Roxy was 4.5 lbs at the time she was spayed. She came through just fine but had a lot of pain afterwards. The vet gave us extra medication for her and now she's fine (this was in Nov...it was a 2 week process...she was just scared that it hurt).
We hope that our Fritz will be big too so that it'll be quick to get him neutered without any problems.

New surgey method?
 

This is interesting!!! Did you have your girls spayed, using the minimally invasive spay surgery method?
COPPELL VETERINARY HOSPITAL

I Think You Are All Very Brave To Go Ahead With It......... Harvey Is Just 2 Years Old And I Am Still Putting It Off - He Is Only 3.5 Lb And I Am So Scared.
Also Worried It Will Change His Personality Too - Which Is Something That Often Happens - Or So I Am Told.

I can really understand just how you must be feeling. I hope all goes well and that Cooper gets over the surgery quickly and is soon back to his usual self.

I have not had my little girl spayed yet as I, too, am just frightened of losing her and she weighs a healthy 10lbs! Nevertheless there is always a risk with anesthesia. We adore our little furbaby so much and the thought of losing her is terrifying - she really does light up our life. Friends say that they can see the difference she has made in our home and just how much we love her. I am so scared of anything happening to her that I won't even allow anyone else take her for a walk apart from us! I will be a complete nervous wreck if she goes under an anaesthetic. To have her in pain will upset us too.

I wonder if someone could please tell me all the reasons why I should have her spade, so that I can make myself go ahead with this surgery? Also, can anyone tell me the following: is the pain medication they give them afterwards always effective? Which is the best pain medication? If the worst happens, do they have a lot of success reviving them? Is it only a few who don't respond to being revived? Not sure if anyone can answer these questions, but maybe there is someone who can. I am kinda high-jacking your thread! Sorry! It may also help others like myself, though, to make the decision to go ahead with the surgery.

My very best wishes for little Cooper. Don't forget to let us know how he does.

Luv
Franceen xx

I really, really worried about taking Mugzy. I was a nervous wreck all day long! But, he did really well, no problems, no complications, Thank You Jesus!:aimeeyork

Bella is just over a year old and I still haven't gotten her spayed. I keep putting it off. She is the smallest dog I've ever owned and spaying her really worries me. The first time I took Bella to the vet I asked him a ton of questions about getting her spayed. His answers helped ease my mind but I still get anxious every time I tell myself to call and make the appt. I know I have to do it...:(

Kash actually got neutered today and is doing great. he's still a little lethargic from the anesthesia, so he's laying in my lap... he's 2.7 lbs and just over 5 months old.

as soon as i got him home, i took him outside and he pooped and peed just like normal. he also ate!! the vet said he probably wouldn't if i tried to feed him, but he must have felt good enough to eat because he ate his normal helping of canned food.

he was excited to see my cats, but he couldn't jump up on them like he usually does... oh, and he only has one stitch! lol. i guess with small dogs the incision isn't very big.

the only behavioral change i've heard of with spaying/neutering is that the dog becomes calmer... but that's just what i heard, so who knows.

anyway, good luck!

the main reason for getting a girl spayed if you're not going to breed her is health. if they go their whole lives without being spayed and never having babies, their uterus can become infected and kill the dog. the reason i know this is because my parents' yorkie (pogo) was never spayed and she just had to have surgery to remove her uterus. it has something to do with them having their periods and not all of the blood comes out and it just sits inside their bodies rotting (sorry if that's gross).

how old is your pup? the longer you wait, the more risky it could get... like i said in my other post, Kash is only 2.7 lbs and he did awesome. although i know it's different for every dog in regards to how they handle it. just make sure your vet is using the mildest anesthesia/inducer... i paid extra to have my vet use ProPoFlo to induce Kash, and then they use Isoflurane (a gas anesthesia) to keep him under during the surgery.

my vet said the pain medication could do more harm than good but that was only because Kash is so small. i'm sure for your girl, it might be pretty effective. Kash doesn't seem to be in any pain right now... i've been caring him around (very carefully), and so far, no yelps or anything. i've read more replies about yorkies being easily revived than not... i do think more yorkies have successful surgeries than not, but it's still understandable to worry.

that's my two cents. :) but of course, it's ultimately up to you. good luck!

the main reason for getting a girl spayed if you're not going to breed her is health. if they go their whole lives without being spayed and never having babies, their uterus can become infected, and if untreated, will kill the dog. the reason i know this is because my parents' yorkie (pogo) was never spayed, and she recently had to have surgery to remove her uterus (she's 9 years old). it has something to do with them having their periods and not all of the blood comes out and it just sits inside their bodies rotting (sorry if that's gross). this surgery is more expensive than a routine spay. not that money is an issue... just firgured i'd mention it cost $1500 to remove her uterus, when a spay is less than $200.

how old is your pup? the longer you wait, the more risky it could get... like i said in my other post, Kash is only 2.7 lbs and he did awesome. although i know it's different for every dog in regards to how they handle it. just make sure your vet is using the mildest anesthesia/inducer... i paid extra to have my vet use ProPoFlo to induce Kash, and then they use Isoflurane (a gas anesthesia) to keep him under during the surgery.

my vet said the pain medication could do more harm than good but that was only because Kash is so small. i'm sure for your girl, it might be pretty effective. Kash doesn't seem to be in any pain right now... i've been caring him around (very carefully), and so far, no yelps or anything. i've read more replies about yorkies being easily revived than not... i do think more yorkies have successful surgeries than not, but it's still understandable to worry.

that's my two cents. :) but of course, it's ultimately up to you. good luck!

oops! i posted my reply twice... i don't know if i can delete one of them... the first paragraph in the second post has a little bit more information.

Always, it is scary... even for a teeth cleaning.. that fear is always going to be there...anne

Thanks SO much for this reply. I had no idea that they could get an infected uterus!! Tootsy is 4yrs old! Your reply was very reassuring regarding the resuscitation. You mention the name of a drug ProPoFlo and I wondered if this is the name of the chemical in it or the brand name? I would like to ask for this as well. I have heard of the Isoflurane and feel sure that the UK vets would have it.

We have considered allowing her to have one litter of puppies, but at the moment we feel the cons. outweigh the benefits. We would love another pup and it would be lovely if it was her pup, but then things could go wrong in the pregnancy etc etc and that puts us off. We are still thinking about it, but I don't think we will go ahead somehow. There is such a lot to consider. I think it would be easier just to save up for another pup and, as for Tootsy never having puppies, she won't miss what she never experienced. We will give it a great deal of thought, though, but must make a decision either way soon. I do not want to leave it much longer, if she could get an infected uterus.

Thanks again.

Luv

Yvonne.