Dog - Spaying or Neutering

Why should I have my dog neutered?

Neutering, which in the female is called spaying, is removal of the uterus and the ovaries. It should always be considered if you are keeping your bitch solely as a pet. Service dogs, e.g. Guide Dogs for the Blind, Hearing Dogs for Deaf People and Dogs for the Disabled are all routinely neutered. The procedure has many advantages and few disadvantages.

What are the advantages?

• Heat (oestrus, seasons) no longer occurs, therefore the bitch is no longer attractive to male dogs at certain times of the year. This can often disrupt exercise routines with entire bitches.Even the most well trained bitch, when in season, will attempt to escape to find a mate. As a result they can at worst get killed or injured in a road traffic accident or return pregnant. This no longer occurs in the de-sexed animal.
• The problems of false pregnancy are eliminated. Although hormonal changes associated with false pregnancy are quite normal, in some bitches they become exaggerated and some bitches can become quite unwell. This is not uncommon in entire pet bitches.
• Spaying also prevents the not uncommon, life threatening, uterine disease 'pyometra' which occur most commonly in middle-aged pet bitches. See handout on Pyometra.
• Also it is known that bitches spayed before they are mature risk less chance of developing breast tumours later in life.

Is spaying performed for any other reason?

Yes. It is frequently employed to cure untreatable phantom pregnancies. It is the treatment of choice with bitches with irregular or abnormal cycles due to ovarian cysts.

It is also used to treat certain behavioural abnormalities.

Will I be able to work my dog if she is spayed?

In the introduction it was emphasised that service dogs are routinely neutered. Many spayed bitches also successfully participate in obedience and agility work clearly indicating that neutering has not in any way affected their trainability.

What are the disadvantages?

Often quoted disadvantages include lack of playfulness, 'affects intelligence', less affectionate and playful, etc. None of these so-called disadvantages have been proven.

Two disadvantages are recognised.

1. Obesity. This is hardly surprising if one considers that neutering is routinely carried out in order to improve efficiency in our food animals. Careful attention to diet and exercise is required for neutered dogs of either sex but this applies to a large proportion of dogs kept as pets today.
2. Change of coat texture and colour. There is evidence in certain breeds that following spaying alteration in coat texture is noted, e.g. Setters and some Spaniels. Colour may also be affected. This only occurs in a very small percentage of even prone breeds.

When should the operation be carried out?

Recent work has shown that spaying of the immature puppy does not have any disadvantage and the technique is much simpler. However conventional veterinary advice is that the operation should be carried out during puberty or just after the first season. Please feel free to discuss this with us.

Is there any alternative to surgery?

Yes, medical, physical and deodorant control is currently available.

• Medical control. There are a variety of drugs which can be used to inhibit the reproductive cycle. Many of these are based on natural hormones. The drugs are available as tablets or by injection and can be used to delay or stop a season completely. To effectively de-sex a dog for life these drugs have to be used on a continuous basis. Side effects are then likely to occur. This method of chemical neutering is likely to prove expensive and if long term heat suppression is required, surgery should be carefully considered.
• Physical control. Special 'nappies' designed to hold an absorbent pad to prevent the bitch’s discharge advertising her condition to other dogs are available. The attractive female pheromones are, however, also present in the urine and bitches in oestrus frequently wish to urinate little and often which rather diminishes the effect of the knickers!
• Deodorant control. There are certain products available both to apply to the rear quarters of the bitch and also for oral administration (tablets, paste) which are said to reduce the attractive odours present while in heat. Many contain chlorophyll but efficacy varies. However they are harmless and worth a try.

Are there any dangers associated with the operation?

It is a major, although routine, operation and requires a general anaesthetic. Risk therefore cannot be discounted entirely although with modern anaesthetics and surgical procedures this should not be a cause for undue concern when balanced against the advantages. In young animals the risk is significantly lower since operating time is much reduced, particularly when the ovaries and uterus are immature.

What happens when I bring my dog in for her spay?

When you arrive for the appointment you will be asked to confirm that she had not had anything to eat during the last eight hours. We will then carry out the preoperative check during which we may suggest a preoperation blood test. If all is satisfactory 'premedication' follows which usually includes an analgesic (pain killer) so that she does not feel any pain or discomfort on recovery. She will then receive a general anaesthetic and abdominal surgery performed, during which the womb and ovaries will be removed. The abdominal muscles and skin are then sutured (stitched) back together. Usually the patient will only be with us for the day although sometimes we may decide to keep her in overnight if she is not fully recovered from the anaesthetic.

Some practices are now able to offer key hole surgery to remove the ovaries only. This prevents the reproductive cycle and protects against reproductive diseases. The main advantage being that rather than one long abdominal incision, a few smaller ones are made. One disadvantake of this technique is that if your bitch needs to be treated with hormone therapy later in life, she is still able to develop pyometra (uterus infection) as the uterus is still present, though this is not common.

Are there any postoperative precautions I have to observe?

Postoperative care is similar to that for any routine major surgery. Exercise must be restricted for a few days and we will need to check her. Sometimes a special collar has to be worn for a few days to prevent licking of the wound but all these special instructions will be given to you on collection.

If you have any concerns, do not hesitate to contact us.

I am not keen on having my bitch spayed because I would like to show her and possibly breed from her.

If you wish to show your bitch and breed from her this obviously is a reason not to have her neutered at this time.

I would really like a puppy from my bitch.

Unless she is a pedigree bitch, the wisdom of mating crossbreds and mongrels has to be carefully examined. The desire to retain offspring has to be weighed against the disadvantages of having to find good homes for the other puppies in the litter, bearing in mind that rescue organisations are over run with unwanted dogs, mongrels, crossbred and pedigree.

I am told that letting my bitch have one litter will be good for her.

There is no scientific basis that one litter has any permanent effect on the bitch. Some pet bitches, when nursing a litter, can become torn between their offspring and their owners, often to the detriment of the puppies and the bitch.

This is a subject we will be more than happy to discuss with you and supply other appropriate handouts.