Spaying

[kendeb]

We just had our 5 month old cockapoo spayed and I have to say that she is doing great! Our appointment was at 8:30 this morning and they called us as 10:00 to say that she did very well and that we could come to get her. She does not have stitches (must be surgical glue?). After the anesthesia wore off, she came home and ate a whole bowl of food, and is walking around like nothing happened! The only marked difference is that she is not running around the house getting into everything and driving me crazy I am not complaining!

[Mercurykitty]

Awesome!

Our vet prefers spaying at 6 months, so our little cockapoo has another month and a half to go. I can only hope she takes it as gracefully.

[kendeb]

Yes, some vets say to have it done before their first heat, others say to do it after. Our vet said to wait until at least 4 months and try to do it before 6. I am sure your little one will do fine! I was just amazed at how different things are from when we have gotten other animals spayed -- no more staying overnight, no more stitches (and that cone they have to wear so they don't bite them). She is now playing and running around like nothing has happened!

[Mattie]

Personally I won't spay my bitches before they have their first season, they may recover better but having had a dog that never matured mentally and was still a pup at 17.5 years old, I won't do this to a dog. She was spayed before I got her and it may stop me taking on a dog if it has been spayed or neutered early.

I have 3 bitches now, 2 were spayed after their first season, Dolly is booked in to be spayed on 5th November, she has also had her first season. I have found that during this first season my dogs grow up mentally, the puppiness goes and they mature, something that Gracie never did.

I also want to know that my dog's inside is working properly, many bitches never have a season so why put them through this operation, some have 1 season a year, some every 3/4 years or somewhere in between. It is only knowing our dogs and how their body is that we can make the right decision for them.

Before we do spay or neuter our dogs, never take someone else's word for it, not even our vets, do our own research but the problem with spaying and neutering the majority of sites don't tell the cons only the pros which is wrong, they are trying to force people to their way of thinking. I think it was Nettle who posted this some time ago which gives a more balanced view of spaying and neutering http://www.sheltieranch.com/articles/Lo ... InDogs.pdf This is major, invasive surgery which we are not told just how much, it is the same as a woman having a hysterectomy, we know how painful that can be. Just because a dog is running round playing doesn't mean they are not feeling it, it is what dogs do.

Also dogs do die during this operation, it may not happen very often but if it is your dog it is devestating, mor so if it is a pup who hasn't had any life.

[runlikethewind]

Hear hear Mattie. I have also heard that females who never were allowed a season get locked into permanent puppyness. I'm going to send that link to a friend. Her vet told her to have her spayed before first season. Another friend told her no, wait. She's now a year old and no season yet.

[Mattie]

Tilly was about 15 months old when she had her first season, as far as we know Dolly was about the same, there was no sign of a previous season, some dogs are much later, like us dogs vary.

[Mercurykitty]

Dogs in Delaware have to be licensed when they turn 6 months. The license fee depends on whether or not they have been spayed/nurtured. We could have had her licensed when she completed her rabies vaccine last month, but my boyfriend insists that we pay the reduced fee and wait until after she is spayed (and chipped, which we plan on doing at the same time. We will then be able to add the chip number to her license information). In order to both comply with state law and receive the reduced license rate, we have to stick with our vet's recommendation of six months in order to have her spayed prior to licensing.

I'd prefer to wait until after her first season and just pay for the more expensive 'intact' license this year, but my boyfriend 1) is in charge of our finances and 2) fully trusts the vet's advice in the matter (his mom has been taking her cats to him for years).

[wvvdiup1]

We have a similar law in Pennsylvania concerning dog licensing, however, I'd rather pay a couple of dollars more and wait a little while before spaying any of my bitches. In my opinion as well as some other vets, spaying bitches before their first "heat season" usually ends up with more health problems later for the *****. Then, when you have to renew your dog license, you can take advantage of the reduced fees.