What are the
advantages of spaying in the female dog?
· Prevention
of heat or estrus
· When
in “heat”, the female experiences an urge to escape in order to find
a mate. This is eliminated.
· It
eliminates the possibility of false pregnancy following the “heat
cycle”
· Prevention
of uterine infection (pyometra)
· The
prevention of breast cancer. Dogs spayed before the first “heat”
have less than 0.5% chance of developing breast cancer.
· 
Elimination
of the risk of uterine and ovarian cancer
Is spaying
performed for any other reason?
The operation may be performed
for several medical conditions. These include:
· Treatment
of intractable false or phantom pregnancy
· Females
with irregular or abnormal cycles due to ovarian cysts
· Spaying
is also carried out on occasions to correct certain behavioral
abnormalities
· Treatment
of uterine infection (pyometra) or cancer
· Dystocia
(difficult birthing) or post caesarean section surgery
What
are the disadvantages?
Most of the
perceived disadvantages are false. The most quoted of these are that
the dog will become fat, characterless, and useless as a guard.
Obesity is probably the most commonly quoted disadvantage of
spaying. Obesity is the result of overfeeding. By regulating your
dog’s diet and caloric intake, you can prevent obesity in neutered
or intact males.
Spaying
doesn’t cause a change in personality, guarding instincts,
intelligence, playfulness or affection.
When should the operation be
performed?
Research
reveals that spaying a pet at an early age does not cause any
increased risk. Most veterinarians recommend spaying between four
and six months of age.
Is
there any alternative to surgery?
Not at the
present time, although there are several exciting advances being
made in this area.
Are there any dangers associated
with the operation?
Spaying is
considered a major operation and requires general anesthesia. With
today’s modern anesthetics and monitoring equipment, the risk of a
complication is very low. It has been said that your pet has a
greater chance of being injured in a car wreck than having an
anesthetic or surgical complication.
What happens when I leave my dog
for this procedure?
Your pet will
be examined and pre-anesthetic blood tests are usually performed. If
everything is acceptable, your pet will then be anesthetized. Most
pets will have an intravenous catheter placed to administer the
anesthetic and to provide fluid therapy during the surgery. After
your pet is anesthetized, a breathing tube will be placed in her
trachea (windpipe). This will allow us to deliver oxygen and the gas
anesthetic. The surgery consists of making a small incision just
below the umbilicus and removing the ovaries and uterus. Many
veterinarians use absorbable sutures so that you do not have to
return to have them removed.
Are there any post-operative
precautions I should take?
Rest and
restriction of activity are the primary post-operative care you
should provide. Most dogs can resume normal activity ten to fourteen
days after surgery. Until then, leash walks, no running or climbing
stairs and lots of rest are the rule.
I am told that
letting my dog have one litter will quieten her down.
There is no scientific evidence
that having puppies has any calming psychological effect.
