When to Spay or Neuter Your Labrador Retriever

Becoming the owner of a Labrador Retriever is a joy. The sweet, friendly breed usually gets along with everyone and is a wonderful addition to a household. When you choose to spay or neuter your Labrador Retriever, it ensures you’re offering your dog the best life possible. Read on to learn why, as well as when to spay or neuter your Labrador Retriever.

Why You Should Spay or Neuter Your Labrador Retriever

Choosing to spay or neuter your Labrador Retriever provides both health benefits to your dog and benefits to the general pet population. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals shares that 6.5 million animals enter shelters and rescues every year. Only an estimated 3.2 million of those animals are adopted into a home. And sadly, it’s also estimated around 1.5 million shelter animals are euthanized each year. The majority of these are healthy animals. By spaying or neutering your pet, you are avoiding contributing to overpopulation. ​​This will help reduce the number of animals that enter shelters every year.

Additionally, sterilizing provides important health benefits for your Labrador Retriever. Your dog may live longer, as there is a reduced risk of certain cancers. Neutering a Labrador Retriever removes the dog’s testicles. This eliminates their chance of developing testicular cancer and enlarged prostate glands. Spaying a female removes ovaries and the uterus. It reduces the risk of female Labrador Retrievers developing breast cancer.

Finally, there are some behavioral benefits to spaying and neutering. Your dog will likely roam less, as they won’t feel the urge to look for a mate. They may also mark with urine less.

There is a misnomer that neutering your dog will cause them to gain weight. Keeping them on a healthy amount of food and providing regular exercise is important for dogs regardless of if they’re sterilized, and can help keep any extra weight off.

What Is the Best Age To Spay or Neuter Your Labrador Retriever?

It used to be recommended that all dogs, including Labrador Retrievers, were neutered by six months of age. However, studies now show that a dog’s size and breed are important considerations to take before performing a spay or neuter.

For larger breeds like a Labrador Retriever, it’s suggested that you wait until they are fully developed. Labradors reach their full size at around one year of age, but they might not finish filling out until closer to two years of age. So, the best time to spay or neuter your Labrador is sometime between ages one and two. It’s also a good idea to check in with your veterinarian about the right time for your particular dog.

What Happens if You Spay or Neuter Your Labrador Retriever Too Early?

Smaller breed dogs are typically fully grown by around six months to one year of age. That’s why it’s usually okay to sterilize them before their first birthday. But for larger breeds like Labrador Retrievers, spaying and neutering before they turn one can cause a host of issues.

Sterilizing a larger breed dog too early, ie. before they are fully grown, removes testosterone and estrogen that play a role in muscle and bone growth. Removing hormones too early can affect how growth plates close. This can lead to issues such as hip dysplasia and cranial cruciate ligament tears, which cause pain and instability in the knee.

When Is It Too Late To Spay or Neuter a Labrador Retriever?

As long as your dog is in good health, there is no cut-off for when they can no longer be spayed or neutered. If your dog is older and overweight or has health conditions, there’s the risk of some complications from the surgery. A dog should always be given a complete checkup from a veterinarian before undergoing any type of surgery.

What Is the Recovery From Spay and Neuter Like?

One of the hardest parts of the surgery is making sure your dog stays calm and lowkey while they recover, which is typically a couple of weeks long. One idea is to provide lots of treat puzzles and indoor toys to keep them busy. Your dog will need to wear something, such as a cone or donut around their neck, that keeps them from licking their incision, otherwise, there’s a risk of infection. Your job is to make sure their incision is healing properly and they are not in pain. A couple of weeks without running and long walks may feel impossible, but it’s worth it for a healthy, long-living dog in the end!

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Jagodka/Shutterstock.com