To spay or not to spay?

Can you let me know how it goes please Molly? Thanks ?

My dog has recently been spayed, I didn’t hesitate having seen the trauma pyometra caused my friend and her dog.
It’s very straightforward, my dog wore the ‘baby grow’ for 2 weeks (so much better than a cone), had liquid paracetamol regularly, check up after 48 hours and 12 day. The main thing was trying to stop her jumping around after the first 24 hours! She had to have restricted exercise to 2 x 10 minute walks a day - she’s used to more like 3 hours!- so that was a bit tedious but obviously necessary.
By the time 14 days were up you’d never know she’d had anything done, that was 7 weeks ago now, we’re on holiday and she’s just back from an hours chasing seagulls on the beach ??

I know I’m a worrier but I turned my chairs and sofa round so she couldn’t jump on them and slept on the floor with her for two weeks. Got used to rolling the recovery suit back when she needed a wee. I met people on the beach that were letting their dogs run around almost straight after the op but, as my vet said, just because it’s healing well on the outside just remember there’s a lot going on inside. She was very thirsty post op so I boiled chicken water for her to drink and then liquidised some chicken to put her medication in. I was extra careful because she’d has a suspected womb infection at the time. She was three months post season but had been losing a bit of blood and something abnormal had shown up on her scan. My vets a worrier like me too.

I’m now researching ‘baby grows for her. I think trying to sleep with a cone would be worse than sleeping in rollers like I used to do!

I just got a surgical suit from the vet.

Like MayBee70 the vet provided a surgical body suit for my dog when she was spayed earlier this year. It was easy to pull up for her to have a wee. I came down in the morning next day, however, to discover the post op suit in a pile in the corner and a bare dog! this happened most nights as the suit wasn’t a perfect fit and little teeth managed to tear it off. Fortunately she left the wound alone.

She also had a small umbilical hernia, which is quite common repaired at the same time as the spay so only one op.

Im happy to leave my dogs overnight with the cone. It’s the only thing I’ve found none of them can get off. 24 hours wearing it always leaves them coping well, wounds heal.. I take it off if I’m there to discourage wound licking x

It’s lovely to hear how much people care for their dogs.

Yes, but not too young. Wait until they are at least over one year. Doing it too young significantly increases the risk of them becoming bladder incontinant. I learned that the hard way with one of mine. She leaked urine when lying down and it always upset her.

YES

Spay before she comes into first season. Here's the advice from the Royal Vet College:

'Spaying your dog can reduce the chance of her developing mammary gland tumour (breast cancer), the most common type of malignant tumour in female dogs… the maximum protective effect [is] achieved if your dog is spayed before her first season'

www.rvc.ac.uk/small-animal-vet/general-practice/practice-services/routine-pet-healthcare/neutering-spaying-pet/dog-puppy-neutering

Yes i would almost always spay a bitch once she is adult. We did have one where the vet revccommended not spaying for very good physical reasons (can't remember what now) so we didn't and she got clingy and miserable every season. The only problem I have ever had is keeping them quiet while the stitches heal.

My border collie is six months old and was spayed 3 weeks ago she didn't have a season. Trying to keep her calm didn't work she just wanted to play lol, now she back walking meeting her friends and having fun. Good luck ?

Do wish people would have their cats done to stop them crapping indiscriminately on other people's gardens.

Of course. Do it soon.

Yes, as although you have made the decision, your dog and others around her haven’t .

I’m afraid spaying and neutering cats won’t stop them going into other people’s gardens and doing their business wherever they want usuallyright.

Yes, we had Tilly spayed using the keyhole method which was a lot less invasive and she fully recovered within two days.

Yes as a former vet nurse the uterus and ovaries aren't needed and will likely cause problems at a later date. These will be more painful for her and costly to you with a long recovery period. Look up a condition called pyometra. It can be fatal. A simple quick easy spay is routine, and done at a young and healthy age is much safer all round.

Germanshepherdsmum

I’m afraid spaying and neutering cats won’t stop them going into other people’s gardens and doing their business wherever they want usuallyright.

It isn’t indiscriminate. They use other people gardens because they don’t want to soil their own territory. Neutering might stop an un neutered male from scent marking but won’t stop them poo’ing.

Yes spay. I had a Labrador who was very I’ll with pyrometa She pulled through but as she was elderly she took ages to recover then we noticed tumours all over her belly and neck she was operated on for them but became very I’ll and had to be put down Avoidable if she’s been spayed at a young age. However we didn’t own her till she was about 8 which is old for a lab or she would have been done

I also have had all my cats done at 6 months and males castrated no probs at all

Ethelwashere1

I also have had all my cats done at 6 months and males castrated no probs at all

I think it’s different with cats as they’re fully grown at an earlier age. Dogs growth plates continue to grow for a long time and neutering at an early age hinders the development of their bones. Also emotionally it’s important for dogs to go through their doggy adolescence, otherwise you might end up having a doggy version of Kevin the teenager in perpetuity. Or so I’ve been told, anyway.

I have always had my female dogs spayed and female cats too. It saves on mess and the worry of unexpected puppies/kittens. Can’t see why it’s not a good thing unless you intend to breed. There are quite enough dogs and cats in need of loving homes without adding more to the mix! Recovery for the animal is fine with a bit of TLC so there’s no need to worry!

We asked our vet's advice and he said there was no reason that he knew for waiting until the first season was over. We took his advice, and our 6 month old was bright as a button the day after surgery. I'm not sure why one season is ever suggested - can anyone enlighten me?