The owner of one of my puppies has contacted me in a terrible state, she had no intention of spaying her lovely bitch, didnt want the coat change that happens in our breed!!!! but her vet has told her she must have her spayed if not breeding her as there is a much higher incidence of cancer in unspayed bitches, she is beside herself with worry now, I have never heard this before and certainly do not have mine spayed and have never (touch wood) had one have cancer of the uterus, has anyone any advice on this.

There are many posts on this, but we never spay our girls.  Pomeranian's usually live well into their late teens.  I have a Spanish who will be 15 this year with no cancer and her mother died at the age of 12 due to going blind and deaf in a very short space of time and she couldn't cope with losing both senses.

I understand that there is an increased risk of mammary cancer in unspayed bitches. However it is a choice for the owner, and unfair of the vet to make it sound like she would definitely get cancer if unspayed.

Hi,
I would not spray my bitches unless there was a health problem. Sprayed bitches can get health problems, many get incontinent.
Why suggest  getting a healthy bitch sprayed ???????? money???

this was my thought, money, she is in a real dilemma, but have warned her that her beautiful silky coat will be gone, she is not bothered about her being in season, and as i say had no intention of getting her spayed till the vet put in his two pennyworth!!! thanks for your comments I will forward them to her, think it might help her come to the decision of a big firm NO !!!

My friend had a Cocker castrated because in the vet's words "he'll get cancer"  He had a beautiful correct coat which has now been ruined :(  he's now clipped off completely as it's the only way to cope :(  His owners now really struggle with his weight too - we joke that he's big boned but it's no joke really :(   their last cocker wasn't castrated and was the correct weight all his life ;)    I don't know why the vet was pushing for castration either, the dog was never really interested in bitches and they'd already responsibly kept one entire male cocker without mishap :(  

We had a Pembroke Corgi until he was 181/2 and never worried about cancer, just checked him for lumps and bumps on a regular basis as part of his general care.  He was PTS when he lost all his faculties and life was becoming a trial for him.

I too was at the vet recently getting Abby her booster when the vet told me that she had a phantom pregnancy and stated that those dogs who get phantoms will undoubtably go on to have cancer. I was worried about this also and am now considering getting Abby spayed......however in saying that we had a corgi for 14 yrs who was not spayed and we had a cross breed also for 14 yrs who was also not spayed. Both dogs were healthy until they succomed to old age...it comes to us all !

Hi Hopie,

Have a look under the posts about phantom pregnancy. Apparently all females have phantoms, however some show physical signs, others dont.

Under these crcumstances and given the above information, I think its a bit naughty of your vet worrying you like this.

I hope this puts your mind at rest.

xxxx

i'd say likely incidence fo cancer is more dependant on genetics in this area than any other factors. As you've never had probs with the bitches you've had i should think its unlikely that will be a prob for her.

cancers way down the list of worries for an unspayed bitch, pyo would concern me more (though not enough to be a reason to spay unless the got it)

> I understand that there is an increased risk of mammary cancer in unspayed bitches

This is apparently true but the study done to give this info was small and I believe the animals were not diverse in breed or relationship.

Also half of mammary tumours are benign.

Of the six related bitches of one breed I have owned, and one of another breed who had more than two seasons only one ever had a mammary tumour (carcinoma) which was spotted easily and removed at pea size when she was 5, it did reoccur in same location some few years later and the gland was removed (partial mastectomy), she lived trouble free to 13  1/2 years and her death was not cancer related.

If the statistics are to be believed I should have had at least 3 of mine with tumours of which half would b e benign

The risks have to be taken on balance.  No-one suggests that women should all have hysterectomies to reduce breast cancer, as we all know that having a hysterectomy can solve some problems but cause others.

Maybe print off this balanced article to help her and also to show her Vet, to stop him being a bully.  http://www.naiaonline.org/pdfs/LongTermHealthEffectsOfSpayNeuterInDogs.pdf

Most vets want you to spay for A: money and B: stops unwanted puppies/careless breeding/sometimes temprement problems and I think SOMETIMES routine neutering is the way to go HOWEVER it's not for all breeds, or all owners and I wish vets would tell owners the drawbacks of spaying (ie coat care, weight etc)

I would hope all vets suggest neuturing as an option to new puppy owners but for them to be given the full story!!!

Of course it is less likely for a spayed bitch to get cancer in that area, but the chances of a bitch getting it when bred by a breeder who health checks and has no cancer in their lines, is very slim to start with anyway. :)