First time dog owner !

[furbie]

Can anyone give me a rough cost of sterilizing my bitch plus all jabs and possible micro chip ? I have pet insurance but ive been told this doesnt cover these sort of procedures ?

[lankeela]

I suggest you phone round several vets in your area and ask their prices, as they can vary not only from town to town but from practice to practice.

As a very rough guide, spaying a bitch costs in the region of �100 - �200 depending on size, initial vaccinations are approximately �40 - �60, and microchipping at the vets in the region of �25 (although this can be done a lot cheaper, look out for special sessions held at your local pet superstore, or phone some local animal rescue places who often do it much cheaper - sometimes around �10).

Insurance does not cover these things, but is a good idea to have as even a small accident or emergency can soon run into hundreds of pounds.

Good luck with your bitch - what breed have you chosen?

[lankeela]

Some more thoughts....


If you want her spayed as soon as possible, this needs to be done at about six months, as she will come into season soon after that. If your vet wants to wait until she has had her first season (opinions differ on this) then she will need to be done about three months after her season, i.e. half way between, or else she will come in season twice a year.

[Cheesefreek]

Dont' forget if you are in receipt of income support or other benefits, you can get this done at the nearest PDSA for free. My dog was microchipped for free at the dogs' home where I got him, as the Dog's Trust charity paid for it. My vet castrated him for �25 as the Dog's Trust paid for half, as it was also the vet that the dogs' home dealt with.

[Snappy]

Soz but spaying/neutering should not be done at 6months! You end up with a physically and mentally immature dog and besides unless there's a health reason i dont think theres a need for it! 2yrs old at the least!!!

[Cheesefreek]

On the contrary snappy, all indications from vets' sites are that the best age to neuter a dog is between 4-6 months.

[Snappy]

Vets would say that! They get paid for these unneccessary things! Why do they try and get you to feed the foods they stock, why do they get you to worm and flea with chemicals, why do they give vaccinations? they make MONEY!! 98% of Vets arent in it for the love of it thesedays!
Some informed reading for you
http://www.paact.co.uk/Press%20Releases.shtml

[Cheesefreek]

Yes, that is one opinion - but the PDSA tend towards the six month spaying and neutering too. They certainly aren't money grabbers. It is better to get them done this young to stop more unwanted pups being born. I have never had any problems with any of my dogs being castrated at six months.

[yummymum]

surely there is a need..to prevent unwanted litters, we believed that we wouldnt need to get our bitch done till she was older then she caught before she was 1 year old! She was unable to see to the pups herself and was clearly distressed.this I think caused her more harm

[Snappy]

If you're responsible, you wont have unwanted litters!!
Would you castrate a 12yr old boy in case of unwanted pregnancies? No because he'd stay a 12yr old boy!

[lankeela]

I had a collie cross bitch spayed at six months as I had three entire males in the house. She grew the same as her unspayed sister (which the breeder kept) and was a top obedience/agility dog. She never suffered any problems. One of the bitches I have now had to be spayed in an emergency due to having pyometra, and a greyhound bitch that was unspayed had mammary tumours.

I would definitely have it done, but would discuss with the vet whether they would prefer to do it before or after the first season.

[kita1]

To add to what Lankeela said, I had a GSD bitch spayed before her first season, she got over the op. within 24 hours and she was definately my boss dog (over a bitch who I left entire!), no way was she immature mentally! I always used to say she was like an old maiden aunt. She was brilliant with puppies and always acted older than her years.

The bitch I left entire had a pyo when she was 8 years old, she really suffered with the operation and it took her two weeks before she was completely back on her feet. She was always the baby of my 'pack' and I always joked that if I had bred from her she would have rejected the puppies and given them to my GSD to look after! If anyone stayed like a puppy it was her!

PS Sorry furbie your question seems to have been hijacked, I know you only asked about the costs!

Everyone else - there is a question in 'pets' about should you spay before the first season - surely this discussion would be better under that question!

[yummymum]

Snappy we was responsible thank you very much, we actually asked the vet and he said she probably had a very short season with it being her first and there may not have been much blood. Having a male dog as well she easily caught, not like we let her off in the park and didnt notice some random dog mounting her.

[Snappy]

Sorry but i think thats ridiculous, you have a entire male and an entire bitch and you allowed them to be in the same house together during a season?! How frustrated would that poor boy have been to have her right under his nose! You werent very responsible obv!! A lot of bitches have a short season on thier first, that doesnt mean they cant get pregnant. The bitch willl only allow a dog to cover her during the 3-4 days when she's ready, when even she will want to run off to find a mate. Irresponsible!!