Spaying Elsa

Hi there

Elsa is approaching 6 months old and we have been talking about when to get her spayed as we have decided that we don't want her to have a litter of pups.

I've been reading up on the best time to do this and most articles I've read recommend about 6 months, although I haven't spoken to our vets yet.  What age did you have your little girls spayed?  And how were they after the treatment when you took them home?   I know it's a major operation for them and I'm a tad nervous about putting her through it.  

I know she has to have it done..so I think I'm looking for a bit of reassurance/advice really.  She's only a baby.

Thanks
x

Our girls are being done on the 18th and 21st December and we have been told to expect a recovery time of around 7 days (ours will be 6 and a half months old). We had our last Staffie girl spayed at 6 months old and she was absolutely fine. She was very groggy when we bought her home on the day of the op (and she didn't like having to wear the cone!) but the next day she was fine. The vet gave us some painkillers for her and you wouldn't have known she had had anything done. The hardest bit was stopping her from trying to jump up on to the sofa! If Elsa comes into season before she is spayed you will have to wait another 3 months before they will do the operation. Most vets recommend having them done before their first season as it can help to prevent cancers that can form after they have had their first season.

Please don't worry. Lots of young dogs go through this operation every day and are absolutely fine. It is a routine operation for the vet and they have done hundereds of them before. It will worry you more than it is going to worry her. She may be a little more nervous about visiting the vets afterwards but that is understandable

feefeemc wrote:Hi there

Elsa is approaching 6 months old and we have been talking about when to get her spayed as we have decided that we don't want her to have a litter of pups.

I've been reading up on the best time to do this and most articles I've read recommend about 6 months, although I haven't spoken to our vets yet.  What age did you have your little girls spayed?  And how were they after the treatment when you took them home?   I know it's a major operation for them and I'm a tad nervous about putting her through it.  

I know she has to have it done..so I think I'm looking for a bit of reassurance/advice really.  She's only a baby.

Thanks
x

Hi, we had our Maya done at 5 and a half months, as recommended by her vet. I took her in at 8 AM, and after phoning them several times through the day to check all was ok Lol, i picked her up at 4 PM and though she was groggy for about 24 hours after her op, everything went really smoothly with absolutely no issues.

It didn`t bother Maya in the slightest, and because they had used the dissolving stitches, we only had to take her back 1 week later to have the plaster removed. It`s natural to worry ! i was worried sick, but in all honesty you don`t need to, they know what they are doing, and everything will be fine
One other thing is, although she came home with the cone on her head I took it off straight away, as the wife had modified a couple of old T shirts, and Maya just wore those until the return visit, or you could just get a couple of baby grows instead

Ahh thank you for your messages.  Its good to hear first hand experiences.  You can read stuff on line over and over but until you actually go through it, you don't know what to expect.  

She's due to have her flea and worming visit to the vets next week so I'll have a chat to them and hopefully they'll help to make me feel a bit better about it..

I'm a bit queezy too so the thought of the stitches gives me wobbly legs.   Guess my hubby can do most of the aftercare and I'll just cuddle and kiss her better.

I love your idea of a modified t shirt too, might give that a try.  

Thank you again, I'll let you know how I get on..
x

feefeemc wrote:Ahh thank you for your messages.  Its good to hear first hand experiences.  You can read stuff on line over and over but until you actually go through it, you don't know what to expect.  

She's due to have her flea and worming visit to the vets next week so I'll have a chat to them and hopefully they'll help to make me feel a bit better about it..

I'm a bit queezy too so the thought of the stitches gives me wobbly legs.   Guess my hubby can do most of the aftercare and I'll just cuddle and kiss her better.

I love your idea of a modified t shirt too, might give that a try.  

Thank you again, I'll let you know how I get on..
x

Yes please do let us know how it all goes You won`t even see the stitches, so you can stop wobbling now Yes, plenty of big kisses and cuddles is a big part of the aftercare
If you do go down the T shirt route, you will want it snug, but not too tight for obvious reasons !! Much better than a cone IMO

Vet recommended no food after 6PM its natural to worry with mia i phoned popped in every 15 mins to vets .at first was wary after a week was glad it was done just remember about not letting them jump too high and strenous exercise. Id also recommend on lead walks for the 2 weeks elsa will be fine though best of luck . Crystal and mia

i havent had millie done yet she is 2 but thats a personal preference, they do recommend them have at least one season or two if you can, but its entirely up to you good luck

I didn't have Katy done until she was 18 months, I think their body needs to grow to a more mature size before they are done. But as Kattie says its personal preference

i've been told that bitches should have at least 2 seasons before being spayed so that the hormones can help tgem mature properly.

I think this thread will cause you some confusion as will researching on line as there are so many different opinions. Personally I would wait for one or two seasons for the hormone reasons already mentioned, however, I'm not sure what evidence there is for waiting or getting them done sooner

Either way, I believe your making the right decision in getting Elsa spayed and is a personal choice ultimately.

The op is really very routine these days and apart from trying to keep Elsa from climbing etc, should be all very easy. Do let us know how you get on

I did lots and lots of online research before Maya was done, and there is just too much contradiction out there ! Some say this, and some say that, but after a talk with the Vet, she assured me that having the op done before her first season will not make one bit of difference to her maturity, or growing rate.
I`m not saying who is right or wrong here, but Maya is still growing at a normal rate for her young age, maybe a bit too quickly Lol, but she is a picture of health.

Its en entirely personal choice. My dog is not neutered however only came to me at 9, and is dutch and they don't neuter either. My bitxh lexi is spayed, and got done at about 2 or 3 and the only reason was because she was stolen and when i got her back i thought spaying would be a bit of a deterrent for any future mishaps (not that any have happened) i think it made her a better body shape, cause i know some bitches whove been spayed and look a bit ratty.

My cats got neutered as soon as possible because they are yard cats and free to roam, so it would be irresponsible to let them spread their seeds.

And on the growth rate, i defeffeffefeefefintly think it makes a difference. Maybe not a huge one in the grand scheme, but it does make one. Horses are the same. Most early cut geldings will have a weaker neck, and stallions have a massive one. You can always spot an entire horse.

bellas going in Wednesday shes 10 months was in season at 7 ,didn't relise she had to have one of them cones on my last staff didn't anyone used the inflatable ones or any other suggestions

Elsa went to the vets last week and we asked about when we should get her spayed.  The vet didn't recommend either way but said that either now or wait until after her first season.  He did say that he had his dog spayed after her first season so we have decided to go with that and wait till then.  

I didn't realise that it could be so soon though, 7 months?  And the vet also said that its not always very obvious at first.  So, what are the signs that she may be coming into season?  She's just over 6 months old now. He did say that you'll notice other dogs taking more of an interest in her too  
x

You might notice her going off her food a bit, more cuddly than normal. Swollen lady bits & obviously spotting blood. Boys will be interested but she wont be until after her 2nd week into her season

Misty went in after her second season when she was sixteen months. Her recovery was amazingly quick. She came out of the vets very very groggy, no kisses or anything just a sad looking little dog. We took her to my parents as they live near the vets and we made her a bed downstairs in the front room and left her alone to rest. However she kept coming in to see us so on the end we all sat in the front room with her. She was still groggy but kept fighting sleeping. She eventually gave in around half five, she woke up at eight much brighter. She went back to sleep and hubby and I slept downstairs with her as we didn't want her climbing stairs with her stitches. We were woken up at two in the morning by a very excitable little doggy running around and giving us tons of kisses!! She was completely back to normal. We were lucky, she didn't once bother with her stitches. The hardest thing was keeping her quiet for two weeks and only short lead walks which was hard for her to understand, she felt fine and she just wanted to play. We slept downstairs with her for a week to avoid stairs.  I know everyone has their own preferences but personally I think having them spayed is easier on them then having regular seasons, plus not putting them through the stress of pregnancy. I know my parents had our black lab spayed after her first season and she was fine.good luck.

tomorrows the day for bella left it a bit late any ideas to save her wearing one of them cones for a week

tiltyed wrote:tomorrows the day for bella left it a bit late any ideas to save her wearing one of them cones for a week

My wife modified a couple of old T-shirts for Maya, just so they fit snug around her tummy. If i`m honest though Maya never went near her plaster for the full week before it was removed.

My Bonnie is booked in on the 4th Jan, just short of 6 months old. My bet recommended baby popper vests and to just cut a hole for their tail to go through.

she may wee more frequently too, as they tend to scent everywhere before they come in, well my girl does anyway shes had 3 seasons so far.

shes back from opp this morning in her new bed santa should be bringing still made an attempt to run upstairs and jumped on sofa a couple of times ,vets told me to put cone on at night but ive ordered a blow upone should be here tomorrow hopefully

Our wee pups 9 weeks. We've spoken to the vets and she says to get it done when she's 7 months

had the opp last Wednesday back to her normal self jumping on sofa going upstairs but last night shes got a slight discharge and spotting a bit of blood not much no were near as much as when in season.Rung vet told me not to worry if shes happy in her self keep eye on it but I am worried.My advice in hindsite don't have your dog done to young leave it till there a bit older and calmed down a bit

Oooh, hope she's okay.   That sounds like good advice, thank you.  Elsa is full of it at the moment and the thought of her having stitches and running around like a small bull definitely makes my legs wobbly.  Xx

Kiki went into her first season today. I also read a lot of contradictory studies and decided only to have her spayed when she matures. The only Cons to have her spayed this late (all studies appear to agree on this) is an increased chance of breast cancer, which is in fact still pretty low, and a tendancy to put on weight, which I think can easily be managed by being attentive to the quantity of food and exercise she gets.

Well Bonnie was spayed yesterday at just under 6months and so far she is doing well.
Finding the 10 minute on lead walks boring though as we usually do off lead long field walks.
Trying to keep a 6month old staffy calm and to not jump etc is interesting though!
I am glad I got her done at this age but I can certainly see why people wait till they are older.

My Bellas only 14 weeks and our vet confirmed to book her in at 7 months. I don't want Bella to have pups either