Can't think why I didn't think of asking on here before! Last season my girl was mated, she got an infection which was treated with antibiotics, but somehow picked up a different one which was treated with different antibiotics. Somehow she still had 2 healthy puppies! But now she has had her next season, obviously wasn't mated, but again got an infection which again was treated with antibiotics, and she is now fine. Both my friend who's been breeding for 25 years, and my vet, say that after she's (hopefully) had a second litter next year she should be spayed as these infections mean a higher risk of pyo down the line. Obviously if I suspected she was getting pyo I would spay her no problems. But I really don't want to spay her on a 'just in case' thing, it will ruin her coat! My friend also says most people in my breed spay their ex-breeding bitches. So I'm wondering (a) how many of you usually spay bitches after litters, and (b) whether you have found that bitches prone to post season infections often get pyo?

Can't answer your question really but the thought that did cross my mind was as she is prone to infection you are going to be the out look for anything being wrong and therefore should she be unfortunate enough to get Pyo you would be more that usually aware that something was amiss. You don't say where her infection was?

I have never known any breeder not have their bitch spayed after she has finished being bred from. Though I guess you may find a few on the board. :-D

If she suffers from infections, I would agree with your vet that she may be more prone to pyo and of course the risk of mammary cancer goes up with age also if your bitch were to be one of the unlucky ones, two risks I don't intend to take myself and my bitch is to be spayed this year.  A change in coat is the least of my concerns to be honest, once the show life and breeding is over health is more important to me. :-)

My friend hasn't had all of hers done but she says that's just because she can't afford it, most people do. Problem is her show career won't be over when her breeding career is, I would hope to go on and take it into veteran when she gets to that age. I suppose I'll just have to cope if and when I have to spay her. As I said, of course her health IS more important than her coat, it's just the thing of if it's necessary or a 'just in case'.

It was an internal infection, I saw a slight creamy discharge from her vulva, but the vet didn't say exactly where along the reproductive tract it was. I assume it was at the vulva end rather than right up in the uterine horns, at least the previous time, or I can't believe the puppies would have survived all the antibiotics!

To be honest I know loads of people who have intact bitches who have finnished their breeding life, may be depends on the breed but as coated breeds can be very difficult to keep comfortable after spaying this may well be the reason. Dogs like people and not a one size fits all and it may suit one person to spay their bitch once their breeding life is ended but others will not even give it a thought.

I never would have given it a thought until these people started saying it could lead to pyo. :-( I plan to mate her on her next season, so I will see if that is successful, and if she has any infections in subsequent seasons, after all she had no infection on the previous 3 or 4 seasons before the one we had puppies with.