[Donnag]

I know this topic has come up many times so please excuse me.

Wynny was booked in for tomorrow to be spayed. Our vet had recommended that she be done before her first season, which I was quite happy about. Anyway for some reason I wasn't quite happy with the practice the turnover of vets/nurses/receptionists was just too great. First thing this morning I rang up and cancelled, phew you cannot believe how relieved I was.

Anyway I called another clinic (who I have had dealings with in the past with my previous cats) they have recommended I let her have a season first - CONFUSED. Anyway I am going in tomorrow morning to discuss it with them and also to have her ear looked at, one is a bit red so she may have a slight infection.

 

[Freddies Mum]

I don't think there is any best way, you need to choose for yourself. There is a lot of literature 'out there' if you want to read up. Some vets say before first season, some say three months after. But if you don't intend to breed then it is best to have it done at some point.

Hope you feel more confident with your new vet. It is an awful feeling, I recently changed vets after they took Jasper's stitches out just 3 days after his op. It was bad enough that it happened in the first place, but it was done by the Head Vet and I jsut didn't get a satisfactory response to my complaint.

 

[colpa110]

Hi Donna

Are you considering a conventional spay or keyhole. Betty had the keyhole
procedure pre-first season at just over 6 Months of age. She was as right as rain the following day and I felt the extra cost was worth it.

 

[Soo]

There is conflicting advice about it so it can be confusing. There are benefits and drawbacks to both.

The reason it was done 3 months after a season is because thats usually half way between seasons so their hormones are at their most stable. If they are done close to a season the blood supply to their uterus is increased and can cause complications. If done too soon after they can get hormonal problems.

Most dogs start their first season around 9 months so for most dogs getting done at 6 months would be fine. It would only be if you had an early maturing dog that was just going to come on season you could have problems.

Its one of those subjects where you have to make an informed decision on it. Many folk will have a strong opinion to one side or the other but it comes down to your choice.

Your own situation will come into it too. Have you an entire male in the household or would it be difficult dealing with a bitch in season? If so then early neutering may be better. If not you may prefer to hold off till she has had her seaon. Cons to that is that some bitches are pretty irregular and I know of one owner who had to go through several seaons before her bitch settled into a longer cycle and she could get done.

Im prob going to wait til after the girls first before getting them done.

 

[Pollypiglet]

My vet recommends spaying before first season as apparently research shows it prevents mammery tumors in later life. I raised the subject with him when I researched buying a labradoodle and was horrified to find some breeders selling puppies at 12 weeks labled as 'desexed'. they were being spayed/neutered at 8.5 weeks! Presumably to prevent breeding and thereby enableing the breeders to maintain their astronomical prices. My vet was appauled and said he was going to raise it with the BVA.

 

[M&M's mummy]

Sheilagh has said what I would have

You can find some further info on our Cockapoo Owners website :

http://www.cockapoo-owners-club.org.uk/cockapoo_care_spaying_neutering.html

 

[Sezra]

We waited for Daisy to have her first season and I am glad we did. I have noticed a difference in her since her season, she has grown up. This might have happened regardless and may just be an age thing but I feel that I have given her the opportunity to mature naturally before the operation.

It is a personal choice though and it depends on what you felt comfortable with. By the sounds of it you made the right decision with cancelling as you felt much better afterwards.

 

[Donnag]

Thanks for all your helpful replies. I have definitely made up my mind to wait until after her first season. I was really pleased with the new vet so feel she will be in good hands now. We are going for the conventional way as they don't do keyhole at that particular branch.

Not looking forward to her coming into season but I read in an earlier thread someone using baby vests and then again after the operation to prevent them licking the wound. Does anyone know if this is just a normal baby vest with poppers, if so do how do they wear it. Silly question I know, but would it mean you take it off everytime they need a wee.

 

[Carol]

We have just had Ellie spayed 2 days ago, 3 months after her first season. she wears a baby vest at night when we can't watch her, just in case she starts licking her wound. I used the largest sized vest I could find 18-24 months and cut out the middle popper so that her tail could go through the gap.

It depends how big wynny is - when we had Maisy spayed she was too big for the baby vests so I bought a child's t - shirt vest and sewed a couple of poppers on!

 

[Kirsty]

Thank you so much forthis. We've not reached this stage but it had me confused. Next stupid question how do you manage toilet time? Xx

 

[Carol]

You can just undo the poppers and roll the vest up a bit or take it off completely. To be honest, we only put the vest on when someone can't watch Ellie or during the night. Through the day when we are with her we just leave the vest off so it's not a problem if she needs to go out in the garden fot a wee etc. Hope that helps!

 

[M&M's mummy]

Plus they look soooooooooocute with their vests on

 

[Donnag]

Thanks for this shall definitely invest in some vests. Let's hope I don't get brooch going to mothercare - no definitely too old for that lol.