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Spaying?

Hi Guys:)
I have two Cavalier bitches..
I am considering getting them spayed as there are a few male dogs around my area, so its very annoying when Cassie & Pippa are in heat as i cant bring them outside without worrying about male dogs being around.
Anyway just want to know all the facts about spaying bitches, ive heard the texture of their fur will change and they can put on weight.. is this true? Would you recommend spaying your dogs?? Would it be for the best or does it cause any problems..
 
There are two key reasons to spay a bitch -- one is to avoid an unwanted litter (which is in itself a significant risk to the life of the dog) and the other is that an unspayed bitch has an extremely high one in four chance of mammary cancer during her lifetime and in this breed, one of the highest rates -- more than 35% -- of pyometra, a potentially fatal and almost always very serious and painful uterine infection that occurs in unspayed bitches. It is VERY expensive to treat (generally as it becomes an emergency requiring surgery) and the dog will end up spayed anyway, but when it is most risky to spay -- so this has to be a consideration).

Dogs only gain weight if they are overfed, which is easily avoided by exercise and controlling the food for any dog. :) Some neutered pets have a lower metabolism and so it is usually wise to lower their overall food amount by a small bit about 1/10th to 1/5th. Not one of mine however have ever had a problem with weight after neutering, all are very fit and in weight, so none required a change in food amounts (they are all quite active). Some have coat changes and some do not -- but then some dogs have coat changes due to being overweight (a very common cause), poor nutrition, or plain old genes. Many of the dogs I see -- and MOST cavaliers -- are overweight. And as most of the dogs I come across are not spayed or neutered -- we have a low rate unfortunately in Ireland -- I think people giving waaaaaay too much food is a greater weight gain risk than a neuter! :lol:

Of my five, only two have had some coat changes and only with one would anyone notice (and that is only if they know what to look for. I will add that ironically, this is the dog that most people think has the nicest coat because it is the softest of all 5. Go figure -- beauty is in the eye of the beholder!). Given that many neutered dogs have no coat changes at all, but that you see poor coats on intact dogs all the time as well, I think generally genes have more of a role that neutering. And at any rate: a minor coat change really is a tiny cosmetic issue compared to the reasons in favour of spaying.

Tons of info here:

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

Also there are many previous discussions on this topic so if you search under spay or neuter you will find lots to read including many opinions on when to spay. (y)
 
My Daisy has just turned three and we had her spayed on Saturday.
Sometimes it's hard to make the actual decision because we love them so much and don't want to inflict unnecessary pain on them,whereas I felt I could manage one unspayed bitch,managing two was not an option and as having a litter of pups was never a possibility so taking all the valid reasons Karlin has given into account the decision was taken.
I also had the opportunity to discuss this with a few breeders who were very helpful and have had a lot of experience with emergency spays for pyometra and basically spaying as an elective surgery is so easy compared to an emergency out of hours spay....and a lot less stressful.
Sins
 
Thank you both for your replys! I wanted to know all the facts, i tought i could manage them when in heat but its very difficult now with two and i also didnt want to cause them an un neccesary pain either.. but i think spaying is the best option. I dont want them to get pregnant because of my worries!
I heard also that i would have to wait three months after they were in heat?
Pippa is in heat at the moment so that would mean she cant get spayed till April, Cassie would be due to come in heat in May.
I didnt know much about the effects of spaying so thank you.:)
 
I agree with the above, Cavaliers are so prone to Pyometra which can be very dangerous; also spaying dramatically reduces the risk of mammary tumours.

If there are coat changes, they can be managed - and as Karlin says, a small price to pay. Something like the Mars Coat King or furminator are good for removing dead hair - some people opt to have their dogs clipped.

You want to aim for about half way between seasons, so if they come in 6 monthly {which is about the normal gap}, yes 3 months is correct.

Some people do advise spaying early - personally I think around 12 to 15 months is the best time, by then they are physically mature.
 
Cassie will be two March 19th and Pippa will be one April 16th.:)
any more information i would need to know would be great thanks guys !
Would Pippa be ok if i got her spayed in April as that will the three months from her 1st season.?
 
Ask your vet about the possibility of laparoscopic spaying. This is what we often call "keyhole surgery" and is a lot less invasive than the usual operation.
Also they often only remove the ovaries, leaving the womb intact, which helps to avoid any incontinence problems that can sometimes arise later in the bitch's life.

My vet assures me that leaving the womb intact will NOT result in any pyometra, as this condition comes on when a bitch is in season, ie it depends on sex hormones which are obviously absent once ovaries are removed.

I've had all my Cavvies spayed using the usual procedure, but "gave it a go" with my little Shih-tzu as she is VERY lively and I was concerned about having to keep her restricted for so long post-op. I must say it was a great success - no external stitches, only a 48-hour "quiet" period, and no scars.

I will certainly ask my vet to use the laparoscopy method on any future Cavvies I may own - but not every vet has the expertise yet, and some find spaying very small bitches in this way can be quite difficult to visualise the organs with the little camera they insert.

Good luck, whatever you decide. ;)
 
I never heard of laparoscopic spaying, just googled it and got to watch a video of how its done.
I was worried about Pippa as shes giddy so i know she wouldnt like the stitches , i was also afraid that she could undo cassie's and her own stitches.
I will definatley ask my vet about it. Do u think i should get both of them spayed at the same time or should i get one at a time?
Does anyone have any idea how much it cost to get bitches spayed?
 
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