A consult with a vet that has a good deal of experience with small breed dogs would be a good idea. My tiny Maltese female went into heat the week before she was to be spayed. Her cycle seemed to go fine but then we noticed she became listless and had a fever. We rushed her to the vet but almost lost her to Pyometra (uterine infection) which can occur during any heat cycle. It is obviously not something that happens to every dog but it is a very deadly threat to unsalted females. It's totally unpredictable.
If your 10 year old is still healthy having her spayed would not be a hardship on her but a good physical with blood tests should be done beforehand. Surgeries like this are much safer and incisions heal much more quickly with newer methods of suturing.
It is entirely your decision. If you don't have a vet that has good experience with small dogs you might want to shop around until you find one that you feel is very knowledgeable and honest with you. I know it can be a fearful experience to hand your much loved pet over for surgery so you want to be very confident in your choice of veterinarian. |