I want to to have my female dogs fixed 4 and 5 years old is this a good idea due thier age?

Question

I have a 5 year old and 4 year old malitpoo I was wondering if they are still able to get fixed or might they be too old. My dogs are normally really good dogs and are indoor dogs they only go out when i take them on thier walks and they are not hyper but i heard that getting female dogs fixed prevents them from having ovarian cancer and in general fixed dogs live longer is this true?

Answer 1

They are not too old at all, better a little late than never! What you heard is true, and they are still young enough to enjoy the benefits of not getting cancers and having a longer lifespan if you get them done. Get them done ASAP, and thank you for being a responsible owner!

Answer 2

They should be absolutely fine to be spayed at this age. If there is any doubt at all as to their general health, the vets can run a 'pre-anaesthetic profile'- a simple blood test that gives an indication of the dog's general health as well as more specific information about the health of its kidneys and liver. If the test shows anything abnormal, the vet can use a different drug for the anaesthetic and take other precautions such as putting the dog on a drip during surgery.

If you're at all worried, you can opt for these to be done even if the dogs are healthy. IV fluids make any procedure safer for any animal, but are of less importance in a healthy one.

There are definitely health benefits to desexing. As you've rightly pointed out in your question, desexing prevents ovarian cancer, as well as uterine cancer. It also prevents pyometra (infection of the uterus), which is a relatively common, and potentially fatal condition of middle aged/older entire female dogs. Spaying in younger females also greatly reduces the risk of mammary (breast) cancer, which is linked to the hormone cycles. As your girls will have had several oestrus cycles by now, the risk of mammary cancer won't be reduced to the same extent as in say, an 8-12 month old dog.

While not a 'minor' surgery by any means, it is generally straightforward. Most vets do this almost every day of their working lives, and really it is pretty safe. The one thing you will have to be careful of is to make sure that neither is in season if/when they're scheduled to have surgery (less of an issue in a small dog than a large one, but still...)- this makes the blood vessels bigger and the uterus a little more delicate which does increase the risk to the dog a little bit, as well as increasing the cost and time of the surgery.

Dogs generally recover very, very well. You just need to provide a bit of extra TLC for a little while- warmth and reassurance, plenty of fresh water close by, and just offer them small amounts of food for the first 24 hours after surgery. You shouldn't normally have to give any pain killers at home- many clinics will include a pain killer in their 'pre-med' (given before the anaesthetic to calm the dog) and almost all give an injection as the dog is waking up, which should provide some relief for 24 hours or so.

It's common for them to be a little groggy when they come home- most vet clinics send them home the day of surgery unless there's been a problem- but most are almost back to normal by the following day. The biggest problem most people encounter is trying to keep the dog calm and quiet while the surgical wound heals!!

I hope that reassures you. Good on you for taking this step.

Answer 3

Honestly, better late than never. I had one of my dogs fixed at the age of 7. She recovered from the operation quickly and was back to her old energetic self within 4 or 5 days.

It is true that spaying will ward off ovarian and uterine cancer, as well as mammarian tumours.

Do be aware that when your dogs get back from the operation, they will be a little groggy. This is generally due to fatigue and the effects of the anaesthesia used during the operation. I panicked when I saw my dog this way thinking something had gone wrong, but everything turned out alright. Just keep a bowl of water nearby and they will be fine.

Congratulations on making the right decision!

Answer 4

Yes, they can still be fixed. Take them to the vet, make the appointment, if the vet has any reserves about their health, or the surgery, he/she will let you know. 4 and 5 is not too old for a simple spay surgery. Also yes, getting a dog fixed adds to their longevity and helps prevent ovarian and mammary cancer, especially when done early in life.

Answer 5

Please - have them fixed! Of course, you would certainly consult with your vet - not possible without doing so, but:
I wish we had done this for our first two dogs. One I owned when I was 17. We were not told of the problems from not spaying/neutering a dog. This dog developed Pyometriosis (infection of the uterus). The vet did not recognize it at first and sent her home, saying she had a virus. Finally, she was operated on, and the uterus was many times its original size due to the great amount of infection present in the organ. Even though he was able to operate on her, ultimately, she died. This was especially hard on my mother. The second dog we had also remained unspayed. We thought it should be done, but as long as we watched things, she would be O.K. We just got busy and it didn't happen. Just a few weeks or so after my father died, the dog was found to have mastitis (cancer of the mammory tissues/glands). The dog had stayed with my parents when we had moved out of town. Now, we had to have emergency surgery to remove many cancerous tumors from the dog. The surgery was extensive and involved a lot of tissue. The cancer had developed to the point that it was difficult for the vet to find good tissue to suture. I had to take her back to the vet more than once to have the incisions checked because they were not healing, and it was so hard on her. Until this, we thought we had taken good care of this dog. Our whole family loved her - my parents, my husband and I, and my children. The dog died. Get your dogs spayed or neutered and save yourselves much heartache. It is unfortunate that veterinarians do not stress very, very strongly the importance of these simple procedures for the health of animals.

Answer 6

Not necessarily the ideal time but better late than never.
They just will not sail through/bounce back from the surgery as a growing pup would, but they are definitely not "too old." I have taken in dogs as old as 13 to be neutered, when I was doing dachshund rescue.
I would definitely opt for the pre-op bloodwork, to set your mind at ease, if the vet offers it.
Be sure and ask your vet for a few extra pain pills to take home.
Peace and quiet and some warm blankets and/or towels (tumble them in the dryer to heat them) will be appreciated.
Keep fresh water close, you may want to switch to canned food for a few days to tempt their appetites and prevent straining, or at least wet their normal kibble.
Congrats on taking the steps to be a responsible pet owner!

Answer 7

They are not too old. It is a good thing to do for them. The vet will likely check them over and do a blood test prior to surgery to be sure they are OK and safe for the operation. They are very careful to only do surgery on dogs who are able to handle the procedure well. They will be sleepy the evening of the surgery. The next day they will be up and doing better than you can imagine. They need to take it easy for a little while(no chasing cats in case they do LOL). Mine are back to their usual self in two to three days.

Answer 8

Spay them now!! when they get older they will get ovarian cancer if left unspayed. Since spaying removes the uteris and ovaries, your dog will no longer be prone to these types of cancers. It will also prevent unwanted litters which cost a lot of money for the upkeep. Ask your vet or a local humane society to do it. The humane society does it for a cheaper cost. Spaying is the most benefitial thing you can possibly do for your dog. My horsebackriding teacher had a unspayed jackrussel that died from ovarian cancer at age 6. I told her it's because she didn't spay her!

Answer 9

You have heard correctly!! Good for yu for wanting you keep your dogs happy and healthy! Believe it or not a friend had his dog fixed at 12, she lived another 3 years. Not too sure I would recommend waiting that long though. 4 and 5 are still releatively young.

Answer 10

I'm not sure about the cancer, but I would do ASAP the sooner the better, for the dogs sake. you can fix them even when they are older , I have a cat who was a stray & now is my home pet, he was 10 when I desexed him... I know cat/dog different but he's ok, didn't even have to wear the funny hat around his neck...
4 or 5 is ok