To spay or not to spay?

[Maria_Ledger]

Roxy is just over 6 months old and weighs just over 4lbs so we're discussing what will be better for her. I didn't plan on breeding her as this is my first small breed dog but I also know there would always be a queue of people that would love her pups if she ever had any.

I have been reading up on the statistics of mammary cancer and the lesser risk for a yorkie if she is spayed before her first heat.

I suppose my question is how did you come to the decision to spay your Yorkie?

[yorkiepuppie]

i talked to my vet, emailed breeders, and posted a thread in the breeder section.

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/bre...e-95-sure.html

[Sweet Apple]

My Apple is also just over 6 months (by one week) and also weighs just over 4 lbs (4 lbs. 3 ounces), and I'm going through the same dilemma...This is a real hot topic, on this site, and predominately pro-spay...However, I haven't made a decision, either, although I don't plan to breed Apple, as that holds just as much risk, or more, as spaying...I'm not an expert, but I have been reading reading reading, and I'm still undecided...Sweet Violet posted a very controversial article ( http://www.angelsezine.com/ ) about this subject...I found it very informative...I think the best advice is for you to just look for as much information as you can, pros and cons, of spaying, then make a decision for your baby...I have not decided to spay, as of yet, but I have not ruled it out, in the future...When I get a peace about whatever decision I make, I'll act on that...For now, I'm not spaying...Hope this helps...

Maggie & Apple

[Ellie May]

I think each owner needs to look at the research and decide for themselves.
I wasn't going to spay because by this time Ellie was too old for it to prevent mammary cancer...just pyometra. However, her new vet very strongly suggested that it be done and I know she has seen it all. She felt that the risk of pyometra and trying to do an emergency spay on a small dog while not dumping the uterus was quite risky and that spaying before there was a problem would be in Ellie's best interest. I trusted what she was saying and just went with it. I don't regret it at all. Before spay Ellie was getting llumps in her mammary chain. The vet said they may go away after spay otherwise we have to start talking about cancer. She was right. They went away.

[Ladymom]

Most reputable breeders here in the Untied States sell their puppies with a spay/neuter contract so it really isn't a decision the owner can make.

If you didn't get a spay/neuter clause in your contract, your puppy probably came from a puppy mill or backyard breeder which is even more reason to spay and neuter.

If you spay a female before her first heat you eliminate her chance of ever getting mammary cancer. If you spay before her second heat the risk rises to 8%. If you wait until after her second heat, her risk jumps to 25%, the same as an unspayed dog.

Just read about all the unplanned pregnancies here on YT and emergency spays and c-sections if you want further proof spaying is a good idea.

[Britster]

Spay!

[RubyDuffield]

i would spay her leave it up 2 the breeders have her as a lovely pettheres enough puppies in the world i say.

[Tinksmum]

I'm going to spay Bluebelle. They used to say wait until after the first heat to prevent phantom pregnancies, then they said do before first heat to prevent cancers....it's all very confusing.

I'm spaying because I think it is the right thing to do -
1 - I don't want to have puppies (well, not me, her!) and my contract said that I couldn't.
2 - To me (personal assessment of the information) the risk of not doing the spay out-weighs the risks of doing it.
3 - I live in a small community (about 35 houses), where almost everyone has male dogs! All very big...so I don't want them even interested in 'Belle.
4 - We go away a lot to aero events and I need to know she can always come and be with us. Even at the local airfield where all of the resident pilots take their pooches.
5 - I don't want the mess of cleaning up after the heat (it's REALLY low priority this one - I know you can get things to sort this as well).

But that's just me...it's good to hear other opinions!

[julietimothy]

If you have breeding rights it is up to you, but anything can happen when breeding dogs, and you have to under stand that you could run into alot of vet bills, or losing the life of your pet. I am a breeder, I breeded one of my maltese and the puppies die in her with out me knowing, by the time she showing any signs of beening sick it was almost to late. The vet did not think she was go to make it. She had a very infected uterus, (a 2 lb uterus was removed from this 5lb dog). She had to be spayed to save her life, and that was the most important thing to me, was to save her. She would had die it not treated. The vet bill was over $600.00!! So when you think of breeding you have to think of everything, 1st do you have breeding rights, 2nd is your do up to AKC standards, 3rd do you have the extar cash for vet care if you need it, & 4th are you going to be able to handle if you dog gets sick and dies. This is the things you need to ask your self.

[BellaRose08]

I'm another going through the dilemma. I know our day will be coming up soon and will have to make a decision. These threads always interest me and am interested in what others have to say. It's a hard decision!

[Maria_Ledger]

Thanks to you all for your replies. This is a decision that we will discuss more in the next few weeks and will be doing what is best for Roxy. It's great to hear about some of your previous experiences and how you came to that decision.

As I live in Ireland and there are many rules and regulations that come with owning dogs here I don't think there is as much as in America. We don't get any contract when getting a dog so there is no spaying/neutering clause attached to owning a dog.

Roxy came from a lady who owns yorkie's and other dogs, cats, sheep, pigs, cows, lives in the country on a big farm and after a few calls and visits to her house (where her 3 yorkie's lived indoors with her) we took our baby home with us. She didn't come from a puppy mill and is very healthy.

It is a hard decision Bellarose and I'm sure there are alot of people looking for information to help with this. I like hearing others experiences with it.

[Diego]

All my girls are spayed and never had health problems .