To spay or not to spay - Page 1

I’m about to spay one of my dogs. I know everyone is talking about future benefits of spay (such as reduced risk of ovarian cancer), but something inside me tells me that it’s not that simple. It’s just I feel like taking a healthy part of a body out isn’t something totally harmless. Don’t dogs, as well as people age faster after such procedure? I will never breed this dog regardless spay or not, but I feel uneasy about spaying her :( I certainly wouldn’t want to loose my parts, even if I’m not planning to have any children. What is the longest you know a dog lived after being spayed? Ok, I’m about to cry now, just don’t want any harm for her :( She is 22 months old now.

I posed that same question last week at my local ShH club, regarding a new pup that will be shipped to me in Sept. I have no intention of breeding her, but also want to minimize any issues w/ my male when she is in heat. My fear was that it would affect her drives if spayed. I've been assured by many that it would not, and that drives are passed down by genetics. As far as living a longer or shorter life, my vet says that spaying at 6-7 months of age (or before her first heat) is better then waiting until later. As you mentioned, less of a cancer risk. I do not think that spaying your dog will reduce her life expectancy in general. There are too many other variables that play a part in their health. We lost a mixed breed dog 2 years ago that we had spayed when she was about 9 months old. She was 13 when she died of cancer of all things. I love my dogs and it's hard when they pass at any age. Good luck....

I have to disagree that spaying before the first heat is a good thing !! This is something vets like to do early because it is easier for them !! That's my opinion. They say there are studies that show no ill effects -- but there are subtle differences in all dogs I'm sure. I learned (over 30 years ago) that it's better to let a bitch come into heat once first - then all the hormones are in order -- then you can spay with little trouble later. I see many small breeds that get spayed as early as 12 weeks and sometimes they NEVER GROW UP !! They are peptually stuck in puppyhood !! I have never heard that lifespan is connected to altered dogs in any way - My spayed bitches -- some spayed after litters of pups some never had pups -- have lived well into 13 and over 14 years old -- One of my altered males -- done at about 14 months old - lived to be nearly 13 --

Ideally wait until 3 months after her last heat. At that time her hormones are at a peak. Females are usually at the top of their game at that time in their cycle. It is believed (but not proven) that they do better when spayed around that time. Spaying should not significantly alter the dogs personality, or drives, other than take away hormonolly charged ups and downs. There is a risk to any surgery. In Germany spaying and neutering is by far not as common as in the US. Many dogs in Germany live to a ripe old age intact. Possible side effects of a spay is incontinence, but it is pretty rare. Obesity is usually due to lack of exercise and overfeeding. Spaying a female does make life a little easier not having to worry about heat cycles and their possible consequences, especially if you also have a male around. Another benefit is a bitch that is more level in her moods, as hormones can result in all sort of behaviour changes, usually when you least need them. Keeping a female intact bears risks also. Not just cancer, but infections, tumors (mammory glands or inside uterus), etc. If you are a pessimist then something would be bound to happen whether you spay or whether you leave her intact. Usually it comes down to a lifestyle choice - do you want to deal with a female in heat or not? There are less invasive methods available now too. Some result in a very small incision in the side. Ask the vet about what he recommends, and check with several vets in the area what is available. I always like to get second opinions and ask around who is doing what, and what is possibly new, even before a standard procedure.

The benefit of spaying a bitch prior to her first seaaon is that she will NEVER develop breast cancer. After the first season, that benefit is lost.

Blitzen, How can you prove this? How can they get breast cancer? Can you please explain this as I do not fully explain this? I heard from people who never fixed their animals lived a nice fully life without having cancers in their body... only died of natual causes. My Zambis father is about 10 years old and not fixed and the only problem that he ever had that was severe was torson bloat... should we blame the testicles for this too? We shouldn't blame the sex organs for cancer cells unless if it can be proven 100% by facts.

Brittany, it is widely accepted in the veterinary world that early spaying of bitches will prevent them from developing breast cancer. Ask your vet or do a google search - breast cancer + dogs or log on to this oncology link : http://www.oncolink.com/types/article.cfm?.c=22&s=69&ss=546&id=6008 As in humans, most breast cancers in dogs are influenced by sex hormones and spaying reduces those hormones, thus lessening the risk of getting breast cancer. Of course not all intact bitches will develop breast cancer and not all will get pyometra. You just reduce the odds by neutering. What could be wrong with that? You seem to have an adversion about neutering dogs and that is your decision. However, if you ever have a bitch that has to have an emergency spay due to pyometra or surgery to remove a breast malignancy, you might rethink your decision. Neutering males will prevent them from getting testicular cancer or course and maybe peri-anal fistules that are common in older GSD's. What's the benefit of keeping an older dog or bitch in tact? Are there any? It just makes good sense to give your dog the best chance at a long healthy life by neutering him or her after they will no longer be used for breeding or earlier if not intended for breeding. I'm not even going to respond to whether or not testicles cause torsion. You know the answer to that one.

There are many reasons to spay and probably just as many not to spay..... The one thing everyone seems to disagree upon is the age at which to do it..... in the sport world, people have come to the conclusion that neutering is best done after the growth plates are closed as well as no hard physical exercise until that time. There is also belief that growth plate closure is linked to the hormones and secondary sex characteristic development. I believe it is around 10 months for little dogs and 14 months for bigger breeds... best to check with one's vet on this number, I could have it backwards. Xray will verify if this has happened. It is true females can become incontinent after a spay, usually not until their later years and there are some drugs that are helpful, although one has been removed form the market.... There are those rare instances when a 6 or 7 year old develops incontinence and that is a shame but hopefully the drugs will help. Every heat cycle a female goes thru when she is not bred increases the risk for pyometra, uterine infection, most often closed which is an automatic trip down spay street.... I believe once bitches are not going to be bred anymore they should be spayed..They are already at risk for mammary gland cancers but being vigilant is the best route. There is a risk in any surgery but anesthesia has come a long way and with an older female it may be a good idea to do prelim bloodwork to see how her organs are functioning......

Makosh . . . your original post is admirable in the sense you want the best for your dog. As far as health benefits and risks go, many issues have been addressed already that you can research and decide where you stand on these issues: e.g. pyometra, surgical risks, cancers. There is a lot of good information out there on these topics and of course you will decide accordingly. However, I think a few other issues haven't been addressed yet. When you keep a female intact you are looking at the necessity to keep her completely away from male dogs whose sole intent is to get through fences, kennels, you name it, in order to breed your female. She will have to be watched every second that she is in season if you turn her in the yard, even if you have a fence. Males will go over, around, and through fences just to get to your girl. Then, if they are able to get to her, she has been potentially exposed to all kinds of harmful bacteria and viruses. Not to mention the possibility that she could be carrying puppies which present their own health risks, as well as future lives which need to be cared for. I haven't seen any definitive information which states your dog's life will be shortened by spaying. However, I do know they will have an improved quality of life if they can spend those weeks that they would have been in season up on the couch with you, instead of penned up away from all the stray males who pop up out of the woodwork trying to get the girls. Just my two cents . . .

I have been told the growth harmones are directly to the sex harmones and that we sometimes throw the dog an imbalance curve by spaying it early. I know 5 of my dogs out there are skinny as a rail, with very little musclar density, and they don't resemble their litter mates(or parents) at all. The common denominator in all 5 is that they(all female) were spayed around the 4 month period. One of those also had problems with demodetic mange(immune defciency). I have since gone from a 1 year contract to a 3 year bumber to bumber contract if you don't spay or neuter before the 24 month birday, thus letting the dog mature physically before the procedure is done. Just how I do things.