According to the Columbus Dog Connection, veterinarians during the 1940s and 1950s often worked with inadequate tools and anesthetics. Spaying was easier to perform after the animal had matured or given birth to a litter, so veterinarians recommended waiting until after the first heat. However, during the 1960s, veterinarians discovered that mammary cancer could be reduced by 96.4 percent by spaying before the first heat.

    Time Frame

    • Dogs can become pregnant as early as 5 months of age. The American Veterinary Association endorses the practice of early spaying, which is spaying the dog when it is 8 weeks to 6 months old. Most dogs are spayed at around 4 months of age.

    Benefits

    • Dogs that are spayed before their first heat recover more quickly from surgery than older dogs. Early spaying also reduces the risk of mammary cancer to less than 1 percent, according to the Labrador Retriever Guide.