Have read about the delay of growth plate closure with early spaying. Would like the opinion of those who have seen the effects about whether it is enough of an effect to delay spaying. What have you done with your own dogs, spayed early or waited until growth was finished?
When you say spay, I take it you mean for a female dog? I have a boy and have decided not to neuter him. He's now 4.5 years old and wonderfully friendly and social to all. I decided not to neuter him for all the negative effects I've read that neutering has on health, particularly long bone cancer. There is a lot written on the topic, and here's an article from this website: http://www.thelabradorsite.com/should-i-have-my-labrador-neutered-the-latest-evidence/ I have no idea if not neutering had any effect on my dog's joint health, or whether simply careful exercise as a puppy, but thankfully his hips and elbows are fine (he was x-rayed at 4 years old). Unfortunately he has a bulging spinal disc, so who is to know if not neutering made it less worse, or had no effect whatsoever! My boy is also prone to seizures and is very allergic, so we took the decision to keep him intact so as not to introduce any other variables into his already compromised system. People often comment on how stocky he is and what a wonderful "block" head he has. I wonder whether keeping him intact meant his bones stopped growing at the correct time and also that he has more muscle mass due to more testosterone. He is certainly far more "manly" than his neutered brother and people sometimes ask if he is crossed with a Mastiff or Boerboel. If his papers are to be trusted, he is pure Labrador.
I don't think you would be able to get any useful information from individual observations Lucille because individual dogs vary so much in their final height. All we can say is that 'on average' dogs that are spayed before maturity grow taller than dogs that are not. However, you will still find plenty of early spayed dogs that are taller than late spayed dogs because of that variation. The main problems with an earlier spay is that it increased the risk of both joint problems, and of some forms of cancer. On the other hand, with a female dog, it eliminates the risk of pyometra. And if you spay very young, it eliminates the risk of mammary cancer. It is a complex issue, but if you intend to spay your dog then the evidence suggests later might be better for her health than earlier.
