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Spaying a female dog.

  • 05-07-2010 7:49pm
    #1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,104 ✭✭✭


    Does getting a female dog spayed calm her down & make her less energetic?


«13

Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 2,851 ✭✭✭Glowing


    Nope - you may just need to walk her for longer every day! What breed is she?

    It is the best thing for her all round though and you should spay her anyway to avoid unwanted litters, and to avoid all sorts of health complications ...


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,104 ✭✭✭easyeason3


    A labrador. It's my friends dog & she's coming near the six month mark so she's thinking of getting her done before she goes into heat.
    She doesn't want to breed off her but was wondering if it will have any effect on the dog?


  • Registered Users Posts: 372 ✭✭Ado86


    If your dog is very energetic - breed dependent, she probably is bored and requires more stimulation and exercise.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,851 ✭✭✭Glowing


    Definately get her done - she'll be back to normal in a day or two, it won't have any ill effects and will prevent some cancers developing in later life ....


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,104 ✭✭✭easyeason3


    Ado86 wrote: »
    If your dog is very energetic - breed dependent, she probably is bored and requires more stimulation and exercise.


    She is having trouble training her because she's still very much at the puppy stage. Jumping up, bad on recall etc. So that's why she was wondering would it calm her down a bit.

    She's getting her done anyway as she doesn't want a litter of pups to try & find good homes for. But she was wondering if getting the pooch spayed would calm her down enough to learn commands etc.

    Her energy is unbelievable & she's in a house where there is always someone at hom & they have a JR too for company.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 7,842 ✭✭✭shinikins


    I had my two cocker spaniel bitches neautered at the same time(they developed lumps on the mammary glands that turned out to be cancerous) and they calmed down immediatly. They're a very energetic breed anyway, and i was shocked by the change in them. They were prtty quiet and grumpy for a few days, but as soon as the stitches came out, they were fine, just a lot calmer!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 813 ✭✭✭wiger toods


    easyeason3 wrote: »
    Does getting a female dog spayed calm her down & make her less energetic?
    please get this done! i recently lost my little baby through cancer! she was a beautiful redsetter, which made me the happiest person around for 13 years. the vet told me had she been spayed, there would have been very little chance of her developing this disease. i knew nothing about this of course, and cant turn the clock back. i would strongly advise you to do it please. as they get older the possibilty of them getting cancer is huge, unless they've been spayed.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,104 ✭✭✭easyeason3


    please get this done! i recently lost my little baby through cancer! she was a beautiful redsetter, which made me the happiest person around for 13 years. the vet told me had she been spayed, there would have been very little chance of her developing this disease. i knew nothing about this of course, and cant turn the clock back. i would strongly advise you to do it please. as they get older the possibilty of them getting cancer is huge, unless they've been spayed.


    I'm sorry to hear that. It's always difficult losing a pet especially one you have cared for over 13 years.

    She's definately getting her done. She's just hoping for a happy side effect = that she'll calm down enough to train!

    To be fair to my friend she has great patience & has tried everything to train her pooch but she has a ferocious energy in her even though she is well excercised.


  • Registered Users Posts: 642 ✭✭✭salad dodger


    Apologies first for slightly hijacking the thread.

    But as we're on the subject of spaying, I'd just like to find out when is the best time to get it done? I've seen some relatives bitches swell up after the operation and i wonder was it because the dogs were done either too early or too late.
    Mrs D and i got a wee shih tzu bitch last week at 8weeks old. I'm not sure as to what age to put her under the knife as we have no real interest in breeding off of her and as mentioned before, to reduce the risk of health probs in the future. I've heard not to get it done until she has gone on heat at least once. I have also heard it recommended in the past to let a bitch have a litter first and then get her done.

    Thanks for any input.


  • Registered Users Posts: 7,842 ✭✭✭shinikins


    Apologies first for slightly hijacking the thread.

    But as we're on the subject of spaying, I'd just like to find out when is the best time to get it done? I've seen some relatives bitches swell up after the operation and i wonder was it because the dogs were done either too early or too late.
    Mrs D and i got a wee shih tzu bitch last week at 8weeks old. I'm not sure as to what age to put her under the knife as we have no real interest in breeding off of her and as mentioned before, to reduce the risk of health probs in the future. I've heard not to get it done until she has gone on heat at least once. I have also heard it recommended in the past to let a bitch have a litter first and then get her done.

    Thanks for any input.

    I've just been talking to my Vet(he's a family friend) and in his opinion, you should wait til around 6 months, or the first time she comes into season(which tends to be around the same time) If a dog is not bred, the chances of cancer occuring are huge(thats what happened to my two, neither had a litter and i found the lumps on their teats around age 6) Whether or not she has a litter first is of no consequence. I'm only repeating what he told me, and i may not have picked up all the info correctly. Your Schih-tzu pup will be needing her shots soon anyway, why not ask your vet then?


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  • Registered Users Posts: 6,596 ✭✭✭anniehoo


    Glowing wrote: »
    Definately get her done - she'll be back to normal in a day or two, it won't have any ill effects and will prevent some cancers developing in later life ....
    Pyometra (nulliparous is just the technical term for not having a litter) is the main one to worry about in an unspayed female dog.
    easyeason3 wrote: »
    But she was wondering if getting the pooch spayed would calm her down enough to learn commands etc.

    Her energy is unbelievable .
    Neutering is not a magic fix for "bad behaviour".Some dogs calm down energy wise but it wont correct behavioural probs. It eliminates hormonal influences but it will still need basic discipline.Thats a whole different ballgame. It should help..but spaying or castrating any animal doesnt equal a personality change.
    when is the best time to get it done?
    Dogs can come into "heat" anytime from 5-10mths. Personally i would let them go into one heat (this doesnt mean having a litter). It means their hormones have matured fully and then its just growth after that. Some will argue against it.In development terms its like removing the ovaries of a girl before shes had a period. Hormones are vital and i think removing their source before its time isnt a good idea.


  • Registered Users Posts: 266 ✭✭Bookkeeper09


    We had our Retriever/labrador female spayed about 7 weeks ago at 6 months. This was before she went into heat at all.
    I had asked the question of whether we should wait until she had gone into season once and got conflicting opinions but more seemed to be advising to get her done before she went into season so we went with that.
    She was quiet for about 2 days and then back to her normal loopy self!
    I would say if the dog is very energetic to re-enforce the lampshade(with duct tape or something similar)....our dog managed to take hers off and take out her stitches! All was fine tho!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,534 ✭✭✭morganafay


    I don't know about dogs but my vet prefers to spay cats at 4 months before they go into heat.

    I got all my dogs spayed at about 10-12 months, but some of them hadn't come into heat at that age anyway. If I spay my puppy I'd do it before she goes into heat probably.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,710 ✭✭✭lrushe


    Imagine sterilizing a human at the age of 9 or 10 before they were sexually mature, imagine how stunted their growth and development would be. Please if possible leave a dog to fully mature before spay / neutering, of course if you can't contain your dog then spay / neutering at 6 months is the lesser of 2 evils but otherwise leave you dog until 18 - 24 months depending on its breed.


  • Registered Users Posts: 8,085 ✭✭✭Xiney


    lrushe wrote: »
    Imagine sterilizing a human at the age of 9 or 10 before they were sexually mature, imagine how stunted their growth and development would be. Please if possible leave a dog to fully mature before spay / neutering, of course if you can't contain your dog then spay / neutering at 6 months is the lesser of 2 evils but otherwise leave you dog until 18 - 24 months depending on its breed.

    most people are not equipped with the time or the knowledge to keep a dog in heat away from intact males in the area.

    spaying a female dog before they go into their first heat is the best practise. Human development is miles away from dogs' - the comparison is invalid.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,710 ✭✭✭lrushe


    Xiney wrote: »
    most people are not equipped with the time or the knowledge to keep a dog in heat away from intact males in the area.

    spaying a female dog before they go into their first heat is the best practise. Human development is miles away from dogs' - the comparison is invalid.

    I've already said if you can't contain your dog to spay / neuter at 6 months.
    The comparison is v.valid. Sex hormones have the same effects on a dogs growth as it does a humans. Just like human adolsences dog adolsences grow in fits and starts rather than in one go, cut out hormones at any point in their development and you stunt grownth, which is why they are finding an increase in bone problems like bone cancer in dogs in later life that were spayed early.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 146 ✭✭lisar201


    so is it better to let a bitch have pups before you neutre? My 7 month old rottie is coming into heat and i am debating whether or not to let her have pups as some ppl are saying its better to and some are saying it makes no difference at all


  • Registered Users Posts: 8,000 ✭✭✭andreac


    lisar201 wrote: »
    so is it better to let a bitch have pups before you neutre? My 7 month old rottie is coming into heat and i am debating whether or not to let her have pups as some ppl are saying its better to and some are saying it makes no difference at all

    Absol not!! There is absol no need for your dog to have pups. Plus i hope you wouldnt be thinking of breeding her in her first heat, are you?:confused:


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,710 ✭✭✭lrushe


    lisar201 wrote: »
    so is it better to let a bitch have pups before you neutre? My 7 month old rottie is coming into heat and i am debating whether or not to let her have pups as some ppl are saying its better to and some are saying it makes no difference at all

    There is absolutely no need for a dog to ever have pups. I spayed my 4 and a year old Chihuahua in January, she never had any pups.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 146 ✭✭lisar201


    andreac wrote: »
    Absol not!! There is absol no need for your dog to have pups. Plus i hope you wouldnt be thinking of breeding her in her first heat, are you?:confused:

    no no no no no!!! I was thinking about when she was maybe about 2 or older
    but if it makes no difference at all i more than likely won't breed her


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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,710 ✭✭✭lrushe


    lisar201 wrote: »
    no no no no no!!! I was thinking about when she was maybe about 2 or older
    but if it makes no difference at all i more than likely won't

    Lisar201, I have a similar aged Rottie, I'm on 2 minds whether to show her or not but if I don't end up showing I will be spaying her when she's 2, I really do think its the best course of action :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 8,000 ✭✭✭andreac


    lisar201 wrote: »
    no no no no no!!! I was thinking about when she was maybe about 2 or older
    but if it makes no difference at all i more than likely won't

    Oh thats good, sorry, it just looked like you were thinking of doing it now. Its not easy to sell rotties to good homes and there are so many in the pound and being given up for adoption so i honestly wouldnt be breeding from her unless you have showed her and she is an excellent example of her breed.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 146 ✭✭lisar201


    lrushe wrote: »
    Lisar201, I have a similar aged Rottie, I'm on 2 minds whether to show her or not but if I don't end up showing I will be spaying her when she's 2, I really do think its the best course of action :)

    yeah ill wait till near the time and then decide,It just gona be a nightmare trying to walk her when she is in heat!


  • Registered Users Posts: 8,000 ✭✭✭andreac


    lisar201 wrote: »
    yeah ill wait till near the time and then decide,It just gona be a nightmare trying to walk her when she is in heat!

    I wouldnt be walking her too much when shes in heat. If a dog gets to her it can only take seconds to mate with her and you wont be able to get him off her if you are on your own with her so i would be very careful out walking her and if you really have to, just walk her places where there are no other dogs really, just to be sure.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,710 ✭✭✭lrushe


    andreac wrote: »
    I wouldnt be walking her too much when shes in heat. If a dog gets to her it can only take seconds to mate with her and you wont be able to get him off her if you are on your own with her so i would be very careful out walking her and if you really have to, just walk her places where there are no other dogs really, just to be sure.

    Just to add if you can drive her somewhere to walk her it will prevent males following you home and waiting outside your door!


  • Registered Users Posts: 17,736 ✭✭✭✭kylith


    lrushe wrote: »
    Imagine sterilizing a human at the age of 9 or 10 before they were sexually mature, imagine how stunted their growth and development would be. Please if possible leave a dog to fully mature before spay / neutering, of course if you can't contain your dog then spay / neutering at 6 months is the lesser of 2 evils but otherwise leave you dog until 18 - 24 months depending on its breed.
    Developmentally, probably yes, but their growth wouldnt' be stunted; quite the opposite in fact. Human males who've been castrated grow very tall, and I've heard the same is true with dogs; those neutered before puberty is done can get 'leggy', and bigger than average.

    A dog certainly shouldn't gain weight after being neutered. Both of mine were neutered before I got them from rescue and one is a lot slimmer now than she was then. If your dog puts on weight it needs more exercise and/or less food.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 146 ✭✭lisar201


    andreac wrote: »
    I wouldnt be walking her too much when shes in heat. If a dog gets to her it can only take seconds to mate with her and you wont be able to get him off her if you are on your own with her so i would be very careful out walking her and if you really have to, just walk her places where there are no other dogs really, just to be sure.

    i normally take her to the beach every evening because she loves swimming in the sea but i think i'm just going to have avoid it for about 3 wks,Think i'm going to have to spend loads of time in the garden playing fetch because there just seems to be dogs everywhere!its really not fair on her!


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,710 ✭✭✭lrushe


    kylith wrote: »
    Developmentally, probably yes, but their growth wouldnt' be stunted; quite the opposite in fact. Human males who've been castrated grow very tall, and I've heard the same is true with dogs; those neutered before puberty is done can get 'leggy', and bigger than average.

    A dogs growth plates grow at different stages in its development right up until it is full grown. So for example a dogs tiba and fibula might grow to its full size by 6 months but its femur won't be fully developed until 11 months. If the dog is sterilised at 6 months the femur will never fully develop as it should (stunted). There are cases where a dogs (mostly males) grow quiet tall and leggy but this is as dangerous in later life as stunted growth as their bones grow too fast, this in turn will lead to painful joints and possible cancers.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,639 ✭✭✭Miss Lockhart


    Just as on the human medical forums on this board, I really think people should not be allowed to post supposed facts here without supporting it with links to reputable scientific literature.

    lrushe - what is your opinion on the comparative risks of possible growth plate problems in a spayed female versus risks of mammary cancer in an unspayed female?


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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,710 ✭✭✭lrushe


    Just as on the human medical forums on this board, I really think people should not be allowed to post supposed facts here without supporting it with links to reputable scientific literature.

    lrushe - what is your opinion on the comparative risks of possible growth plate problems in a spayed female versus risks of mammary cancer in an unspayed female?

    My opinion is that mammary cancer is easier to detect and much easier to treat than the likes of bone cancer which is nearly always a death sentence. I am not advocating never neutering or spaying a dog but rather waiting until it is fully matured ie 18 - 24 months old when there is only a marginally increased risk of mammary cancer over a dog who was spayed at a young age. I am not comfortable with the blanket statement given to most pet owners that spaying and neutering at 6 months is the best the answer and until there is more research gone into the long term effects of early spaying and neutering it is not a course of action I would choose for my dog. However, as I have said before if you cannot contain your intact dog then early neutering or spaying is the lesser of 2 evils.

    http://www.naiaonline.org/pdfs/LongTermHealthEffectsOfSpayNeuterInDogs.pdf


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