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My Chihuahua is going off to be spayed tomorrow. I'm a nervous wreck! I did a lot of reading prior to making this decision and I'm still not 100% sure I'm making the right choice for her. I decided not to spay early and wait for her to be 2.5 years. I've read so much conflicting information online and the only thing I know for sure if that there are pros and cons to whatever you decide. She is such a healthy, lively and happy girl that I'm terrified of doing anything to change that (people describe spaying as plunging your dog into instant menopause). It's the mammary cancer and (risk of pyometra) that made me decide to go ahead, but I also read that the reduction of those risks are perhaps not as high as was first thought, particularly as my girl has had a few seasons. My Cocker Spaniel changed after being spayed (grumpy and food obsessed), and I also think it's possible that some of the health problems the dogs we had when I was growing up might have been contributed to spaying, so I know it can happen.
Has anyone had a dog spayed and regretted it? Did they develop health problems you contribute to the lack of hormones? Behavioural changes? Did it seem to prematurely age them?
I don't know the answer - my dog is a boy so I've no experience of this - but hopefully someone more knowledgeable will be along soon.
I just wanted to say, though, that if in doubt, don't hesitate to cancel the operation. If you later decide it was the right decision you can get it done then but if you get the operation done you can't go back again.
Whatever you decide - if the right answer isn't clear-cut, there probably isn't that much difference in terms of the likely future well-being of the dog so it's not something you should get too stressed about - and whatever happens you should never feel guilty about the decision you made because it was based on the best information you could find. Easier said than done though
As you have waited until your dog is fully mature, there should be no character change. Dogs don't menstruate like us so they don't go into a menopause. You have no worries on that score. Both whole and spayed females get mammary tumours. And many don't get them at all.
The biggest risk is urinary incontinence. I had a ladydog spayed at 4 and she became incontinent soon after. She was a fit athletic animal of the right weight and in great health. She was nearly 18 when she died so I had 14 years of living with an incontinent dog and I swore never to do it again. But not every ladydog becomes incontinent - figures vary, but the general assessment is around 20%. That means 80% don't. But if yours is one of the 20% it isn't comforting.
Keeping a ladydog as nature made her is not without risks, but pyo isn't inevitable. It IS very serious if it happens so those of us who keep our ladydogs whole need to be vigilant. Keeping them the right weight, on good food and well-exercised is a help. I and friends have kept a lot of entire ladydogs all their lives with never a pyo or an accidental litter. I have had one out of all of them with mammary tumours but she was a very old dog when she developed them.
Some breeds e.g. Dobermanns, can be more susceptible to incontinence than others. My girl was one of those who were not supposed to be more susceptible.
Seasons themselves are no big deal and it doesn't follow that just because a ladydog isn't spayed she will get pregnant. But obviously season time presents challenges. No solution is perfect - it's about the situation we feel best able to manage.
A dog is never bad or naughty - it is simply being a dog
Thank you both for taking the time to reply, it's really helpful to hear from others!
Interestingly it was our Doberman who did indeed go on to suffer incontinence after she was spayed. I spoke to our vet about it last week and she said the dogs who seem to be at great risk were bigger, deep chested breeds but, as you say, not always.
