spaying bitches before their first season

[ganesh]

What is the current opinion on spaying before the first season and when is this going to be. The last dog I had was done after the first and before the second, but it wasn't a nice experience for her or for me,and I don't see the point of it if you're not going to breed from them.

[lankeela]

Bit confused about your second sentence, I think you mean the season wasn't a nice experience! but as for spaying before the first season, Guide Dogs are usually done then. I had a collie cross bitch who was, and it had no detrimental effect on her growth or temperament.

She was just over six months, and I had left it as late as I dared but with three entire males in the household it had to be done.

Most bitches have their first season between six and nine months.

[ganesh]

Thanks, Sorry about the confusion. I meant that her 'season ' didn't seem to be a very nice experience for her(I don't need to go into details) and therefore wasn't much fun for me. I don't really see the point of letting my latest go through it as I don't want to breed from her,but I just wondered if there were any reasons for not doing it early.

[kita1]

Vets tend to vary on this, we have one practice that will spay before the first season and one practice that definately will not.

I had one bitch spayed (20 years ago! Where did the time go?!!) before her first season, she was a GSD. She did have problems at around 3 years old where she was 'leaking' urine. At the time I had moved to the vet practice that does not spay before the first season. When the vet examined her he said she had an 'immature vulva' and this was causing the leaking problems and it was because I had her spayed too soon. He put her on hormone tablets and said she would be on them for life. I did manage to wean her off them after a while, but had to put her on them a few times in the following years.

I think this incontinence is the main reason why they do not like to spay before the first season, it is not a nice thing in a 'pet' bitch when she is laying around the house and everytime she gets up she leaves a wet patch on the carpet.

Of course things have probably moved on alot since then so the best thing to do is discuss it with your vet and hear their reasons.

[Snappy]

I dont spay my bitches at all, no need for it. Too many dogs are spayed/castrated before having a chance to grow properly and the hormones to balance. This means you end up with a leggy, puppyish dog as an adult. Read this

http://www.paact.co.uk/Press%20Releases.shtml

[ganesh]

Thx for all your answers. If I wait till after her first season (around 6 months?) how do people deal with the problems of not taking out for walks and stuff?
Last dog I had, I used a spray which she hated,and which made her terrified every time I got a can of pledge or hairspray out! It didn't seem to work either. 3 weeks without excersise is a bit rough though. Also she was constantly licking herself and kept asking to go out and wee in the garden. It really was a stressful time.

[Snappy]

They will lick themselves, let them, they're keeping themselves clean but the weeing may have been cystitis.
I take my bitches out at night, on a long line, it's not fair on males to have the frustration of a bitch being paraded around.
My youngest is just starting to swell now, its her second season, she coped well and her first was a short season

[hollie1586]

my vet said that if we dont want to breed from our puppy, she will have to be spayed at 6 months old.

[ganesh]

Thanks everyone,sounds like mixed opinions,so I'll see what my vet thinks.
Yes I think it must have been cystitus snappy,and I know how that feels!

[pmjblue]

I have one bitch that is spayed, but that was due to an unfortunate closed pyometra on her first season at nine months, and as I intended breeding from her, I was very upset, but her life was more important. My other bitch is not spayed, and I dont want to breed from her, but not sure I want to put her through an operation as there is always a risk with an anaesthetic. However, having said that, there is always a risk with a pyometra in unspayed bitches, and a closed pyo can kill in a very short period of time. Fortunately with experience you can recognise the signs of a pyo, like I did, but not always. And the problem with some bitches is they do not show signs of being in season, so you dont know unless you have a male in the house!

[pmjblue]

I would just like to add that spaying doesnt mean that the bitch will become leggy and not grow properly! Just for an example, there are many dog show champion bitches out there that have been spayed.