Spayed

[Black Beauty & Silverfox]

Being trying to gather as much information as possible so I can make a balanced decision when the time comes!

To spay or not to spay?

Can't get my head around whether or not an operation on a perfectly healthy dog is totally necessary.

We don't want a litter of puppies.
Our vet said our 10 week old cutie should be spayed at 6 months.
Don't know when her seasons start or how long for.
I don't feel where we are that they'll be an issue with other dogs getting to her.
Do the possible cancers etc that may effect a dog that has no operation outweigh the unhealthy results of a dog that has.

I still have plenty of time to reach my decision but your views on this subject would be most welcome.


Many thanks, Mel.

[Holly2009]

In your situation I would spay.
Possibly every 6 months your bitch will come into season, she will spot blood & have a discharge for a week or more, then you have to be extra careful taking her out for 2/3 weeks after the blood has stopped (some entire male dog owners dont like in season bitches getting walked for obvious reasons) she may become grumpy, clingy, off her food around these times aswell which to me is a little unfair on her. Buy not getting her neutered she's at a higher risk of suffering from pyometra & uterine/ ovarian cancers aswell.
I'm pretty sure all replies will advice to definitely neuter 

[waggytails]

I did not have my first spaniel Millie spayed, for very similar reasons to you, then when she was around 9 years old she got breast tumors and then when she was 11 years old she had to have an emergency spay because she had pyrametra. So when I got Hattie I new I would have her spayed but waited until she had her first season.

[coopersmum]

If you have her spayed before her first season you drastically reduce the chance of her getting mammary carcinomas, if you spay after her first season you still drastically reduce the chances but not quite as significantly according to what we were taught. You also eliminate the chance of a pyometra developing which can be life threatening. I'd definitely have her spayed

[LinziS]

Definately spay...more health risks associated without it done and if you not breeding from her there is really no reason not too.

[bluegirl]

Personally, I prefer not to spay regardless of whether or not I would wish to breed.

The health risks as others have said are that been spayed before first season gives best protection from mammary cancer and spaying up to the third season is still a significant reduction in risk. After 3rd season I believe the risk of mammary cancer is the same as an unspayed bitch.

Spaying will almost eliminate the risk of pyometra and ovarian cancer.

But spaying can bring on urinary incontinence due to reduction in oestrogen and I believe the risk is higher in those bitches spayed before the first season but there is medication out there to help this.

Spaying also changes the texture of the coat to a woolly nature that easily knots.

Now the last two are in no way life threatening, but I'm just pointing them out.

I just prefer my girls to keep their sex hormones and I accept the risk this brings. I have had an elderly cocker who had mammary cancer but for the one that did I've had more that didn't.

[Holly Berry]

There are lots of threads on here and info on the internet that puts forward the pros and cons of spaying, so at the end of the day you have to go with your heart or head.

From my point of view I would spay but only after she has had her 1st season. My vet had said at 6 months, but I explained that I wanted her to have a season first to enable her to mature, so mine have been spayed between 14-16 months( obviously depends on 1st season but most seem to have been 10-12mths)

My first 2 girls I didn't have spayed, one died aged 9 from mammary tumours which she had removed 12 months before, but unfortunately had spread to her liver despite being caught early. The other died at 8, 4 months after having to have an emergency spay for pyometra. My first girl also had phantom pregnancies with most of her seasons.

After that,and realising that I could have at least prevented these conditions I have had all my other girls spayed. Boys are different, but I still would probably have them neutered at about 2 years of age.

[CockersIndie]

i've done quite a bit of research and spoken to lots of people about spaying and at what age. I've decided to let Indie have at least one season to enable her to mature physically and 'emotionally' (as has been said). I believe it also enables the bone growth plates to seal properly; whereas spaying means the dogs tend to end up taller and slighter because these plates seal after they are actually supposed to. There are lots of pros and cons regarding cancers and pyometra etc. But i'm happy i've made the right decision for us.

[Jonnydog]

@Cockersindie, if you're thinking of showing, I think she must be unspayed. Maybe someone who shows can confirm this.

I'm going to leave Penny for now. I would have let her have a first season in any case, to finish maturing, but while I feel able to manage her seasons - we don't meet a lot of other dogs and my own dog is neutered because he has HD - I'd like to keep her as she is. Her coat is beautiful and her first season was no trouble at all. If circumstances change or there are medical issues, I'll get her done.

[karen488]

Another advantage of letting her have 1 season is realising what a pain in the bottom seasons are  Darcey was v clean but found it v difficult to go anywhere with her.

[CockersIndie]

hi jonnydog- i asked this question on another forum and they said that i just had to inform the KC by filling in a form before i entered her as a neutered bitch. I think it used to be the case all dogs and bitches had to be entire, but now, as long as you have informed them, it's not an issue

[Ninasmum]

hi jonnydog- i asked this question on another forum and they said that i just had to inform the KC by filling in a form before i entered her as a neutered bitch. I think it used to be the case all dogs and bitches had to be entire, but now, as long as you have informed them, it's not an issue

CockersIndie.....after being spayed their coats usually go woolly/wavy, not immediately though. 
Nina was spayed last November & sadly her new 'style' coat has really kicked in now.    she is looking more like a woolly mammoth atm & shortly i will be clipping her coat, which i never have had to do before. 
This would make showing Indie very difficult with her coat change.    Show dogs are normally handstripped, which does become impossible post spay. 

[Black Beauty & Silverfox]

Thanks very much to all of you for your advice and experiences.

We'll have Miya spayed after her first season, which seems to be the train of thought of the majority.
Miya is a working Cocker and has been blessed with a beautiful shiny coat. Just have to deal with the changes if/when they happen.


Kind regards, Mel.

[CockersIndie]

hi jonnydog- i asked this question on another forum and they said that i just had to inform the KC by filling in a form before i entered her as a neutered bitch. I think it used to be the case all dogs and bitches had to be entire, but now, as long as you have informed them, it's not an issue

CockersIndie.....after being spayed their coats usually go woolly/wavy, not immediately though. 
Nina was spayed last November & sadly her new 'style' coat has really kicked in now.    she is looking more like a woolly mammoth atm & shortly i will be clipping her coat, which i never have had to do before. 
This would make showing Indie very difficult with her coat change.    Show dogs are normally handstripped, which does become impossible post spay. 

yeah, we're not having her spay until we've had a real go at the showing thing, depending on her success (or not so) we'll have it done then. We're very flexible on it thanks though!