Spaying an older bitch

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by VomMarischal on 15 March 2009 - 02:03

I need some advice. Maybe what I really need is someone to pat my hand and tell me it's all ok, but I'm nervous.

I have a big athletic bitch (http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/gsd/pedigree/564898.html), 6 years old, who is refusing to conceive. She has always had 3 heats per year, so the repro specialist at UC Davis says the uterus is just too old, like a 9 year old uterus in a 6 year old dog. She (Autumn Davidson) says that the bitch's next step is pyometria (sp?) if we don't get the thing out before her next heat, even though in an ultrasound the uterus did not look bad. Note that I spent 4k trying to get her pregnant over 3 heat cycles, did everything known to humanity to make it work, but nada.

OK. I'm panicking about getting her spayed. She's 90 lbs and the vet says she would feel better having two surgeons scrubbed up for it, just in case. Plus this bitch is such an intense creature, so powerful and with such amazing female lines, that somehow it feels sacreligious almost to spay her. Ack! I hate to do it!

Somebody tell me that it's all ok, just do it and stop whining....or better yet, convince me it will actually be GOOD for the bitch. Have you had good experiences doing it, or do some of you think I should just let her be?

Also, has anybody else had experience with big athletic doggy bitches not conceiving? There is some talk in other breeds/species about females needing to be feminine to repoduce properly. Any comment on that?

by susanandthek9s on 15 March 2009 - 02:03

Just do it and stop whining. But make sure you get the most complete blood panel you can first. And make sure your vet is a really good surgeon. Some years ago, I took in a 12-year-old unspayed GSD bitch with breast cancer who was in a false pregnancy. She tolerated the spay just fine (we also successfully got rid of all the breast cancer with multiple surgeries). She felt so much better after the spay.

I also had a big masculine unspayed 4 year old GSD bitch who was sold because she couldn't conceive. Two weeks after I got her, she developed an open pyometra and was immediately spayed. She also felt much, much better after the spay.

by VomMarischal on 15 March 2009 - 02:03

THANK YOU

by Uber Land on 15 March 2009 - 02:03

I had a very masculine showline girl, 90 lbs, very fertile. she would produce 10-12 pups a litter.
if your girl isn't conceiving, just get her spayed. she'll do better. you won't have to deal with 3 heat cycles a year.

by windwalker18 on 15 March 2009 - 02:03

Definately get her spayed BEFORE there's a crisis. Working @ the Vets for 25 years I saw a number of spays done in mid pyometra... and it is VERY dangerous to handle, as the dog can develop a systemic infection which makes recovery more dicy and the uterus itself becomes very fragil and can easily break open contaminating the interior of the belly. One lovely Lab bitch would have died if we hadn't used my Aussie as an emergency donor dog for blood due to the amount of bleeding in the infected uterus. If you love her and want her around there's absolutely no question... Don't risk her life in the hope of a pup.

by VomMarischal on 15 March 2009 - 04:03

You're all making me feel better. Thanks.

by sthiggs on 15 March 2009 - 05:03

Pyometra is the worst. We almost lost our 5yr old female gsd to Pyometra. Even days after the surgery I wasn't sure she would make it.

She is like a new puppy now. We think she had had an underlying infection for a while.

Good Luck and I know you the answer.

Susan in NC

by Jyl on 15 March 2009 - 06:03

Jackie
I would get this done ASAP. Alli is a nice female and I wouldnt want to see something happen to her it you wait to long. Like everyone on here has said so far, just do it and she will be happier in the end.

by AnjaBlue on 15 March 2009 - 13:03

Our girl was spayed at 5-1/2 - she bounced right back. Some vets are now using laparascopic (sp?) surgery to remove the uterus and ovaries...... recovery time is twice as fast, and there is just a tiny incision needed. It costs more, but a friend of mine had her girl operated on in this manner and was delighted with the fact that it was far less invasive than the "old" way. If your vet doesn't offer this alternative, you might want to check around......

by malshep on 15 March 2009 - 19:03

Your vet will want to do blood work to make sure your dog is health for anesth. and the spay will go a clock work. They get so sick when they have pyo. I hope everything goes well.
Always,
Cee

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