What are the risks of spaying my female dog before her first heat?

Question

German shepherd timberwolf/F/9mo/78lbs. Local vet says to wait to spay until after first menstrual cycle. What does it hinder if I do it now? Pet's info: Dog | German Shepherd | Female | unspayed | 9 months and 3 days old | 78 lbs

Sara Farmer, DVM · Accepted Answer

There is some evidence that waiting until an adult has reached skeletal maturity, which for a female dog occurs around the same time as the first heat cycle, is beneficial for bone and joint development and could decrease the risk for orthopedic disease in the future. This is relatively new research however, and if you have reasons to want to schedule the surgery now it should be fine too - many shelter animals are spayed when they are 8 weeks old prior to adoption.

What are the risks of spaying my female dog before her first heat?

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