Spay & neuter: Spaying your female

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A spay surgery prevents dogs from getting pregnant by removing both the ovaries and the uterus. It's not as simple as the neuter surgery the guys get--in fact, it's major surgery--but your darling girl will only be affected for a few days, maybe a week. Afterward, she'll enjoy many health benefits and neither of you will have to deal with her being in heat. Can you say, "freedom"?

Unless you plan to responsibly breed your female, spay her. Think you can just keep away unwanted suitors? Even experienced breeders get "oops" litters: dogs will jump gates, bolt through doors, dig under fences, and jump out of cars to mate. Like teenagers going to the prom, when dogs with raging hormones get together at the wrong time, you could have undesirable consequences.

Benefits

The benefits to your dog are considerable:

Spaying reduces risk of certain illnesses, such as pyometra (a common, life-threatening infection of the uterus) or mammary gland cancer.
Spaying reduces pet overpopulation. Millions of dogs are put down every year because there aren't enough homes for them.
Spaying saves you from dealing with males who are wildly attracted to your dog in heat.
You don't have to choose between a dog in sanitary pads or mess all over your house. (Leaving her in the backyard so she won't make a mess inside is not a good choice unless you're purposely trying to mate her to the most persistent male in the area.)
Spaying eliminates the rather unattractive (read: totally offensive) odor often associated with a dog in heat. Your nose may not be as sensitive as your dog's, but even you will be able to smell this.

Remember, unspayed female dogs go into heat about once every eight months and it lasts for as long as three weeks each time. And they don't go into menopause. They [Continued]

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Have an Elizabethan collar ready at home in case she needs it. It's a lot easier to have it on hand than it is to run out and get one while she's chewing stitches into little pieces of expensive thread.

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Comments

“my yorkiepoo had pups may 26,when can i have her spayed?” — mikestojanovich, Jul 09 2008

“Not sure what you mean by life cycle. Are you asking about the heat cycle? It varies from dog to dog, but females go into heat about every six months. The first heat is somewhere around six months of age although, again, it varies from dog to dog. It can be younger, so it's a good idea to spay before your pup reaches six months. Hope that helps.” — Grace, Mar 24 2008

“when does a dog have its life cycle” — sandra, Mar 24 2008

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topics	replies	views	last post
Monetary cost of spaying Could some of the members of this site tell me how much did you pay for spaying your female dog? My vet charges a range from $275-$395 d... (continued)	3	168	Jul 9, 2008 9:39am by hoochiemama view
How early to spay? I have a 12 week old chi / pug mix. How soon can I have her spayed? Should I wait for her first heat?	11	875	Jul 3, 2008 1:39am by mitch.delazo view
Spay/ neuter bill in California Everyone know about the spay/neuter bill in California? It would require dogs (and cats) to be spayed or neutered by six months of age, un... (continued)	6	531	Jun 20, 2008 12:35pm by dogdazed10 view
Spayed female I have a spayed female dog. Sometimes she smells like she is not spayed. Has anyone everyone ever heard of this.	4	466	Jun 10, 2008 7:00pm by leisha95 view

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