There is currently great controversy in the Animal Care Field regarding the "right" age to spay or neuter a pet and the "right" technique to use. As there is no right answer right now, here are links to important research that can help you decide what is right for your pet:

Click here for the National Animal Interest Alliance comprehensive article on the benefits and risks of spaying and neutering: http://www.naiaonline.org/pdfs/LongTermHealthEffectsOfSpayNeuterInDogs.pdf

Click here for information on removing the ovaries only versus removing the ovaries and uterus at a spay: http://www.intermountainvet.com/news/downloads/20004.pdf

Click here to read Dr. Nancy Kay of Speaking for Spot's perspective on Ovariectomy versus Ovariohysterectomy: http://speakingforspot.com/blog/?s=ovariectomy

And read here about Ovary-sparing hysterectomy. The heat cycles remain and there is no protective effect for preventing breast cancer, but as you can read below, there may be longevity benefits to leaving the ovaries and removing the entire uterus including the cervix. This requires a longer incision, but may be a better option. If you are interested in this procedure, please let us know in your phone call or e mail so we can schedule appropriately.

Click to watch the video:   http://www.parsemusfoundation.org/Parsemus/Ovary-sparing_spay.html

Clck here to read Dr. Margaret Root Kustritz's paper about "Determining the optimal age for gonadectomy of dogs and cats":

http://www.imom.org/spay-neuter/pdf/kustritz.pdf 

Click here for information on Dr. David Water's Old Gray Muzzle Tour, the tour that investigated the link of lifetime ovary exposure (age of spaying/not spaying) with longevity in the dog: http://www.gpmcf.org/PressReleases/20100309PRPPROGM.pdf

Click here for the article Dr. David Water's published in The Aging Cell, a highly respected journal regarding the findings on Lifetime Ovary Exposure:http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2805875/

Click here to read the comparable information about humans, in a nurse's study in Great Britain:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19384117

Click here for Dr. Christine Zink's article about behavioral aspects of spaying and neutering - this one will surprise you!: http://www.vizslacanada.ca/SNBehaviorBoneDataSnapShot.pdf

Click here for Dr. Christine Zink's article about early spay and neuter considerations for the canine athlete: http://www.alabamacaninecoalition.org/earlyspayconsiderations.pdf

Click here for the Veterinary Perspective by Alice Villalobos, "Is Early Neutering Hurting Pets?": http://www.veterinarypracticenews.com/vet-practice-news-columns/bond-beyond/is-early-neutering-hurting-pets.aspx

See more information about Dr. David Water's research: http://www.gpmcf.org/

Click here to see Dr. David Water's interview on Good Morning America about The Old Gray Muzzle Tour: http://www.gpmcf.org/ExternalPress/GMAWeekend041810.mpeg

See this article about Dr. Iris Reichler's research on spaying and neutering - the European perspective: http://www.ivis.org/proceedings/iscfr/2008/session2/2.pdf?LA=1

Click here to read the Society for Theriogenology's position:  http://therio.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=323

 Click here to read one Golden Retriever Breeder's perspective on spaying and neutering: http://www.sunbeamgoldens.com/EarlySN.html