Author Topic: Speying and the Coat  (Read 1319 times)

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Offline AndyB

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Speying and the Coat
« on: October 14, 2021, 08:09:39 AM »
Maisie has an impeccable sense of timing.  I have very recently had my lounge completely redecorated, new carpet and had my suite recovered.  The carpet was fitted 10 days ago.  Last Sunday Maisie came into season.  I have had Maisie for 15 months now and she has only had one season, early in November last year, so it has been almost 12 months.  I was told by the lady who rescued her that she had never been in season.  Maisie will be 3 on Boxing Day.  In the past I have always had my female dogs speyed.  However, because Maisie was such an anxious dog when she arrived, and still is in many situations, I decided not to have her neutered for a while.  However I am now starting to think I should address this issue. 

Maisie has the most beautiful silky coat. She is blue roan. Could I ask any of you who have had your bitch speyed how much did the dog's coat change after she was speyed.  This was another reason I felt a little reluctant to have her neutered and also the fact that she only seems to have one season each year, which is obviously a little more manageable.  Maisie is groomed by me and has never been clipped so has the full cocker coat.

I have read previous posts on this subject and it seems a bit of a minefield.  I know vets are always very keen for bitches to be neutered.

Offline vixen

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Re: Speying and the Coat
« Reply #1 on: October 14, 2021, 11:34:13 AM »
My only experience is with working cockers and their coats were never as long as a show type.  When I had them spayed after their second season (they were over 2 at the time) I thought I had got away with any change in their coats however as the years past, my solid black girl went very woolly and her coat was almost impossible to groom with the comb and rubber band method I had previously used.  I had to use a coat king and their coats never looked as good as before.  My blue roan’s coat never went as woolly as her litter sister’s but I found the black parts of her markings were definitely woolier than before. 
Max (GSP)  always in my heart

Offline cazza

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Re: Speying and the Coat
« Reply #2 on: October 16, 2021, 07:31:34 AM »
Had my white and black ticked worker spayed and had no issues with her coat

Think it just depends on the dog

Good luck

Offline AndyB

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Re: Speying and the Coat
« Reply #3 on: October 17, 2021, 06:02:26 AM »
Thanks for your replies.  That is heartening Cazza.  Almost every time I walk Maisie and meet a fellow dog lover they comment on her beautiful coat.  She certainly has the silkiest coat of any spaniel I have owned.  However, she is being a right little floozie this time so I really think I have to address this after Christmas. I am getting so paranoid I won't leave her in the garden unattended, although I know it is completley dog proof.   I believe I have to wait three months from the last season before she can be spayed. 

Offline vixen

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Re: Speying and the Coat
« Reply #4 on: October 17, 2021, 08:25:00 AM »
Yes, vets are very keen to spay bitches but it could be to do with their income  ;)
It has to be your decision based on what you think best for your girl.
I have a puppy ( also called Maisie ) and I am thinking of not having her spayed.  I don’t want to breed from her and I am not being irresponsible, I just wonder about all the health benefits that vets quote.  My two previous girls were spayed and yet Stevie still developed mammary lumps later in life. 
As to blood in the house, you can buy special pants for your girl to wear.
If I do change my mind, I would opt for keyhole surgery but not all vets offer it.
On Maisie’s ID disc, I did include the line that she had been spayed though  ;). Just a precaution if she was stolen or lost.
Max (GSP)  always in my heart

Offline Toofast

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Re: Speying and the Coat
« Reply #5 on: October 17, 2021, 06:38:09 PM »
I have had cocker spaniels for 55 years.
I have never spayed for convenience, I have always had girls and consider them coming into season up to twice a year and avoiding pregnancy just part of the responsibility of having girls. Otherwise I would have had boys.
 I have spayed a couple of girls for medical reasons and certainly but not for the fact that they were messy when in season.  And it did ruin their beautiful silky coats, it turned them into wooly bears that needed clipping every 3 months.
I can never understand why people get themselves a female puppy and as soon as possible they spay them!
We have had one boy that again we kept entire, he belonged to my daughter but when she lost her job and had to move back home the dog had to come back with her. And here he stayed. Hmm!!
The love,loyalty and affection was probably better than the girls but that could have been because he was first of all a single dog.
 When various girls game into season we managed him accordingly, there were times that he had to take a break and we needed one too, so he would go to our local boarding kennels where he was quiet happy, but always pleased to come home again. We never considered castrating him.

Health wise regarding whether to spay or not, I think the benefits hardly outweigh the problems that spaying can potentially cause during a lifetime. And of course we have that one other risk, the one where we could loose that beautiful silky smooth coat.

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Offline ips

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Re: Speying and the Coat
« Reply #6 on: October 17, 2021, 07:02:10 PM »
Too fast
An interesting post gained from many years experience it would seem 👍
For the record I never considered spaying my girl and seasons have never been an issue for us 👍
Muddling along in the hope that one day it all makes sense.

Offline AndyB

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Re: Speying and the Coat
« Reply #7 on: October 17, 2021, 09:27:32 PM »
Very interesting replies.  Heartening to hear that others are reluctant to have their bitch neutered just because vets seem to promote the practice.  I have been using Size 6 pull on nappy pants in the evenings when Maisie is in the lounge.  They don't stay on particularly well, I have to keep pulling them up and Maisie's face is a picture.  She looks like the most hard done by dog on earth but they are definitely a help.  I did send for some doggie pants for when dogs are in season last year but they were pretty hopeless and I think the baby pants are much better, and certainly a lot cheaper.  I will take a view on this as I don't need to decide until next year.  I have groomed her today and when I looked at her afterwards I felt sad at the thought of her losing her beautiful silky lustrous coat. 

I have to admit I have felt a little stressed when exercising Maisie but as I don't let her off lead anyway (Maisie is Deaf), all the dogs I encounter are on a lead and at the moment everyone seems to cross the road anyway when they see another person approaching so it hasn't been too much of a problem. I am being very careful where I exercise her, trying to choose quiet lanes near where I live.  I believe the bleeding lasts around 10 days so by around Thursday this week it should be less of a problem.

Lots to think about and need to do more research.