Dog lovers' query - to spay or not?

[DemExpat]

I have an 11 month old bitch Jack Russell terrier Bonnie (from a shelter) after my 14 year old Mikey died under anesthetics last month for teeth treatment......now I am wondering about getting her spayed..or not.

I already notice the little boy dogs interested in her after her first heat last month, and I think the daily walks in the parks and woods would be a hassle during heats.

But I have read about the drawbacks (and possible dangers) of spaying, like incontinence (especially in dogs with cropped tails, which she has), increased aggressiveness and 'bitchiness' in some dogs, and weight gain, coat and skin troubles later, etc.

What are you experiences with female dogs? I do not want her to have a litter, but I am also not keen on putting her through such a medical intervention if the results are not all positive.

I must admit I am also jittery after losing my old buddy boy on the surgical table last month...:-( :-( :-( :cry: :cry:

All replies are much appreciated!

DemEx

[nini]

1. we always spayed our dogs and they lived long healthy lives

15 and 16 years old.


She'll be fine. And you won't have to worry about unplanned pregnancies, and dogs going nuts when she's in heat.

sorry about your loss with the other one.. :-(

[DemExpat]

8. Good to hear this....and thanks.

I am worried about the incontinence risk though, since she has a cropped tail....

but it definitely would be easier with the daily walks and all, and having to wear little pants in the house during heat... :-)

DemEx

[Dookus]

2. Sorry bout yer other dog....

but if you don't plan to breed her, then you should probably have her spayed. Just a lot easier all around.

[DemExpat]

12. Thanks, Dookus,

Yes, if it all went well without negative side-effects, it would be easier all around. My husband definitely wants her to be spayed, and I had Mikey neutered when he was young too. But this seems like a more invasive operation than with a male.

DemEx

[Lindacooks]

3. Oh, I'm sorry that happened to you

that is just terrible to lose a pet to a problem with anesthesia.

I do think that it's important to have your puppy spayed. She will have much less risk of certain cancers as she ages, and of course ovarian and uterine cancer risks are eliminated. My Muffin had breast cancer at age 14; she wasn't spayed until she was 5 years old.

Ask your vet if there are tests they can do before surgery to see if your pet will have a problem with anesthesia. I know they can do this with people, and I think it's also possible with pets. Also remember that Mikey was 14; at that age, bad reactions to anesthesia are much more common than for a puppy who isn't a year old yet.

[DemExpat]

9. Thanks, Linda,

I knew it was a risk with Mikey - but he had to have treatment for his teeth...:-(. The vet was finishing up when Mikey's heart stopped and reanimation didn't work...

The pain of loss of a beloved pet is excruciating, but the alternative of not sharing life with one is a worse prospect to me.

I generally hate medical procedures that are not absolutely necessary because of the risks - no matter how small....:-(

But having her fixed is also very enticing!

DemEx

[SheilaT]

4. Spaying and neutering

only makes sense if you don't want to deal with a dog who goes into heat regularly and needs to be confined, or gets pregnant and now you have to deal with unplanned puppies.

OF COURSE YOU SHOULD GET YOUR DOG SPAYED!!!

[xultar]

5. Sorry to hear of your loss, I know the pain cuz I had a pup die also

But we owe it to the pups to Spay and Neuter. IF you aren't planning on breeding her...you must spay. Remember, there are drawbacks to not spaying as well, unwanted puppies and cancer among other things. Plus you won't need to worry about having to buy your doggie maxi pads.

I have a Chihuahua, I haven't had him neutered because I plan on breeding him. The minute the puppies are born though. He's going straight to the nipper.

[DemExpat]

16. Thanks, xultar.

I think I could prevent the puppies coming, and I had Mikey neutered when he was a youngster, but this seems more of a major intervention to me. I have read of quite a bit of incontinence issues in spayed females - especially ones with cropped tails.

Wish her tail hadn't been snipped off!

DemEx

[sweetheart]

6. I think NOT

I have 2 older (13 & 14) female scottie terriers who are both
overweight despite my best attempts to feed them properly... both
spayed before their first heat.

I've a young female who's just passed her first heat, and i made her
a special skirt to keep her from being shagged with my home sewing.

Then we were able to buy a special chastity belt from Germany that
keeps her from being shagged by randy males... the main concern
about the heat... you don't really want a litter of jack russel
pomeranians or god knows whatever else she'll mate with at the park.

If you can keep her chaste, and you don't mind the little blood
stains from the discharge... what the heck. I used to have a
religius thing about it, mostly because spaying a female in american
cities is wise given the dog shelter overpopulation and such.

With purebred, whether you plan to breed or not, why spay? There is
no pressing need.

[DemExpat]

11. Thanks, sweetheart! Lol...I'll look into the chastity belt!

I prefer living my life without too much medical intervention, and want this for my pets as well....

I could probably keep Bonnie from getting pregnant - and could at least resort to a morning after pill if the deed happened to take place - she certainly would never be out with dogs without my supervision...

I am torn about spaying - but I tend to want to leave her be.

Until I hear stories about feigned pregnancies that some dogs seem to have - along with all of their moodiness around it! I dealt for so many years with PMS - I don't want to have to suffer that with my doggie! :D:D:D

:hi:

DemEx

[livetohike]

7. First of all

my sympathy to you in losing Mikey in such a horrible way. There are no words that provide comfort after losing an old friend....

I have had dogs my whole life and have had every female spayed. Unless you plan to breed her, spaying is the way to go. If you exercise your dog and feed her properly, she won't gain weight (I think this is a myth). I have never seen the other symptoms you listed either, but that has been my experience.

[DemExpat]

17. Thnks, livetohike, it's been a rough month for me....

but finding Bonnie on the Internet has helped my grief somewhat. She is heaven sent by my precious Mikey!

Thanks for sharing your experiences of having all of your females spayed.

:hi:

DemEx

[wysimdnwyg]

10. Absolutely!!!

I feel for you, and understand your apprehension given your recent loss, but there is no reason not to have Bonnie spayed. There are some possible side effects, but there are a lot of things that tip the scale in favor of spaying.

Get it done.

[sweetheart]

13. They religion of spaying dogs

I wonder when so many people speak in absolutes, that there could not
be a tad of public-brainwashing involved. Dog shelters for years
in the US have been very very very pro-spaying females.

If you extended the thinking to human females to give them a full
hysterectomy (and i don't know the words but an ovareconmy, and a
vagina-ecomy) as well so they are not a breeding threat to the
established breed-cows.

You *should* have spayed her before her first heat. Now, it is
a much more "general anesthesia" sort of procedure.

Myself i am coming to believe that spaying is something for city folks... and that a country dog, is less an issue... and that there
might be something to going against the brainwashing... like ususal.
The brainwashing does not represent wisdom, rather percieved absolute
knowledge... a dangerous thing.

Get a chastity belt, and then there's no hurry to make a decision
about spaying... heck, her next heat'll be near september, and you've
got lottttsa time to talk it over with her.

[DemExpat]

20. Like a said above, I do not "buy" into most medical propagandas

so I know what you mean here.....

I do all I can to develop and preserve wisdom in this crazy world!

DemEx

[sinkingfeeling]

14. Spay, the younger the better...

her risk of breast cancer and etc. will more than make up for any incontinence problems and besides there is an inexpensive pill that can be given about once a week to control 'leakage'.

[DemExpat]

19. They are starting to advocate spaying when little puppies.....

this cannot be good IMO because the whole development of the dog is thwarted, severely influenced, by removing all sex organs before the first heat.

But spaying around one year old is probably a good time if you're gonna do it...

Thanks,

DemEx

[bicentennial_baby]

15. Absolutely spay female dogs!

Otherwise, when they get older, above 5 or so, they are at high risk of developing Pyometra, which is a horrible and often fatal uterine infection. My dog got it last summer, and came within hourrs of death. It cost $1500 dollars to save her life. Spay now, and save yourself a lot of $$ and possible heartache.

[DemExpat]

18. How awful, bcb!

Glad she made it.

DemEx

[SiouxJ]

21. Spay of course!

it's the responsible thing to do. We have too many unwanted pups in shelters etc.

I recently adopted two Border Collies and the female has incontinence caused by spaying, so yes it is valid concern. I give her a pill twice a day and it works like a charm. So far the only side effect I have noticed is that she can get a bit hyper after her evening pill. She just wants to play. I'm hoping she'll grow out of it (I've been told that is possible) so I won't have to keep her on the meds forever.

[DemExpat]

22. Thanks, Sioux, but pregnancy I could avoid or deal with

with a morning after pill....

This incontinence really worries me.

My old Jack Russel Mikey got incontinent in the last few months and the medication for helping this gave him epileptic fits which I had gotten under control with Homeopathic remedies...

I MUCH prefer natural treatments, and spaying can be so invasive - to all of our lives (in this family) if it leads to incontinence.

I really have to think hard about this decision.

As I mentioned above, risk for incontinence is higher in dogs with cropped tails.....:-(

Thanks for your response.

DemEx

[SiouxJ]

23. Well mine has a beautiful long tail

but still incontinent. I researched this long and hard before I let them put her on the meds. There are special diets and herbs for this condition too. There is tons of info about this subject on the web. She is on an extremely low dose and hasn't had an accident since I put her on it. I have heard, and I don't know if it's true or not, that the incontinence happens a lot when dogs are spayed too young. I heard from her foster mom that the previous owner had both my dogs fixed at early ages so it may be true.

I still think it's worth the risk as pregnancy accidents do happen no matter how careful you are with a dog. I thought my last dog - who was a male, would never come in contact with other dogs without me around but he managed to escape twice in his life, for almost a full day each time.

[MadHound]

24. Happy compromise

Rather than do the full spay job(ovary, uterine removal) instead do what we humans do at times, get her tubes tied. Yes you still have to put up with her periods of heat, but hey, she can go have sex, be happy, and you don't have to worry about pups.

Also it is good to retain hormone producing organs on board. One of the problems with spay/neuter is that they are done too early and the dog doesn't attain it's full growth.

And I'm sorry to hear about your Mikey, it is always hard to part from a true friend.

[DemExpat]

27. This sounds good! I haven't been able to find a clinic here

that does this procedure. I did find one that does the laparascopic removal of just the ovaries, not the womb.

I'll search further on this possiblity!

Thanks, also for your kind words on lost friendship and loving.

DemEx

[rhino47]

25. I have always had females and I always had them spayed.

I didnt notice a large difference in temperment.
On the issue of inconitence that can happen if a female has a bunch of litters also.Weight gain I have noticed but only after the dog gets older.This may also be due to aging.I would like to say how sorry I am that you lost your buddy.
There is also some that believe to let the bitch have a litter before spaying to offest any negative effects of spaying.My vet told me that only thing having one litter before spaying is the dog will have a droopy stomach.

[DemExpat]

28. Thanks, rhino, also for your kind words.

There are more than enough puppies and older dogs around here looking for homes, so I would not have Bonnie have a litter...

Thanks for your experience with spayed females!

DemEx

[LeftPeopleFinishFirst]

26. Please please spay your dog

There are so many dogs in shelters and pounds just waiting to be adopted, and if there comes a time when your dog accidentally runs off and well... decides to fraternize with the neighborhood male doggies, then you will have to deal with puppies and THAT is a big mess! I have two dogs who have both been spayed. There was a SLIGHT weight gain but it can usually be kept down with diet dog food or more walks. My golden retriever and yellow lab have not become agressive or bitchy, and are just as spunky and friendly as the first day we got them. Their coats are also perfectly fine.

Good luck, sorry to hear about your lost doggie :(

[DemExpat]

29. Thanks for your advice.

My husband really wants her to be fixed, I still need to feel convinced before I make the decision and the appointment.

:hi:

DemEx

[adriennel]

30. I have a 4 year old JRT (female)

hurray, a fellow JRT DUer!

My girl Summer is 4 years old and not spayed. I had every intention of getting her spayed, but like you I had reservations about putting her through surgery. She has a period every six months for a couple of weeks (it's not as bad as I anticipated, never having a dog in heat before.) She does not go off-leash during this time. Extra vigilance is necessary, because the boys do notice! And I have noticed she is *extremely* bitchy during this time as well--if a dog sniffs her and she doesn't like him/her, she gets mean.

My girl Summer has now been through another surgery to remove a tumor from her ear : ( so I know she can handle the anasthesia. The vet still recommends spaying to help prevent cancer. And with her increased bitchiness, I am again considering scheduling the surgery.

But life with an unspayed JRT is possible : ) let me know if I can provide any other info.

[DemExpat]

31. Thanks! My Mikey ws also a JRT......Bonnie is my first female dog ever...

Shelters here have lots of JRTs......people don't realize what balls of energy they are getting when they see that precious little white puppy....

I know and love them well!

:hi:
DemEx

[adriennel]

33. she can be difficult, but

I wouldn't change her for the world! :hug: such a smart, loyal dog.

Anyone considering adopting a Jack Russell Terrier should take the quiz at www.terrier.com. They are a cute yet demanding breed and unfortunately too many JRTs end up in homes that are not prepared.

now, I must go home to exercise said terrier : ) good luck with your new pup!

[DemExpat]

38. After having a laid back Bassett before Mikey

I had to learn quickly that the little pup needed to be shown who the top dog in the pack was......ME, not Mikey.....:-)

Bonnie seems to be less dominant than Mikey, sweet as can be, but smart, feisty, and chock full of energy, curiosity, confidence and drive!

Enjoy your little girl too, adriennel!

JRTs are super.
:loveya:

DemEx

[Butterflies]

32. Yes, spay

I know there are health BENEFITS from spaying female dogs, and my female dogs are just as loving as they were before their operations. I understand your being cautious after what happened to your other dog, but as long as you have a good vet it should be a pretty routine thing. They bounce back pretty quickly too. I carried mine up and down steps for a couple days after their operations, but after that short time they didn't even want me to carry them anymore because they felt so much better. Dogs are great. :-)

[DemExpat]

36. Thanks, Butterflies....

yes, dogs are fantastic!

:loveya: :loveya: :loveya:

DemEx

[Samurai_Writer]

34. What about neutering males?

I adopted a 4 year old Cocker Spaniel (Magic, a real sweety!). He had heartworms, so they did not neuter him. Told me to wait until after his heartworm treatment was completed, then get him neutered. His heartworm treatment was just finished (he's negative, yay!). Now I am wondering if I should neuter him or not. He's an indoor dog, he NEVER goes outside without a leash, and to tell you the truth, I think he's gay. Every time he comes in contact with a dog, if it's female, he just sniffs her, if it's a male, he tries to mount it! Pretty funny when you see him trying to mount a dog 4x his size.

So anyway... neuter or not???

[DemExpat]

35. I neutered Mikey because he was riding on everything in sight

and didn't enjoy any other aspects of outdoor play and socializing!

It also calmed him down a little and made him a tad less dominant.

Good luck with your lucky dog Magic!

DemEx

[sweetheart]

41. Our male told me when she was in heat

Otherwise i was not sure. She started bleeding 10 days before
the "male" started riding her. He was so funny, as i've raised him
in my own bed since he was a pup, and he's never been around a female
in heat before. During the main day of her season, i had to put
him in the SUV for the day, whilst he howled like a wolf.

He had a continuous erection and made a bee-line straight for her
whenever he was able... it was so sweet to watch me little boy getting all horny and not knowing how his own hormones drove him to
that... and then her heat ended and he stopped totally.

I was originally looking for a chastity belt for HIM, but then i
observed the sheepdog next door (1 kilometer away) and another mutt
1 mile west "howling" for this little bitch.... literally howling
back at their owners houses. When i talked to them on the phone,
they understood what was in to their male dogs.

The girlie chastity belt work perfectly, and all the big bad warnings
i've gotten over the years about female heats, males and all that..
turned out to be a lotta blow. Its not so bad. Its just feremones.

I have a book "the book of the bitch" that explains everything about
women ( :-) ).............. dogs... ;-)

I'm planning to breed her at her next heat. Scottish terriers
from the highlands are actually quite rare... a think we might
change just a wee little bit over time.

[luckyluke]

37. Please spay your dog.

Everyone from the Humane Society to vets recommend spaying or neutering dogs.

[The empressof all]

39. Mine Spayed two days ago

We spayed our Australian Terrier two days ago after finally deciding we weren't going to breed her (she's 6 months old) My experience has been that spayed females tend to be a wee bit more docile and sweet. If you are not planning on breeding you should spay your dog for all of the reasons listed above. Plus why put her through the stress of heat two times a year.

[DemExpat]

40. Thanks. I've heard it sweetens them AND that it makes them grumpier...

it is the incontinence risk that bothers me the most right now....

:hi:

Australian terriers are great dogs too!

Oh, and I went through menstrual stress most of my adult life...I would not have had a hysterectomy because of it....:-)


DemEx

[Robb]

42. I'm pretty adamant about spaying and neutering.

We've always done both, done it before and after first heat, every possible combination of young and old. We're Siberian Husky people, and I haven't ever seen a change in the dogs afterwards -- either in pullin', or in personality. :)

As to the cropped tail thing, I believe that's a myth. Incontinence happens for about 20% of all spayed dogs, with the biggest risk factor seeming to be dog weight. Dogs that weigh 45 pounds or more have a higher risk (around 30%), and smaller dogs run around a 10% risk. This is among all dogs, and all qualities of vet care. Also, these numbers seem high because they are driven up by the very high rates among Boxers and Dobies (more than half).

The good news is that even if your dog appears to develop urinary incontinence from the procedure (which can take years to happen, if it does), it's another relatively simple surgery to remove the adhesions that impair the urethral sphincter (huh huh, I said sphincter!). Compare that with the risks associated with pregnancies, and I think it's a darned safe bet.