Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2012 6:53 pm Post subject: To spay or not to spay - that is the question.
Kelly will soon be six years old. Today today I have taken her to the Vet to be vaccinated & checked over - she is perfectly healthy.
My vet asked if she had been spayed - I said no & he wanted to know why not.
I told him at one time I may have bred from her but circumstances changed & I haven't done but I decided years back that I didn't want her cut open & operated on.
He then explained about the possibility of mammary tumours in later life ( which I knew about) & said it would be better to operate on her now than in three to four years time.
He says that it is my decision if I have her spayed - personally I would sooner leave her as she is.
I wonder if any of you have any opinions on this subject? I would be interested to see what others think & it may help me decide what to do for the best for a dog who I love.
I think if she is going to get mammary tumours, she will do now, whether you have her spayed or not. I think you can only avoid them completely if you have them spayed before they ever have a season.
I've had girls I've left entire. One never had any problems all her life, the other ended up having an emergency spay at 10 years old, due to cysts on her ovaries. She recovered just as quickly as the girls I've had spayed younger and went on for another 4 years before dying of old age.
As your girl has had no problems so far and you're happy to live with an entire girl, then I'd leave her as she is. There are risks involved in the op, not only during the surgery but afterwards as well. For example, some bitches develop spay incontinence and if the bitch is the sort prone to putting on weight, then spaying them makes it even harder to keep the weight off.
It's all swings and roundabouts really.
As much as I hate myself for it, the only reason I have my girls spayed now is for my own convenience. I never do it lightly though and if I felt they would be worse off having it done, then I'd leave them entire.
Thanks for your reply Jules. From what you have said in your post there are enough valid reasons to leave Kelly entire especially if there can be risks during & post operation.
I'm quite happy to leave her entire - she is a lovely dog & it would be a shame to operate on her unless really necessary.
You have just convinced me by saying that one of your entire girls had a long healthy life that it is better to leave Kelly as she is now.
Thank you for your advice - I appreciate it.
Thanks for your advice Rachandmurph. My vet has advised me to do some internet research into it all before I make a decision which I think is very good of him to do so.
Thanks again.
It may not help you reach a decision but I have always had my bitches spayed. They have always been allowed to have a first season and then had the operation. I have never intended breeding from them and took the advice of our vet. When our boys were younger there was also the added bonus that they did not get dogs 'calling round' if she was in season, or a mistaken mismating. The biggest factor for me was that, although it does sound awful, but that with less inside the area there is less to go wrong, cancers, endometriosis etc. The older a dog is the more risk there is with surgery but 6 is not considered too old. There is always a risk however with any surgery. Amber has still had mammary tumours despite being spayed. She is fine now once they were removed. She still has the odd lump and bump but this is more age, and I would not put her under a knife now at her age.
When Millie was first spayed she started being unable to hold her bladder efficiently at first and I was concerned she had bitch incontinence. It turned out to be a water infection which was resolved with antibiotics. I am led to believe that bitch incontinence is not too common.
As for weight, none of my dogs put on excessive weight. Yes they were and are all typical labs and Amber is such a food piggy which Cheryl (Luther) will confirm. Correct diet and exercise should keep this in check.
I would spay every time. See, I told you it might not help , but I am sure that whatever decision you make, it will be right for your girl. If you are happy with her entire, then nobody would criticise.
____________ Gillian, Millie & Arya, watched over by Becky, Arwen & Amber from the Bridge. Run fast & free
Personally as Kelly is 6 now and has had no problems up to now I`d leave her well alone John, I`ve always had bitches at a young age (after one season usually) until I got Cindy, she was 3 and then it was only cos I caught her and my mothers terrier tied one day. (the dog was 10.5 and had been neutered at 9 months)
Gillian thank you for your points of view.
I'm lucky in one respect that I live literally out in the sticks on the Derbyshire/ Staffordshire border & have no trouble with other dogs calling round otherwise I would have had her spayed earlier in her life.
I'm still tempted to leave her entire but is good of everyone to state all the reasons for & against as for me it is a big decision to make.
Completely agree with the others. Two of mine have gone into late life. Mandy developed Pyometra at 11 years old and Katy Diabetes at 9 years old. Both had to be spayed as an emergency. I made up my mind at that point that I'd not leave it so long again.
Anna was spayed at 7 years old and developed aggressive mammary tumours at 9 years old. Amy was spayed at 5 years old when it became clear that I was not in a position to have pups around.
Everyone needs to make their own mind up on this, but for my part, as soon as the future becomes clear in my mind then thats it.
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which Cheryl (Luther) will confirm. Correct diet and exercise should keep this in check.
, but I am sure that whatever decision you make, it will be right for your girl. If you are happy with her entire, then nobody would criticise.
