Can someone please give me some advise on spaying. We have been talking about having Bronnie done in a couple of months.

When we took Ellis to the vets last night we spoke about having her spade and I seem to have got some information from somewhere which he didn't know anything about.

Now I know he's the expert so of course we shall listen to him but I was wondering about your views, fors & againsts.

The information I had which was in-correct, was that there was an option to have just her tubes tied like we do rather than a full historectomy (sp), but he had never heard of this and said it would be better anyway to have the whole lot removed.

Any advise will be greatly excepted.

Juliet :)

I've never heard of a bitch having her tubes tied either. I suppose it's possible - but what would be the longterm benefit to the bitch?

I suppose the benefit would be no danger of pregnancy but you'd lose the benefits of no pyometra and reduced risk of mammary tumours (depending on the age of the bitch). I'm not sure, as I've never heard of it either, but if the ovaries and the womb are still there it's possible that while she couldn't get pregnant she might still come into season so you'd still be bothered with bleeding and male doggy attention! :(

I think if it was mine I'd go the whole way and have her fully spayed.

Kath.

She would definitely still come into season, so there would be the issues of bleeding, unwanted male attention and having to restrict her exercise. (Obviously you wouldn't be doing this just to let her wander loose, being mated by all and sundry!) So I can't see much point in putting her through the dangers and discomfort of major abdominal surgery without major benefit to her.

Could you have got mixed up with the option to have a vasectomy for a dog as opposed to full castration? I am right in thinking this is an option?
Anne

Hi Anne,
Yes, vasectomy is certainly a viable alternative to castration.
:)