I need to make a decision on spaying. Please help.

[iLikeCavs]

I'm leaning towards getting Mya spayed. Well, first let me tell you she will be 7 months in a week. Anyways, if I get her spayed she won't have to go through her heats and read that fixed dogs will live happier lives? My real question is, should I first wait until she goes through her first heat? I've been told many things like if she has a heat, there will be a higher chance of a disease or a cancer in her reproductive area. I've also been told if I do it before she has her first heat, if her muscles aren't yet much developed, she will drip out urine when she's not peeing? (please explain?) I just want to know of your expirience and some advice.

Thank you.

[Karlin]

This might help:

http://board.cavaliertalk.com/showthread.php?t=21755

Females will have a 7% lifetime risk of mammary cancer if not spayed before their first heat and this rises to 25% after three heats. A new study out on spay/neuter notes cavaliers are at a higher risk for pyometra (an often fatal womb infection) when left unspayed than many other breeds (and the risk of pyometra is very high in unspayed females) and that actually, females spayed before the first heat have fewer incontinence problems (but these are rare anyway).

Most reputable breeders actually require their dogs to be neutered and spayed though -- this is usually specified in the homing contract. Usually this must be done between 6-12 months or so.

If you don't spay you will have to keep her confined indoors for 4 weeks, the full span of her heat, absolutely no trips outside for walks etc. A female in heat can attract aggressive males from a mile or more away that will do whatever they can to get at her so it is crucial she remain totally confined during this time.

[Brian M]

My Rosie is just seven months and having researched and asked questions prior to Poppy and Daisy getting spayed the optimum time according to most opinion i was given seems to be three months after the onset of her first season, so i am going with that. I must admit though i am not looking forward to the day it happens as poor Daisy was not a well girl whilst Poppy was not too bad though within 24 hours they were both up and about so all in all i am glad i had them spayed and thereby reduced the risk of some certain problems developing .

[Brian M]

Hi Karlin
Just read your posting what is your opinion pls for the best time for spaying a little seven month old girl would it be prior to her first heat or would it be what i was previously advised three months after onset.

[Barbara Nixon]

I would discuss it with your vet, as thier views differ. However, certainly spay within the first year.

Anita, who is a member of this forum, would say do before, as she nearly lost her Millie to sudden onset pyometra (she had only hours to act), well before her first birthday. She was very ill for days, evn after the op.

In the days when spaying wasn't routine, as anaesthetics wrren't as safe, I had two springers get pyometra. Cindy was lucky, as even at 10 , she was a toughie, but sally, at 14 , had a heart problem and couldnpoot stand the op.

As many will say, it's better to have a healthy dog operated on , than one who is already sick.

[Phoebe]

I have really agonised over this decision with my little girl, I've discussed it with my vet and on balance, we decided to wait until after her first season. I just want to get it out of the way, she is now seven and a half months, so anytime soon do you think?
I cannot imagine how we are going to keep her in the back garden for a month though, we go for a lovely long walk every day without fail and she absolutely loves it. She has a little friend called William, a castrated four year old Cav and his owner and I were wondering - if he comes around to play in our garden whilst she is confined, will it bother him at all that she is in season? Will it make him uncomfortable or unhappy in anyway, in fact can anyone tell me what kind of behaviour we could expect from them? I certainly don't want to do anything that might unsettle Will, but it would be nice if Phoebe could have a bit of normality.
Will I know straight away when she comes into season as I'm afraid I might take her out without realising it's started, only for her to be molested!
Sorry to go on a bit but this talk board is soooo useful

[Barbara Nixon]

My younger two's breeder had a dog (Joly's grandad), also called William, who was castrated , but still insisted on having his way with the girls. Some bitches actually dislike a dog's attentions during certain parts of their season and can be snappy.

[Libish]

I spayed Avery at 5 months..... it just made sense to me to get the spay and microchip done all at the same time. Then it was over and done and I didn't have to worry about her coming into heat ever.....

She did great.... barely even set her energy level back at that age...

[Karlin]

You should not expose a female in in heat to any male dogs. A neutered male can try to force himself on your female (and vice versa!) and they can tie -- lock together -- just as she could with an unneutered dog. An in-heat female should not even be out in a garden unsupervised -- large breed dogs can and will jump very high walls to get to a bitch in heat.

If you search the site you can find a couple of threads in which BruceH offers detailed information on how to manage a female in heat but it is basically total confinement inside, caution even if in a fenced garden, no access to males, of any sort. She will probably bleed and need to wear panties of some sort to protect furniture. Absolute care must be taken when opening doors to the outside as the drive is very high in many bitches in heat to get out and find males.

Basically all females will be diffrent -- some are easy to manage and some are a challenge but this is such an important thing not to get wrong that really anyone needs to take the most cautious and conservative approach. I have seen what happens to females when assaulted by a gang of males and know of females who become total escape artists to get out.

[vikki]

I spayed my girl around 7 or 8 months. I too wanted to wait until her first heat was over but what made me decide was the worry that she could get out or a big dog could get to her no matter how well I supervised her. I would feel so bad to have her attacked by a big dog. my husband hated the idea of such a young dog being spayed as well, but we did go ahead she did very well. the next day she was jumping up on the furniture.