I have a female boxer pup. I want to get her spayed as i dont think i would be able to manage her having puppies and coping with complications that can happen but everyone i speak to about it including my vet say it is always best to let a dog have one litter of puppies before getting them spayed.
Is this true?
2006-11-22 23:37:35 · 18 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Dogs
I may have misunderstood the vet, your probably right. My boxer is 14 weeks and i told the vet straight away that i wanted her spayed when she is old enough......I asked the vet about this myth and they just said - alot of people say that and they didnt say much else so i suppose i did take it the wrong way.
I'm still confused though, so many of you have different views
2006-11-23 00:08:23 · update #1
OK this is what happened to me with my doberman pup.
i asked my vet the same question, and my vet said to let her have a season first, i argued after reading that un spayed dogs can sometimes develope mammary cancer and that i have an un neutered dalmatian (we want to breed from him before he has "the chop")
the vet calmly said ok bring her in when she's 6 months old.
i spoke to another couple of vets and they said as long as she isn't any younger than 6 months when she gets spayed then she will be perfectly ok.
other female dogs i have grown up with were all spayed before they had a season.
if your still not sure ring around a couple of vets to get second and third opinions, but i can safely say, my puppy will be spayed at 6 months old. just as were the previous b+tches i and my family have owned, who have all lived very long, healthy and happy lives.
i live in the uk, and always have.
2006-11-23 01:32:03 · answer #1 · answered by sasha 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Do you live in a small rural Southern town with a vet that mainly sees cows & pigs & is over 70 years old? That is the only way I could figure any vet would still give this advice! Between the fact that spaying BEFORE the first heat eliminates the chance of her getting mammary cancer & that many dogs are put to sleep because their aren't enough homes for them all (just the top 2 reasons), I hope you vet is just some oddball stuck in a 1950 fantasy world.
Please, have your dog spayed soon - for her health, and the peace of mind you will have knowing you are a responsible pet owner.
2006-11-23 08:42:03 · answer #2 · answered by mustanglynnie 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Absolutely not! I don't know where this idea came from, but it couldn't be more wrong.
A spayed dog is a less aggressive dog, a less hormonal and moody dog, and a healthier dog.
A dog who is spayed before her first heat has a 0% chance of mammary tumors. Even just one heat cycle or one pregnancy increases this risk dramatically -8% for dog spayed after one heat, 26% in dogs spayed after their second heat.
This is not to mention that the first pregnancy for any dog can be difficult/deadly for mother and pups. It sounds like you're leaning against the idea of a litter, which is great! Myths like your veterinarian (who seems completely uninformed) is telling you are hindering the efforts to stop overpopulation and the mass euthanasia of pets occurring in shelters everyday.
I hope you make the right decision.
2006-11-23 08:29:35 · answer #3 · answered by maguire1202 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Get a new vet for one thing.
Old wives tale that you suold let your dog have one litter of pups before spaying. Call around to other vets and take a poll!
And I want to commend you for not wanting to bring another litter of puppies into a world where there are not enough homes for all the homeless pets! Hundreds of thousands of puppies in our country starve, freeze or are euthanized becaseu there are not enough homes for them. Even full blooded animals with papers. Animals that people have paid hundreds of dollars for get abused, thrown out, and put down.
2006-11-23 07:57:17 · answer #4 · answered by raredawn 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I can't believe they'd tell you it would be best to let her have a litter before spaying her.
If you were to wait and let her have a litter (keeping in mind that a female SHOULD NOT be bred before 2 yrs old), that's 4 heat cycles you're taking a chance with. Get her spayed.
If your vet tries to steer you away from early spay....you need a new vet!
2006-11-23 09:13:12 · answer #5 · answered by Pam 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
This is a fallacy, it is far better to get your pup spayed before her first season. Is there another vet you could talk to, or consider asking one of the charities for advice such as The Dogs Trust or the RSPCA. In some areas they run a subsidised neutering scheme. Also consider the cost of puppies, extra food for 'mum' weaning worming of pups not to mention the time involved and would you be able to find homes for them easily.
2006-11-23 07:45:29 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 6⤊ 0⤋
I can't imagine why your vet would tell you that!!
Get her spayed - your concerns are quite correct. You wil have peace of mind and the risks of her developing many types of cancer are dramatically reduced if you spay her before her first season.
Plus - she'll never be hounded by males etc.
If I were you I'd think about finding a new vet more in tune with current practice!
2006-11-23 08:09:36 · answer #7 · answered by PetLover 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
What kind of an idiot is your vet? I've never heard one say that before.
No, one litter is not better. Get her spayed. You're doing her a huge favor. Don't the clueless ones convince you otherwise.
2006-11-23 07:49:01 · answer #8 · answered by Shane 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Its usually best to wait til three months after your dogs first season. This gives the hormones time to settle down and she will have reached adult hood. If you get her spayed before she has a season..you could end up with an eternal puppy. eg..problems with bladder control etc. They settle down best...
2006-11-24 07:48:38 · answer #9 · answered by wolfstorm 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If i were you i would buy "the book of the *****" by kay white and anyone else thinking about breeding their b*tch if that doesnt put anyone off i dont know what else will...
Well done on thinking responsibly and questioning your vet, i cant believe any vet would say that in this day and age..
2006-11-23 14:06:06 · answer #10 · answered by sazzy 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋