From the moment my first Yorkie bounded into my life when I was a teen, they’ve been more than just pets—they’re family. I didn’t spay my first Yorkie. I went on to show him in dog shows and got a sweet female Yorkie, and became a breeder.
After about 10 years when I got married and had a few kids, I stopped breeding and showing and my breeding Yorkies got to retire and just be beloved family members. I did get all my dogs neutered and spayed although my original 2 had already been altered due to their age.
Deciding to spay or neuter them wasn’t a snap decision; I did loads of research and had many chats with vets to get the scoop on if it could help them live happier, healthier lives.
Spaying is a game-changer for female Yorkies, helping dodge serious health bullets like cancer. And for the boys? Neutering usually means less aggression and no more marking their territory inside every time you turn around (although it doesn’t always stop them from marking). It also lessens their chances of prostate issues and testicular cancer.
But it’s not just about keeping your own house in order—these surgeries help fight the bigger battle against too many pets and not enough homes.
Yes, there are some risks, like potential weight gain or joint issues, but the chance for a longer, healthier life for my fur babies made it a no-brainer.
In my opinion, there are more risks if you don’t get them fixed. Case in point: years ago, I rescued a little female chihuahua named Kilo that my neighbors abandoned when they moved away and left her. She was about 7 at the time and had never been spayed.
She ended up having multiple problems because of that with uterine tumors and because the tumors were wrapped around her intestines, they could not operate. It ultimately killed her. If the neighbors had been responsible pet owners, which they obviously were not, and had gotten her spayed at a younger age, she would never have gotten those tumors.
What Does Spaying/Neutering Mean?
Ever hear folks toss around ‘spay’ and ‘neuter’ without really knowing what they mean? Well, spaying is all about removing a female dog’s reproductive bits to keep future litters from happening and protect her health.
Neutering takes the testicles out of the equation for male dogs, which can calm them down and keep them from running off after every female in heat.
Health Benefits of Spaying Your Yorkie
Spaying is basically a shield against various cancers for female Yorkies. No ovaries or uterus means no cancer in those parts—a huge sigh of relief for any pet parent. And it helps to keep your girl from getting breast cancer and uterine infections too.
Behavioral Changes in Neutered Yorkies
Post-neutering, male Yorkies generally turn down the aggression dial and aren’t as interested in turning everything they see into a love interest. Less roaming means a safer, more content dog, which makes everyone’s life easier.
Reducing Overpopulation
Thinking of the bigger picture, spaying and neutering are key in controlling pet overpopulation. Every year, tons of dogs end up in shelters because there are just too many pets. By fixing your pet, you’re part of the solution, helping ensure more animals have happy, loving homes.
Risks and Considerations
Choosing to spay or neuter does mean weighing the risks. There’s always a small chance of surgery complications, and certain breeds might face specific health issues later on.
When to Spay or Neuter Your Dog
It’s becoming more well-known that it’s often better to wait to spay or neuter large dogs until they’re between the ages of one and two years. Larger breed dogs are prone to hip and joint issues that can be less likely to occur with a delayed spay or neuter surgery.
What about small dogs, though? Can you safely alter small dogs at a young age without posing a risk to their health long-term?
Many veterinarians practicing traditional Western medicine will often say that it’s better to alter dogs before they reach sexual maturity, so when the dogs are under about six months of age.
There are holistic veterinary professionals that prefer to perform a spay or neuter procedure after the dog has passed sexual maturity and is done growing, which is typically around two years of age.
There is a lot of conflicting information about when is the best age to spay or neuter a dog, regardless of size or breed.
Multiple factors have to be considered when deciding when to spay or neuter your dog. There are downsides to altering a dog when they are still a puppy. According to dogsbestlife.com, there is a link between urinary incontinence and female dogs that were altered prior to reaching puberty, but spaying or neutering doesn’t cause incontinence.
Some female dogs early in life, prior to maturity, have a condition known as urethral sphincter mechanism incompetence (USMI). The urethral sphincter mechanism controls the flow of urine from the bladder to prevent leaking. USMI prevents a dog from being able to squeeze the muscles around the bladder hard enough to prevent urine leakage.
However, when the dog reaches sexual maturity, the sex hormones tighten up the muscles around the bladder and the USMI issue goes away. Dogs spayed prior to sexual maturity won’t have this help from their sex hormones.
A delayed spay or neuter surgery could pose a risk of your dog developing behavior problems associated with being intact, though. The longer you wait, the more likely it is that you’ll have to deal with your dog’s strong desire to roam away from home, the increased possibility of your dog humping on you or other inappropriate items, the increased possibility of your dog resorting to territorial marking indoors, and the increased likelihood of your unaltered dog displaying dominance aggression towards you and your family members or other animals.
An altered dog can engage in all these undesirable behaviors as well; it’s just that the risk of these issues popping up is much higher in an unaltered dog.
Pre and Post-Surgery Care
Getting my Yorkies ready for surgery meant keeping them comfy and calm, both before and after the procedure. A quiet recovery space and close monitoring helped them bounce back quickly. It’s all about providing care that helps them heal without a hitch.
Alternatives and Final Thoughts
If you’re on the fence about traditional spaying or neutering due to health concerns, there are alternatives like medical sterilization that might mitigate some risks. It’s all about finding the right balance between responsible pet care and keeping pet populations down.
Ultimately, while the benefits are huge, every Yorkie is different. A chat with your vet can help you make the best choice for your fur baby’s long-term well-being.
Your Yorkie’s Health Journey
Over my almost five decades with Yorkies, making smart health choices has been very important to me. I get my dogs fixed between the ages of 2 and 3 now. But that’s just my decision. You need to look at all the pros and cons and decide for yourself if and when you will get your dog spayed or neutered.
Always weigh the pros and cons with your vet—they’re your best resource for keeping your pet thriving while also considering the bigger ethical picture.
Cathy Bendzunas
Dog Blogger, Former Pet Groomer, Pet Hotel Employee, Pet Sitter
I have had dogs all my life and have trained as a dog groomer. I also have been a kennel worker, worked in a pet hotel through PetSmart, and still am a pet sitter.
Check out my bio for more information about me.