can someone please advise a new owner is there an alternative to speying as i have a bitch and two dogs in the same home and cannot afford op at present and how often should a bitch be on heat thankyou

:(
There are several chemical options but from what I have seen, they work out more expensive than speying! The cheapest option would be to get someone else to look after your dogs whilst the bitch is in season, which, if she is most breeds, will be every 6 months. (Some sight hounds it tends to come into season once a year.) If you can't afford the cost of a spey, how do you plan to pay vets bills if one of the dogs needs treatment? maybe you should have thought a litle more carefully before buying a 3rd dog.

I do hope you have your dogs insured as it would be difficult if you could not afford to have them treated. Bitches come in season about every six months and all I can suggest is that you ask a friend or relitive to take her whilst she is in season because I assume if you can't afford to have a spay, vasectomy or castration I quess you will not be able to afford to kennel or have Tardec injections for your males. If you have kennels you could shut the dogs or the bitch in there. If you are speaking from the UK the PDSA may help you with the spaying if you are on benifit. ja:)kie

If you confine your bitch in your house, your dogs and likely even your bitch will do everything possible to mate including digging at doors and walls. It's an intensive hormonal drive to procreate --they go off their feed and moods swing.

If possible, could you see about homing your dogs with a friend or kennel as her season is just starting?

Have you checked with the different vets in your area to see what the actual cost would be? If it's just 'friends' telling you, they might be exagerating costs. It happens quite frequently. :( Also your vet could be more expensive than another.

If you're in the USA/Canada, check with the local SPCA, Humane Society, or vets to see if there is a low cost spay program available to you.
It's probabl to 'survive' one heat without pregnancy if you take care, but it's still chancy and not a pleasant experience to go through if you lack proper facilities or someone to help keep everyone separate.
good luck,
toodles