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Old 02-16-2013, 07:44 PM   #1
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Exclamation Spaying Controversy

When I adopted my yorkie in 2006 her breeder told me not to have her spayed. He emphasized that he'd lost several females to the procedure over the decades, and that the spray/neuter movement was propagandized for population control. He stressed that putting her through the procedure was unnecessary because mine would be a single-dog household where she would never be around the opposite sex. I remember looking at him sideways because I'd heard the mantra, "spay and neuter or you're an irresponsible buffoon" for as long as I could remember. I never had her spayed. She's now 7 years old and as healthy as can be.

Ever since then when I've taken her to the vet for a check-up or booster shot, I get lectured by the vet about how risky it is to leave her in-tact. And every time this happens I ask the vet for proof that having her spayed will prolong her life. Each time I ask my completely relevant and practical question, the vet looks at me like I'm crazy for not just taking their word for it. This always makes me incredibly suspicious. If it's so beneficial, why isn't there a list of studies and proof available in support of it? I understand the importance of pet population control, this isn't about that. That's a collective human failure and it breaks my heart to see so many homeless pets. But that doesn't apply to a single-furchild home where there's no chance in hades she would ever fall pregnant. She's with me 24/7 and has been for the past 7 years. I work from home and she's in my arms if we leave the house. If she were a large socialized dog roaming pet parks with me or "outside" even in a fenced in area at times, I would have her fixed as a precaution but that's not the case.

I have no problem with putting her under for dental cleanings, as the benefits of her having a healthy mouth far outweigh any risks or complications from the procedures, and she's on all of her preventatives. But I refuse to have her spayed because no one can provide me with solid evidence that it's the best thing for her, and the potential complications of surgery and post op healing are great.

The latest episode was last week, when I took her in for her rabies booster. Again I asked for specific studies in support of the surgery, and was met with a fear-mongering "she'll get a puss filled uterine sack." The vet was referencing pyometra, which I've come to learn only effects 1% of in-tact females. Once again, a lame excuse for slicing my only child open and risking the complications of surgery and post op healing.

I would have her spayed in a heartbeat if the veterinarian community had any sound, solid proof that it would prolong her life. But all I've been met with is a bunch of pushy vets saying I should spay my female because it's dangerous not to... that's how general and unscientific they are about it. Saying I should 'do it because it's dangerous not to' is the equivalent of saying I should wack my boobs off because not having a mastectomy will "most definitely" increase my risk for breast cancer. It's absurd.
Just show me the scientific proof that it will prolong her life and I'll gladly do it. No one can seem to do that. It's just a bunch of "because I said so's" and "well she could get cancers." She could also get hit by the next falling meteor or choke on a hairball. I just want some solid, sound scientific proof that it will prolong her life. Why is that so difficult for the veterinarian community to provide? It seems unnatural to me to have to remove an organ in a mammal in order for it to have a long life. We don't all have our appendix's removed at the age of 6 do we? Or our breasts, ovaries and testis? No, because that would be unnecessarily invasive.
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Old 02-16-2013, 10:05 PM   #2
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Being a mobile dog groomer, I get to know my clients very well as I talk to them while I groom. Therefore, I learn about their dogs and experiences they have had with them. Most of these pets are spayed/neutered.
Here is what happened to the ones that were not.
9 year old toy poodle mix, emergency surgery for mammary cancer and spay done at the same time.
8 years old Min. Poodle never spayed, pyometria and almost lost her. Both these cases were very expensive surgeries.
Unaltered male shih tzu who never marked territory so owner decided not to bother having him neutered. She didn't know however an unaltered male runs a high risk of rectal cancer as well as other cancers. She lost him at 10 years with rectal cancer.
One of my own girls I had not yet bred, ended up with pyometria at 2 1/2 years old. Lucky my Vet was able to save her.
Those are the only stats I have because ALL of the other clients I have groomed in 21 years of being in business, were all spayed/neutered pet dogs.
I am not sure where you got your stats from because I think it has been found that unaltered males or females whether cats or dogs, do end up with health issues in quite high numbers. It is not just a possibility of unwanted puppies born it is also a health issue.
However, it certainly is up to you if you want to risk the health issues with your female and not have her spayed.
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Old 02-16-2013, 10:32 PM   #3
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My Jilly was only a tad over 3 lbs. when grown, having been born a runt, and was quite fragile. She had several size-related medical problems so I feared anesthesia but finally, having heard of a spate of cancer in friend's intact females, I had her spayed and she did fine and lived to age 13, never having had that dreaded disease. She also did not have to put up with further bouts of estrus and her almost obsessive cleaning herself for the duration. She hated wearing the bitch britches, too. Even though I had no other dogs, I feared she might one day escape during a heat and, in spite of her tiny size, become pregnant, so that fear, too, was gone. It is a judgment call each female dog owner has to make for themselves. You can Google all of the pro's and con's of spaying and hear the stories of those here and elsewhere and do what we all do, make the decision for your girl that seems the best one based on all the facts and risks each way. That's what we all did. It is never an easy decision.
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Old 02-17-2013, 12:04 AM   #4
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First of all you can't really compare human anatomy to dog anatomy, totally different ball park. But if we were, I would gladly undergo a surgery to prevent pain. I did have appendicitis. It was so painful and if I could have prevented it by having the surgery done beforehand, I would have so I wouldn't have had to suffer. The surgery gave me so much relief that I was so happy to have it done.
Perhaps your vet just wanted to spare you the details. It gets so tedious when you have to explain it over and over and they still don't take your advice. But I do agree, he could have gone about it a different way. You asked a good question therefor you deserve to get a good answer back, not one that is vague and dismissive. I would go with a different vet because mine wouldn't give you that crap, they lay it all out the line for you.
Vets, at least most of them, aren't out to scam you. They want your pet to be healthy and happy. They don't recommend it for the fun of it, it's for the well being of your pet.

Where did you see that only 1% developed pyometra? I can't believe that is true.

Sorry I can't give you scientific proof (probably could if I looked into it) but I can tell you what I have seen working at different vet clinics. Pyo is a lot more common than you think and it is deadly. If only 1% develop it, I sure would hate to see what it would be like if that percentage was higher because I can't even begin to tell you how many dogs I've seen have this as it is so common. Anytime we see a intact female that isn't well, pyo is the number one suspect. Even one of mine developed it and I lost one due to it. Now it usually doesn't happen until they are older 7 years +. My Trixie just went through it this last summer. She was 7, completely healthy until it hit her out of the blue. She was actually scheduled to be spayed and I was just waiting for her to stop her heat cycle but she never did. I was lucky because I caught her very early as I am pretty in tune with her heat cycles and moods and knew something was off. So she was spayed and she was back to acting like a puppy afterwards as she was feeling so much better. I wish I had a video to show you the before and after, it was remarkable.

If you saw a dog that had pyo, you would probably change your mind. It is pretty horrible. Once you see those eyes look at you in pain and all they have to go through, you wish you could have prevented it. There are 2 types of pyo, closed and open. Open your lucky as they will show signs and gradually get ill. Closed they don't show signs until it is almost too late and then it is very bad very quickly. Many don't make it through closed as it just happens so quickly.
I'm not saying your girl will ever have any issue. She may be lucky and never have any problems. But if you could prevent the pain and suffering for her, wouldn't you? Would you rather look her in the eyes right now and tell her she will have to go through a small amount of pain now to get spayed or would you rather look in her eyes and tell her she has to go through so much pain later because she wasn't spayed?

Along with pyometra, mammary cancer is possible but I really haven't seen too many with it. However, false pregnancies, vaginitis and mastitis (all prevented when spayed) I have seen happen many times.

If you put her under for dentals than I don't see the harm in getting her spayed. Very rarely have I ever seen a dog die or have complications from getting spayed. A reaction to the anesthesia or an underlying cause is more likely. The procedure is honestly so simple which is why some places do mass spaying/neutering. The bloodwork and anesthesia is what I would worry about the most.
What are the cons for spaying a dog other than it can be risky to put them under?

I can understand where you are coming from. With my first few dogs years ago, I didn't spay as I felt the same way and it wasn't so common back then. Then they got older and the problems began. Heat cycles were becoming more frequent, mastitis, infections, etc and I've seen it happen to so many that my outlook totally changed.

Now I can say I am so glad I get my girls spayed. I've had way more problems with dogs intact than spayed. In addition, mine were sooooo much happier after being spayed. They bounced back so quickly you wouldn't think they just had their organs removed. I think they have more energy as well. When there are in heat, it wears them down. Plus, no more heat cycles making them feel bitchy and horrible. And much better for me as I don't have to constantly worry about it.
I know you don't want to see your girl in pain, none of us do. But they honestly get over any pain in a day or two. The hard part is keeping them quiet because they just want to get up and run around playing afterwards, that is how much it doesn't hurt them.

You have the right to spay her or not, that is your choice. There are others who don't believe in spaying or neutering either and that is fine, it is a personal choice you make. I am a strong advocate though of spaying/neutering because I do believe the benefits far outweigh the risks.

On a side note, it's kind of weird that you had a breeder that said not to spay. As you said most do, in fact many require it. If spaying was so bad and dangerous, you would think there wouldn't be so many out there that require it?!

The statistics are out there with proof. Look from a reliable source.
Whatever you decide, I wish you the best of luck. I know you will do what you feel is best for her. You can see that she has a very loving mommy.
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