Is my dog too smallto be fixed?

Question

i got my little silk terrier and daxion mix at a pet store and when we got her home she had diarrhea for about a week. we took her to the vet and they said she may just have an intestinal problem so they gave her some meds.On a saturday morning we woke up and she wouldnt walk ad she was soaked in sweat? she was throwing up as well. we took her as an emergency visit she ended up with like 3 diff.paracites. we were very close to losing her because she only weighed like 3 pounds at the time they put her on alot of meds. and she is now doing GREAT :) when she was 6 months old we took her to get her fixed she only weighed 4 1/2 pounds then vet didnt want to do it yet he wanted to give her a few more months to grow. Well she is now 9 months old she has an appt. to get fixed this coming monday nov.6th and im getting scared..im getting nervous that maybe she is still tooo little..althoug she looks a little bigger..but im scared because she was so sick earlier..do you think she will make it ok?

Answer 1

Hi, Dawn. Please read my answer in this previous thread on the same topic, so I don't have to type it out again, LOL. :-)

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AnehpTaiiYkfFZFlTpKz.WLsy6IX?qid=20061027062104AAXUcTK

You might want to find a more experienced surgeon. Those with less experience are the ones generally reluctant to perform surgeries on the teeny-tiny pets. My record for smallest dog I ever spayed was a chihuahua who weighed only 14 ounces at the time of her surgery. (I have a pic of her sitting in a wineglass.) She sailed through it, and that was over 10 years ago. I have also safely neutered even smaller animals, such as squirrels (ones who had health issues that caused them not to be releasable back into the wild.)

As to your dog's previous health issues, have them recheck one more time to make sure all of those parasites are gone, and check the 'yes' box where they ask for your consent to do preanesthetic bloodwork. (If they don't suggest it, FIND ANOTHER VETERINARIAN.) Normal bloodwork does not absolutely guarantee that a problem won't develop, but greatly reduces the risk.

This is the single most important operation your dog will probably have in her life (often the ONLY one)....so now is not the time to skimp. You're a good mom to be looking out for her welfare and having her spayed. :-)
You need to hurry up and do it before she comes into heat, though. I'm surprised they had you wait this long, and take that risk.

Answer 2

I own 3 dogs right now and 1 cat. All 4 are rescues and they interact with the family members of children and grandchildren that also have pets (males, females and both dogs and cats) ALL are neutered or spayed. 60 plus years ago kids ran around with their dogs in tow and having them spayed or neutered wasn't really done. Of course at that time most family animals were allowed to run free and the dog license was the right to keep the dog catcher from picking them up. What happened some were hit and killed by cars, even had "wiggles" the dog hit by a passenger train back then;. Mostly they had distemper and it would wipe out a whole mass of dogs since most were not given the human qualities they conjure up now a days. I help with a rescue and have seen horrible conditions of animals that were not even given love or petted or anything. If it were not for the rescues these creatures would come into the world without ever knowing what kindness and protection or even food. Back in the day I did not see skinny dogs or cats, or abused animals it just wasn't something that happened. I am sure there were cases but not to the degree as goes on today. Society as a whole appears to have gotten meaner. The weaker and less able to protect themselves be they human or animal are disposeable and clateral damage. What a sad comentary in a time that medical advances, knowledge of cause and effect are better known now a days more so than any time in the history of the human race.

Answer 3

I think that your dog should be fine. 1 1/2 pounds doesn't sound like much of a weight gain, but it is for that breed. Try not to stress because they can sense that. If your dog is still too small, don't worry, just watch the activities. The vet is just looking out for the best interest of the dog.

Answer 4

I got my 4 and a half pound Chihuahua nuetered about a month ago--- but perhaps spaying is a more difficult procedure and that is why they couldnt' do it before.

If your vet is willing to do the procedure I'm sure its okay. The previous symptoms were from parasites not spaying, so dont get too freaked out. Spaying is a very routine procedure.

Answer 5

You really need to trust your vet on this. If he didn't want to spay her before because she was too small in his mind, and he's willing to do it now, you've got to trust that he is sure it's safe. Anesthetics are so very, very much better now than they were even a few years ago - I'm sure your puppy will be safe. One good thing for her is this vet is very familiar with her health history, so he must be confident. I'm sure she'll be just fine!

Answer 6

It isn't the size I would be worried about, it would be her health history. If your vet is OK with having the surgery, it should be fine.

Since you bought from a pet store I suspect you got a puppy mill pup, and they are notoriously unhealthy. report that store to your local humane society.

http://www.stoppuppymills.org/

Answer 7

My mom works at a vet clinic. if your vet thinks it is time and your dog is heavy enough don't worry. Puppies bounce back from surgery really fast. the hardest thing that you will need to do is after the surgery you will have to keep her very calm until your dog heals.

Answer 8

Now you see why people tell you not to get a dog or cat from a pet store . You don't know if it came from a puppy mill. Now you got a dog you have to have on meds. I wish you good luck with her.

Answer 9

I am sure she will be fine. Spaying is such a routine surgery and very rarely are there complications. I wouldn't worry. You are doing your dog a BIG favor by getting her fixed.

Answer 10

I suspect she will be fine. Nine months is plenty old enough and your veterinarian has presumably determined that she is large enough and healthy enough. I would not be overly concerned, just follow the post-op instructions to a T.