Dear Dr. Schelling,

I’m thinking of getting a puppy. My neighbor got a puppy from a shelter that had an early spay. Is that good for puppies? Should I get one for my new puppy too?

-Christina

Dear Christina,

Many shelter dogs have neuter surgery performed at an early age to be sure the surgery is done before they are adopted by their new family. There are benefits to having the surgery performed early, and minimal risk with this type of surgery. Puppies from breeders or other private sources can also have surgery performed earlier than traditionally thought. Read this article to learn the reasons early neuters are becoming more popular and whether this is a good idea for your new puppy.

-Dr. Schelling