When to neuter a bitch lab puppy?

[Ninjamouse]

I don't know what to do-there's such conflicting information out there and new vets seem amendment that 6 months is the right age. Ddog will be 5 months next week so we need to decide soon! Whilst the idea of not having to cope with the first season is good I don't want to mess her up for life
When did your neuter your ddog and why?

Adamant

We had our lab spayed after her first season, purely based on advice from the vets. They told us spaying before the first season can affect growth and development.

I would be waiting until she is older and mature, which means you will have to manage her first season, and keep an eye out for - is it pyo? The infection in the uterus....I have boys, so know more about that, but I think neutering later reduces the risk of operation related incontinence.
I have Giants, and the recommendation with them is to wait 2 seasons.

As long as you do before the third season (after that you loose the health benefits) a lot of it is down to personal choice.

I think the longer you leave it, the more chance of related cancers there is, so it's finding the balance between not doing it too soon and not leaving it too long. I realise how massively unhelpful that statement is

I did our lab at 7 months. Purely because I didn't want the stress of her first season, having read some horror stories. She's almost 9 months and still bonkers.

Female dog was neutered when she was about 1 as she was a rescue

3 months after her first season would be a perfect time.

I am very uncomfortable hearing about puppies being spayed before their first season, and keep reading new research about the negative impact on overall health caused by early spaying, particularly with regard to hip and elbow dysplasia.

A season isn't hard to manage, it really isn't.

Daisy recommendations have recently changed with timing after season 3 months after the season puts them bang on timing for a phantom pregnancy.

Currently it is recommended 4 to 6 weeks after a season. At this point there is the lowest blood supply to both the uterus and also to the mammary tissue too.

Ours was done three months after her first season, in line with the modern advice that shows it's better to do it when they're mature, and to give her the benefit of the hormones. She was a year old when it was done (in August)
I was dreading her season, having never been around a dog in season before, but it was fine. I had to mop the house more often than the twice yearly amount it usually gets done and sometimes wipe her wee bum, and keep her very safe at all times incase the boys got a whiff of her :D she went off her food and was cuddly but that was about it.
However, her spaying had to be delayed for a few weeks because she was having a phantom pregnancy caused by hormones doing something they shouldn't, the vet wouldn't operate on her when she was like that. She was demented building nests, mothering her toys, not eating and producing milk!!! Thankfully the womb is now gone.

Sorry, just saw LoneCats message there, yep, that's what happened to us! She still has bigger teats than our old girls who were spayed before 6 months old. I felt guilty for putting her through a phantom pregnancy when we were trying to do the best for her, wish we'd got in before the phantom started.
Her season was normal three weeks long, ended in April, and her phantom was in July/August. Should have had her done in June! Ah well, she's fine now.

Thank you all for your advice! It seems all the younger vets round here are saying 6months so DH is convinced that's the current most up to date thinking, therefore that's what we should do. I remember a vet telling my mum that a lot of one of our dogs problems were caused by being castrated too early (weight problems, poor fur, skin problems etc) and I just feel like there's more to go wrong with a bitch (this is the first bitch I've ever had as a pet)
I'm very interested to hear about timings of phantom pregnancy etc, and I'm definitely leaning towards her having her first season and then quickly doing it before that possibly happens.

I forgot to ask-those of you that waited for the first season-when did it happen, what warning did you have, how bad was it?! Tbh it's what has always put me off having a bitch

Did ours at six months. Our vet recommended doing it prior to first season (funnily enough, she was a young vet, so might go with what Ninjamouse's DH thinks). We live in London and take her to the local park off lead, and did not want to risk any accidents. Also, I did loads of research on my own, as wanted to avoid a phantom pregnancy. She is almost 8 months now, and no change in behaviour or fur texture or problem with gaining weight.

I'm reading with interest. Currently have a 4 month old cavachon. I'm planning to wait till after the first season but totally dreading it. I have horrific memories of been in someone's house when their on heat bitch was leaping all over me and the sofa dripping blood everywhere.

Are those hygiene pant things any good? Will be castrated male dog go crazy? Can I not walk her at all?

We tried dog knickers but she didn't like them, they didn't seem very comfy, our girl didn't recieve any attention from the lads, apart from a jack Russell attacking her for no reason, on what turned out to be the day that her season started. We let her off the lead in a very very isolated place, very early in the morning a few times, but otherwise she was on the lead and she still enjoyed her walkies.
It wasn't a big deal at all, I was so nervous, but there were a couple of drips on the floor each day (disappeared with a split second swish of a babywipe) and you could put an old towel wherever she sleeps, and she'll keep herself clean anyway. It's totally fine, once it starts you'll wonder what you were worried about.