How Long After Their Season Should a Dog Be Spayed?

Still on the fence about getting your dog neutered? It might help you to know that both vets and animal welfare charities recommend the procedure unless you plan on breeding your dog.

Neutering dogs is a common practice here in the UK. Just to clear up any confusion before we get started, here’s a quick (and hopefully painless) vocabulary lesson: the word ‘neutering’ refers to both the procedures to remove parts of a male and female animal’s sexual organs so they cannot create babies. The term ‘castration’ is used for male dogs and the term ‘spay’ is for female dogs.

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Spaying involves removing the ovaries and the uterus, a surgery called an ‘ovariohysterectomy’ (rolls right off the tongue, doesn’t it?). Sometimes, just the ovaries are removed in a procedure called an ‘ovariectomy’. Spaying your dog reduces unwanted or risky pregnancies in the population as well as reducing or even eliminating the risk of other serious issues such as a ‘pyometra’; when the uterus becomes infected.

But when should we be getting our female dogs spayed? Just like us, female dogs have reproductive cycles – so which stage of the cycle is best? This is a common question we get as vets. Ahead, we break down the reasons why vets suggest a specific time frame for the neutering procedure. 

The recommended time frame for spaying in the UK

It is recommended to get your dog spayed at the midway point between her seasons as there are fewer risk factors and her reproductive hormones are at their lowest level. 

My dog is in season, when can I get her spayed?

During your dog’s season is a great time to get them booked in for their spay procedure as it means we can predict when those hormones are going to drop. This drop in hormones usually happens about three months after a season. To make sure your dog is at the optimum stage in her cycle there is usually a pre-op health check to give your dog a clinical exam, which is also a good time to make sure all is well with your pup before going ahead with the operation.

The canine oestrous cycle explained

The canine reproductive cycle, or oestrous cycle, is made up of four stages: proestrus, oestrus, dioestrus and anoestrus.

• Proestrus: the start of heat, the duration varies from 3–17 days. Oestrogen rises as the body prepares for potential pregnancy. The vulva swells and spotting blood can start, but the dog is not receptive to mating.

• Oestrus: the mating stage, which lasts 5–10 days. Spotting reduces and stops and the dog becomes receptive to mating as ovulation occurs during this time. Progesterone rises to support pregnancy and oestrogen falls.

• Dioestrus: after heat, when the dog is either pregnant or in a resting phase between heats. This stage lasts between 10–140 days. Progesterone rises to a peak then falls if there is no pregnancy, back to base level.

• Anoestrus: the dormant stage from dioestrus through to the next heat cycle.

It’s easy to confuse the overall name for the cycle ‘oestrous’ with the mating stage of the cycle called ‘oestrus’, and what makes it harder is that across the pond in the US it is spelled without the ‘o’, so you may see it written as ‘estrous’ and ‘estrus’ instead.

As it can be identified by the fluctuating hormones which prepare your dogs body for pregnancy, the best time to spay is during the anoestrus stage, while those hormones are at their base level. If the spay is performed when reproductive hormones are high, the sudden drop in progesterone or oestrogen can cause stress on the body.

Common myths about spaying after a season

Myth: it is unsafe to spay after a season

Over the last five or so years new evidence has shifted the veterinary protocols somewhat in the timing of spaying in relation to the number of seasons. It was thought that spaying before the reproductive hormones started cycling meant the female dog was at lower risk of certain health conditions. This has been shown not to be the case in some breeds and sizes, where it is beneficial to have a season or even a few and delay neutering until they are older.

Myth: spaying a dog affects her personality

Dogs’ personalities change as they get older and mature, much the same as humans, with the most drastic change happening during puberty between 6–12 months old. This is the most common time to neuter pets and so the behavioural changes such as being calmer and less energetic have been thought to be due to the neutering procedure but they could just be due to normal ageing.

However, due to reduction in testosterone and oestrogen that is released from ovaries, some dogs can display reduced confidence due to cortisol changes which can be modulated by these hormones. So talk to your vet when deciding when to neuter if your dog is already of a nervous disposition. 

Myth: spaying leads to weight gain

It doesn’t have to be the case that your dog gains weight after being spayed and due to most the common age neutering occurs (when juveniles become adults) their metabolism and energy levels (both impacted by hormonal changes and fluctuations which includes reproductive hormones) are naturally changing anyway. Individual dogs need varying energy intake and exercise as they age and their activity level, just the same as us, so talk to your vet on nutritional and weight advice if you find your pup is changing size or shape.

Can you spay your dog during a season?

Yes, technically dogs can be spayed during a season however it does put your pup at higher risk of surgical complications and a slightly lengthened recovery time and so this is only to be opted for if other issues make it a priority. Your vet will be able to advise you on when the best time is for your dog.

How to prepare for a spaying procedure

Book your pup’s spay procedure well in advance as there is typically a waiting list and we need to match the timing between seasons. The best time to book is at the start of your dog’s season, then it can be booked three months in advance. Before the day of your dog’s procedure there is usually a pre-op appointment with a nurse or vet to make sure there is no mammary gland development or lactation from a false pregnancy – this would indicate the hormones are not quite at their base level yet, and the procedure should be delayed. Your vet or nurse will ask you to withhold food from late evening the night before and will tell you what time to bring your pup to the vet.

Post-op care and recovery after a spay

Your dog is usually up and back at home the same day as the neutering procedure, with pain relief administered as well as some extra to have over the next few days. You won’t be able to see much where the operation happened, only a line where the incision was on the lower abdomen. However, there are internal layers that need longer recovery time than the skin – such as the muscle layer below. It is important to keep your pup as rested as possible as they recover. They may wear a body suit or buster collar to limit trauma to the area from licking, this is vital to allow the skin to heal and limit risk of infection.

Your vet or nurse will follow up several days after the surgery to check the incision site and make sure all is well, and your pup will usually be back to normal exercise and recovered after 10 days.

Bottom line: how long after a season can a dog be spayed?

Ideally three months after a season, within the anoestrus stage of the reproductive cycle.

Frequently asked questions

Can pregnant dogs be spayed?

Yes, but this would make the pregnancy non-viable and any foetus would not survive. This can be used as a treatment to save at-risk pregnant dogs who would be at risk with a continued pregnancy or has a dangerous delivery risk.

At what age should a female be spayed?

Typically between six months and two years old, but some large breeds and those at risk of certain cancers are recommended to wait even longer.

Why do you have to wait three months after a season to spay a dog?

So they are in the anoestrus stage of their cycle, when reproductive hormones are at their lowest.

Do female dogs calm down after being spayed?

Typically dogs calm down as they age, and since the most drastic changes during the time when most dogs are spayed it can seem like the procedure causes the changes. While it may calm some dogs, the main reason for the behavioural change is age.

How much does it cost to spay a dog in the UK?

Prices can vary greatly across the UK for the cost of spaying, generally in the range of £130–500, depending on the size of dog and region of practice. So check with your practice or shop around to see the prices in your area. Please note emergency spay procedures as needed during a pyometra are at a higher cost, due to more medications and support needed due to increased risk during surgery.

References

Hart, Benjamin L., et al. “ Assisting Decision-Making on Age of Neutering for 35 Breeds of Dogs: Associated Joint Disorders, Cancers, and Urinary Incontinence.” Frontiers in Veterinary Science, vol. 7, Frontiers, July 2020, p. 548304. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.

Kerckaert, Noor. “G onadectomy as a risk factor for the development of orthopedic disorders in female dogs”. Diss. Ghent University, 2024.

Neamțu Ciubotariu, Alexandra, et al. “Mammary Gland Development in Dogs and Cats in Relation to Their Sexual Cycle.” Scientific Papers Journal Veterinary Series, vol. 66. November 2023, pp.58–63.