Every dog owner wants their puppy to grow up as healthy and as physically sound as possible. We want our dog to live a long, pain free life.
A key factor in accomplishing the goal of a structurally sound dog is waiting to spay or neuter until after skeletal growth is complete.
Why Wait –
The number one reason for waiting to alter your dog is to give their body the needed time to develop to full maturity. A dog’s skeletal system is not fully developed or done growing until 12-18 months of age. It is in the 12-18 month period when a dogs growth plates close. It is a dogs hormones that control growth and also stop growth.
The Benefits –
By waiting to spay or neuter, you allow your dogs bones and joints to develope properly. This results in a structurally sound dog that is built to last. You also allow your dog to grow properly into its breed intended form. Muscle developement also occurs during the 12-18 month period. When your dogs natural hormones are in place you will see your dogs cheek muscles fill in, the chest broaden and drop, the neck, shoulder and thigh muscles thicken.
The Consequences Of Early Spay/Neuter –
The first thing you will notice about a dog that has been sterilized too early is that they look too tall and lanky. For many breeds this is not the intended outcome and results in a dog that looks nothing like their Sire and Dam.
They never physically mature.They often over grow their breed standard and become too tall and too long. When this happens the rear legs of the dog become too straight, making the natural cushioning of the knee joint non-existent. This side effect eventually results in cruciate ligament tears and hip dysplasia.
To break this down to the most simple terms – When hormones are removed too early, a dogs joint and muscle development are severely altered and proper conformation suffers, leading to abnormalities and a dog that is prone to injuries.
If you would like to know more of the science and facts behind this issue, please see the weblink article below