Early age neutering?

A very good friend of mine who has taken over running our local
shelter decided to try EAN (?). She asked me what I thought of it and
since I have had no personal experience with it (my vet/boss doesn't
believe in it) I told her what I had heard from people in these groups.
Some here have said it's fine and even easier on the animals. So far
only one vet (new school) in our area will agree to perform the surgery
at such a young age. Our local spay/neuter clinic won't even do it
until the animal is 5 months old. Of the few that have been done so far
more then half have had complications, one family has spent close to
$400.00 so far trying to treat a vaginal infection and the dog still has
a greenish discharge (they live out of state and I get updates from her
mother, who is a client of ours). Others (local people) have had to
treat for urinary tract infections/problems and vaginal infections. So
needless to say she is thinking about stopping it.
My question is do you think it's the surgery being done so young or
possibly the vet doing something wrong? I don't personally know this
vet as they are new to our area. Any opinions/experiences would be
appreciated. TIA

Nadine

"Nadine" wrote in message
...
A very good friend of mine who has taken over running our local
shelter decided to try EAN (?). She asked me what I thought of it and
since I have had no personal experience with it (my vet/boss doesn't
believe in it) I told her what I had heard from people in these groups.
Some here have said it's fine and even easier on the animals.

The younger of my two cats, Rizzo, was neutered at about ten weeks. (He was
originally adopted by another family who returned him to the shelter because
their dog didn't like him!). He's very healthy (the vet's words, not my own
wishful thinking), very happy, and I can't see where it's afftected him
negatively in any way. He's very active and gets along famously with my
other cat, Jack. It certainly hasn't impacted his growth, which is
explosive. He's just about six months old now, and is getting to be quite
the big galoot.

The local animal shelter does it routinely, and having now met numerous
people who've adopted cats from there, I'd say if anything they're
uncommonly healthy.

"Nadine" wrote in message
...
A very good friend of mine who has taken over running our local
shelter decided to try EAN (?). She asked me what I thought of it and
since I have had no personal experience with it (my vet/boss doesn't
believe in it) I told her what I had heard from people in these groups.
Some here have said it's fine and even easier on the animals.

The younger of my two cats, Rizzo, was neutered at about ten weeks. (He was
originally adopted by another family who returned him to the shelter because
their dog didn't like him!). He's very healthy (the vet's words, not my own
wishful thinking), very happy, and I can't see where it's afftected him
negatively in any way. He's very active and gets along famously with my
other cat, Jack. It certainly hasn't impacted his growth, which is
explosive. He's just about six months old now, and is getting to be quite
the big galoot.

The local animal shelter does it routinely, and having now met numerous
people who've adopted cats from there, I'd say if anything they're
uncommonly healthy.

"Nadine" wrote in message
...
A very good friend of mine who has taken over running our local
shelter decided to try EAN (?). She asked me what I thought of it and
since I have had no personal experience with it (my vet/boss doesn't
believe in it) I told her what I had heard from people in these groups.
Some here have said it's fine and even easier on the animals.

Absolutely! Young kittens have less abdominal fat and muscle to cut through
which means less tissue trauma, shorter operative time and quicker healing.
The smaller blood vessels allow for precise hemostasis - with virtually no
bleeding - which also and shortens operative time.

Here's a video - you'll see what I mean:

http://www.maxshouse.com/Early_Age_Spay-1.wmv



So far
only one vet (new school) in our area will agree to perform the surgery
at such a young age. Our local spay/neuter clinic won't even do it
until the animal is 5 months old. Of the few that have been done so far
more then half have had complications, one family has spent close to
$400.00 so far trying to treat a vaginal infection and the dog still has
a greenish discharge (they live out of state and I get updates from her
mother, who is a client of ours). Others (local people) have had to
treat for urinary tract infections/problems and vaginal infections. So
needless to say she is thinking about stopping it.
My question is do you think it's the surgery being done so young or
possibly the vet doing something wrong? I don't personally know this
vet as they are new to our area. Any opinions/experiences would be
appreciated. TIA

All our kittens are neutered between 10 and 12 weeks - providing they're
healthy. Not a one complication as long as the proper precautions and
protocols are followed.

All the myths about complications from EAN have been debunked. A lot of
vets still question EAN because of they're unfamiliar with surgery and
anesthesia on pediatric animals. EAN wasn't taught in vet schools until
recently.


Phil.

Thanks to every one who responded. It would seem from your answers that
the problems may be being caused from the surgery being done improperly
and not age related. We will try again to find another vet in our area
that is willing to do EAN. The one who is performing them now is doing
it at 8/9 weeks, maybe we'll start waiting until they are at least 12
weeks old and see if that decreases the problems. I'm not sure if they
are waiting until they are 2 pounds or not, I'll have to double check
that. Thanks again.

Nadine

I had my first male cat neutered at eight months. But I suspected that he
had started to 'spray' mark territory shortly before he was neutered, so I
had my second male cat neutered at six months. The Vet said that he does not
like to do it before six months because of the dangers of the aenesthetic
when administered at an earlier age. So unless I hear or read that issue
directly, clearly, and convincingly addressed, I will continue to go by the
six month rule in the future. After all, why subject a tiny kitten to
surgery and aenesthetic any sooner than necessary?

-cr

After all, why subject a tiny kitten to
surgery and aenesthetic any sooner than necessary?

-cr

to guarantee compliance with placed and adopted animals, whether from a shelter
or private home.

Lot's of good intentions, but people just don't follow through 100%. Early S/N
guarantees that there will be no reproduction for the animal.

The shelter I work with has been doing it for over a decade and it's a truly
great program.


Janet Boss
Best Friends Dog Obedience
"Nice Manners for the Family Pet"
Voted "Best of Baltimore 2001" - Baltimore Magazine
www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com

After all, why subject a tiny kitten to
surgery and aenesthetic any sooner than necessary?

-cr

to guarantee compliance with placed and adopted animals, whether from a shelter
or private home.

Lot's of good intentions, but people just don't follow through 100%. Early S/N
guarantees that there will be no reproduction for the animal.

The shelter I work with has been doing it for over a decade and it's a truly
great program.


Janet Boss
Best Friends Dog Obedience
"Nice Manners for the Family Pet"
Voted "Best of Baltimore 2001" - Baltimore Magazine
www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com

On 31 Aug 2003 12:51:49 -0700, (Calvin Rice) wrote:

I had my first male cat neutered at eight months. But I suspected that he
had started to 'spray' mark territory shortly before he was neutered, so I
had my second male cat neutered at six months. The Vet said that he does not
like to do it before six months because of the dangers of the aenesthetic
when administered at an earlier age. So unless I hear or read that issue
directly, clearly, and convincingly addressed, I will continue to go by the
six month rule in the future. After all, why subject a tiny kitten to
surgery and aenesthetic any sooner than necessary?

This post is going to get me flamed. I don't really care. I have eight
Cats. Two Maine Coons, two Siamese and four shelter adopted cats. The
Maine coon is a slow growing cat. Most Maine Coon breeders don't
recommend neutering a male until the age of NINE months. Male cats of
any type are normally not neutered until six months.

A few Maine Coon breeders have capitulated to the early neuter crowd.
They are afraid of back yard breeders. This argument has some merit ,
but I don't think you should do something that has NO proven benefit
and could be detrimental.

I have seen the results of early neutering in male Maine coons. Some
appear to attain normal growth. Others are clearly smaller and less
developed because of early neuter. In the case of mixed breeds , it is
impossible to tell if the procedure has detrimental effects at this
time.

The SPCA has taken the stance that all their cats are going to be
fixed at six weeks old. They seem to have enough donations to get away
with it. Other shelters are taking the same stance. I think it is
going to blow up in their faces. Most people who have purebred cats
also have shelter adopted cats. I am not a breeder , but most breeders
have disposable income. Many breeders will no longer donate to
shelters because of this issue. There are attorneys and other
professionals who will no longer do pro bono work for shelters over
this issue. Vets seem to be divided over this issue.

The reason I am anti-declaw is because there is incontrovertible
evidence that it is not beneficial to cats. There are intelligent
people on both sides of the early neuter issue. I think it will take
another twenty years before we know the true consequences of early
spay/ neuter. The only real argument of merit at this time is to
prevent irresponsible people from having " Just One Litter "

Many people have paid in advance for neutering , but supposedly never
bothered to get the cat neutered. They could have gotten it done at
there own Vet. Maybe they moved out of town and got it done at some
Vet unrelated to the shelter. I have never even been able to pin down
shelter workers on this issue. Unless somebody wants the final papers
on a purebred cat , I would think a lot of them just don't bother
sending " proof " to the shelter if the neuter was done by a Vet who
is not connected to the shelter.

Thanks to the shelter's hard line stance on this issue , I won't be
adopting any more shelter cats. Reputable breeders won't sell a cat
to just anybody. I don't understand why my references are not good
enough to convince these shelter operators that I will get the cat
spay/ neutered , but I don't want a cat that has been fixed at six
weeks old.

Thanks to early spay / neutering , there is often no way of knowing
when an adult cat was fixed. I think that the early spay / neuter
crowd has gone off the deep end and is hurting the chances of mixed
breed cats getting adopted.





-cr

From: Misty9999

The SPCA has taken the stance that all their cats are going to be
fixed at six weeks old.

What "SPCA"? There is no country-wide umbrella organization by this
name/acronym. The ASPCA in NYC is an independent shelter, as are the many
"SPCA's" in various parts of the country. Each has their own stance.

They seem to have enough donations to get away
with it. Other shelters are taking the same stance. I think it is
going to blow up in their faces.

Bunk. Once again, donations are to INDIVIDUAL SHELTERS - there is no global
"SPCA".

Most people who have purebred cats
also have shelter adopted cats. I am not a breeder , but most breeders
have disposable income. Many breeders will no longer donate to
shelters because of this issue.

Very hard to believe.

There are attorneys and other
professionals who will no longer do pro bono work for shelters over
this issue.

Once again, pure bizarre speculation.

Vets seem to be divided over this issue.

This is true.

I think it will take
another twenty years before we know the true consequences of early
spay/ neuter.

The shelter I work with has been doing it for about 12 years. True
consequences? How about a reduction in the number of cats reproducing. I'll
take that anyday!

The only real argument of merit at this time is to
prevent irresponsible people from having " Just One Litter "

And accidental litters, and surrendering their male cat for spraying, and
keeping the cats healthy and emotionally stable.

Thanks to the shelter's hard line stance on this issue , I won't be
adopting any more shelter cats. Reputable breeders won't sell a cat
to just anybody. I don't understand why my references are not good
enough to convince these shelter operators that I will get the cat
spay/ neutered , but I don't want a cat that has been fixed at six
weeks old.

Because the best intentions don't guarantee compliance. Your "references" are
that you don't know much about shelter organization for one! Too bad your fear
of consequences of early s/n could mean death for the cat you "would" have
adopted. That's a better choice?




Thanks to early spay / neutering , there is often no way of knowing
when an adult cat was fixed. I think that the early spay / neuter
crowd has gone off the deep end and is hurting the chances of mixed
breed cats getting adopted.





-cr










Janet Boss
Best Friends Dog Obedience
"Nice Manners for the Family Pet"
Voted "Best of Baltimore 2001" - Baltimore Magazine
www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com