What Is The Best Age To Neuter Rottweilers

Updated July 28, 2022

Whether you call it neuterspaycastrate or desex, the right time to get it done in dogs is a subject of much debate. This is because it varies from breed to breed. Recently, a study was published on the best age for neutering in Rottweilers.

While the paper isn’t perfect (more on that later), it does provide the first evidence for Rottweilers on choosing a time of desexing with the fewest health problems. The study compared dogs neutered at different ages for their rates of:

All of these have been suspected to be linked with the age of neutering. Here’s what they found (only bold values are significant, my summary to follow):

HDCCLEDAt Least One
Male < 6 months0/12 (0)1/10 (10)0/12 (0)1/10 (10) †
Male 6 – 11 months2/26 (7.69)2/27 (7.41)2/27 (7.41)5/23 (21.74)* †
Male 1 year1/40 (2.5)1/45 (2.22)0/43 (0)2/37 (5.41)
Male 2 – 8 years1/47 (2.13)2/52 (3.85)0/52 (0)2/44 (4.55)
Male Intact8/308 (2.6)12/307 (3.91)6/306 (1.96)23/297 (7.74)
Female < 6 months0/24 (0)8/28 (28.57)1/28 (3.57)9/21 (42.86) †
Female 6 – 11 months1/52 (1.92)9/53 (16.98)1/54 (1.85)9/47 (19.15) †
Female 1 year0/44 (0)1/45 (2.22)2/43 (4.65)3/41 (7.32)
Female 2 – 8 years0/85 (0)3/85 (3.53)0/91 (0)2/75 (2.67)
Female Intact8/143 (5.59)11/143 (7.69)6/140 (4.29)24/147 (16.33)
Joint disorders. For ages 1 through 11 years and for each neuter period. Bold values indicate significance over the intact group. The asterisk (*) indicates when there was significance using the Wilcoxon test, but no significance using the log-rank test. The dagger () indicates significance over the intact group when the early groups (< 6 mo. and 6-11 mo.) are combined.
LSAMCTHSAOSAAt Least One
Male < 6 months0/13 (0)0/13 (0)0/13 (0)0/13 (0)0/13 (0)
Male 6 – 11 months1/28 (3.57)0/29 (0)0/28 (0)3/30 (10)4/28 (14.29)
Male 1 year0/44 (0)0/46 (0)1/45 (2.22)0/44 (0)1/42 (2.38)
Male 2 – 8 years3/53 (5.66)1/53 (1.89)0/50 (0)1/52 (1.92)4/48 (8.33)
Male Intact19/307 (6.19)3/315 (0.95)3/309 (0.97)21/300 (7)46/292 (15.75)
Female < 6 months0/31 (0)0/31 (0)0/32 (0)1/31 (3.23)1/30 (3.33)
Female 6 – 11 months1/53 (1.89)0/56 (0)0/57 (0)5/57 (8.77)6/51 (11.76)
Female 1 year2/47 (4.26)0/47 (0)1/47 (2.13)2/47 (4.26)5/47 (10.64)
Female 2 – 8 years4/87 (4.6)0/89 (0)1/88 (1.14)2/90 (2.22)7/76 (9.21)
Female Intact11/140 (7.86)2/145 (1.38)0/143 (0)3/140 (2.14)16/140 (11.43)
Cancers. For ages 1 through 11 years and for each neuter period.

UI was at rates of 4% and 6% in Rotties spayed under 6 months or 6-12 months respectively. This compares with 1% in intact females.

Summary: The Best Rottweiler Spay & Neuter Times

Joint problems were more common in Rottweilers desexed under 1 year of age. UI was also more common in females.

Recommendation: 1 year for both sexes

This is so far the only science we have for the best desexing age in Great Danes. Your vet, breeder or online group may have a different opinion based on their experience or personal beliefs. It’s perfectly reasonable to take their advice into consideration as well.

The decision may be based on other factors such as:

Problems With This Study

In the original paper, the authors appear to make some recommendations based on very limited evidence. I have published the original study data so you can see the actual numbers involved and decide for yourself.

The authors also do not mention the well-known increase in lifespan associated with desexing male and female dogs, which tends to counteract most concerns about specific cancers. The following comment in the paper is a clue that it might also have been true for this population:

Across all breeds the mean age of last entry in the record for neutered males was 5.5 years (range 3.71–6.54), for neutered females 5.7 years (range 4.21–6.97), for intact males 4.9 (range 4.15–7.11), and intact females 4.7 (range 3.41–6.32)

The study tries to also look at the rates of mammary cancer & pyometra in females, but cannot give an accurate assessment for two reasons:

  1. the mean ages listed above are far too young to pick up most cases
  2. pyometra and mammary cancer are rarely referred to university hospitals

Regardless of any concerns, the authors are to be applauded to bringing into focus one of the most common questions from dog owners. For the Rottweiler at least, they’ve made the decision a lot easier.

Related: Best Desexing Age For 35 Breeds | Desexing Choices For Dogs | Costs Of Desexing

Have something to add? Comments (if open) will appear within 24 hours.
By Andrew Spanner BVSc(Hons) MVetStud, a vet in Adelaide, Australia. Meet his team here.

2 Replies to “What Is The Best Age To Neuter Rottweilers”

  1. My female Rottweiler Bonnie is not desexed,she is 6 1/2 years old,I heard that rottweilers can get cancers if they aren’t desexed and not had a litter which she has not,so,I do have triue withher at the vet she plays up and she needs to be sedated to get anything done,so .my concern is do I really need to desex her if it’s not compulsory ,just because I’m worried I heard some story,and should I risk her being sedated to go in to the vet and then she is put under for the operation,can the sedation pills before hand and the anaesthesia be too much for her,the cost is 900 all up for blood work ,desexing 2 dew claws removed,,and then probably 100 more for the sedation pills × 2 so $1100 all up,what is your advice,she is never at risk of falling pregnant,by exposure to males

    1. Hi William. My advice is that if your vet thinks it is safe enough, then the benefits will greatly outweigh the negatives. Dogs like yours are at high-risk of pyometra and mammary cancer and you should reduce the risk substantially by neutering. The average lifespan advantage by spaying female dogs is over one year.

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