My puppy was spayed at 8 weeks. What health risks should I watch for?

Question

Gemma was spayed at 8 weeks old (breeders terms). I've read more negative things than positive regarding puppies being spayed so early on. What should I watch for? What can I do for prevention? Pet's info: Dog | Poodle | Female | spayed | 4 months and 17 days old | 30 lbs

Jenna Beyer, DVM, MBA, cVMA · Accepted Answer

I am not aware of any specific proof that juvenile spay and neuter is any worse than doing so at 6 months of age if the veterinarian administering the anesthesia and performing the surgery is comfortable with it. The biggest risk is during anesthesia as juvenile pets have difficulty regulating their temperature and blood glucose. It is very commonly done in shelter environments as a measure of population control, which is desperately needed! There is nothing you need to watch for or prevent from Gemma's juvenile spay as compared to a spay at 6 months of age. As she ages, urinary incontinence is common because of the lack of estrogen, but this should occur when she is middle aged and can happen when any dog is spayed (even if they are already several years old). Here is a good article on juvenile spay and neuter: https://www.americanhumane.org/fact-sheet/juvenile-spayneuter/

My puppy was spayed at 8 weeks. What health risks should I watch for?

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