Bitch Spay

Bitch Spay

Spaying should always be considered if you are keeping your bitch as a pet. If you don’t plan to breed from your bitch, having them neutered is the responsible thing to do. As well as preventing unwanted litters, neutering reduces the risk of several health problems.

What are the advantages?

• It prevents infection of the womb (pyometra)
• If spayed before maturity, the chances of developing mammary cancer are greatly reduced
• It prevents the bitch from coming into season; therefore she will not bleed for up to 3 weeks every 6 months
• It prevents unwanted pregnancies
• It stops the urge of the bitch from wanting to escape to find a mate
• It eliminates the possibility of false pregnancy following a season. This is when some bitches feel unwell, start nesting, may seem aggressive and produce milk.

Is spaying performed for any other reason?

The operation may be performed for several medical conditions. These include:

• Treatment of intractable phantom pregnancy
• Bitches with irregular or abnormal cycles due to ovarian cysts
• Spaying is also carried out on occasion to correct certain behavioural problems
• Bitches are usually spayed in the stabilisation of diabetes

What are the disadvantages of spaying a bitch?

The most quoted ‘disadvantage’ is that the bitch will become fat, lose character and will be useless as a guard dog. Spaying will often reduce the energy requirements needed by the bitch, so weight gain is common. This is completely preventable if you feed the correct diet without excessive titbits.

A second disadvantage of neutering in some bitches is the predisposition to incontinence. Certain breeds of dogs may be predisposed to incontinence, and spaying may exacerbate this in these individuals. Your vet will examine your bitch and discuss the relevance of this issue with you and the timing of neutering.

She will not become characterless. Guarding ability, intelligence, playfulness and affection are not significantly altered by spaying. You may benefit from her being predictable without any fluctuations in her behaviour.

When should the operation be carried out?

At HNVG we usually advise spaying 3-4 months after a season. Having a first season allows their joints to grow properly and reduces the likelihood of urinary incontinence later in life. If you have any questions about the timing of when to spay, please speak to a vet.  Spays should not be performed if the bitch is experiencing a false pregnancy or in season – a free pre-operative check will be performed to check that these are not occurring.

What happens when I leave my dog for the procedure?

Your pet will be settled into a warm and comfy bed in our dog ward.  A pre-med injection is given prior to surgery to help her feel calm, reduce the amount of anaesthetic used and provide pain relief. Each patient has an intravenous cannula placed to allow us direct access for drugs.

She will undergo a general anaesthetic and her belly will be clipped and sterilized for surgery. Trained nurses monitor and record blood pressure, ECG, oxygen levels and temperature throughout the anaesthetic.

In a traditional spay an incision into the abdomen is made, removal or the ovaries +/- the uterus is performed, and the incision is closed, usually with dissolvable stitches under the skin. Laparoscopic (keyhole) spays have a much faster recovery time and are less painful compared to traditional spays – the ovaries are removed needing only two keyhole incisions. At HNVG to have a team of specially trained vets capable of performing keyhole spays using specialised equipment.

Your pet will move back to a comfy bed to recover with a nurse. Most dogs will go home the same day but if we have any concerns they may stay overnight.

Are there any post-operative precautions I must take?

A nurse will discharge your pet and explain how best to care for her. Your pet will return for 1-2 free post op checks as instructed.

She will need to be kept warm, quiet and comfortable for a day after returning home. The wound should be checked daily for redness, discharge or swelling.  A medical T-shirt is included in the procedure to prevent interference with the wound.

After traditional spays dogs need gentle lead exercise only for at least 10 days and energetic behaviour should be avoided. After laparoscopic spays dogs need much less rest – only up to 5 days.

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