Oh my, I am really worried, our lab is due to be spayed tomorrow (mon am) she is 21 months now and I am almost sure it is the correct thing to do as she will be protected against pyro, breast cancer and obviously there will be no unwanted puppies and no seasons but I just can't help feeling guilty about it.  I worry that I am making a decision that (and I know this sounds really strange) she can't say yes or no to, I am almost feel like I am playing G-d and taking her femininity away from her.  I know that she can not be bred from as she has a bad L hip score and is missing teeth in her lower jaw but is it right for me to make this decision?  Is it truly the right thing to do?  Do they know what they are missing or understand about it all?

i had the saame problem but she was fine and i don't think they know difference. i think they would rather not miss out on 3 weeks excersise twice a year- that is wat my dogs live for.
if you have taken a long time to decide then i am sure it is right for you.
good luck and only you know best
anna

Don't worry, you're doing the "right" thing for her.

Don't humanise her too much - she isn't going to feel any different! 

Don't beat yourself up about it. It is the right and responsible thing to do. She will feel a lot better if she's not getting the doggy equivalent of PMT because of her hormones being up the wall or have male dogs making her life a misery when you walk her for a couple of weeks twice a year.

My bitches didn't even miss their evening meal when they were spayed and you would have never known they'd been done. It also didn't stop one of them being the worst flirt on the planet with male dogs, so I'm pretty sure she had no psycholigical hang-up's about missing her 'gearbox'. :D Dogs are definitely more intelligent than we give them credit for, but I doubt it stretches to convoluted thought processes like their sexuality after a hysterectomy.

"Do they know what they are missing or understand about it all?"

I wouldn't have thought so... They get over it very quickly once the wounds fully healed.  Our girls (previous and current) were only off their food the evening of the op, probably as a result of feeling groggy from the anaesthetic.  After a good sleep they were bright and perky the next morning and back to wolfing down their meals   You've just got to ensure your girl doesn't lick her wound (making it sore) or pull out her stitches - an "Ah-ah!" when ours tried did the trick and they learnt to leave the wound well alone by about day 3 :)  Not only will it offer protection from the ailments you've mentioned, spaying also stops any persistant and unwanted attention (as well as impregnating) by entire males.

:)

Thanks everybody for your kind answers.
I guess I just can't help but worry, tonight is going to be a sleepless one I know that for sure.  But you have all made me feel better knowing that it is the right thing to do.  Fingers crossed that all willl be fine tomorrow morning. 

How is she ? :)

I felt the same way you did when I had Opi spayed - worries about anaesthesia aside - she was done at 19 months, about 4 months after her second season.

But it was the right thing to do - not least because she was an absolute nightmare during her seasons!  The lack of exercise was bad enough (Opi is a VERY high energy dog), but a little before and for quite a while after the season she was an absolute flirt with any dog she came across :D and too strong to handle properly when she really wanted to say hello and wave her bum around!  Ultimately she got fed up during seasons having to be kept indoors, so I know I've done the right thing.

Hi Goat
How's she doing?

Yep... same question!

....just saw your thread....  I know the worry!  I guess we all do!   So how is she...?