Please help with impt spay questions
 

Hello. I have been struggling with the decision to spay my Tessie because she is so small. I adopted her a year ago at age 2.5 years and she only weighed 2.8 lbs. I have read sooo much that scares me about putting one so small under anesthesia, but also read so much that scares me if I don't (pyometra). When I took her for her yearly check-up and vaccinations 2 weeks ago she weighed 3.4 lbs. After a long discussion with the vet (me asking a million questions), they made my husband and I feel comfortable with scheduling her spay appointment-- which is for this coming Tuesday, March 9th.

As the appointment date draws near I've become increasingly nervous and started researching again and now I'm afraid that I didn't have them check everything. After reading more info on liver shunt, etc.-- I realize that maybe I should have requested-- a separate Bile Acid Test?

According to her blood test records, everything was in the normal range except 2 areas:

BUN/Creatine Ratio- 32 HIGH (normal listed as 4-27)

Platelet Count- 404 HIGH (normal listed as 170-400)

Also, according to her blood test, her ALT (SGPT) was at 88 which was in the normal range of 12-118.

Please let me know if there is ANYTHING else that I need to have tested or ask the vet before the spay. I want to make sure that I have taken all precautions before I let my baby go into her spay surgery.

Also, is there any rule on timing of the spay in regards to the heat cycle. Since I have had her (last March), she was in heat first of July and first of February, so she's only been out of heat a couple of weeks before the surgery. The vet said that it is better that they are not in heat for the spay and she would be fine since her heat cycle would have ended a couple of weeks prior to the surgery.

There are so many knowledgeable people on this site that are aware of many different situations, so I wanted to post and make sure that I am checking into everything before the spay appointment on Tuesday.

Any and all info is greatly appreciated. Tessie is mine and my husbands little baby girl and we want to make sure that we are doing what is best for her. Again, thank you so much for your help!

I don't have much specific advice for you (it's been a long time since my Daisy was spayed) but I just wanted to reassure you that all three of mine were altered and underwent anesthesia and were just fine! My dog Daisy went in for a dental about a year and a half ago and I was sooo scared because she has liver disease (MVD) but she was fine. They monitor the dogs closely and it sounds like your vet answered your questions.

So you just have to try to relax about it - your Tessie will do great!

platelets are what cause blood to clot, so you know that she won't bleed out during surgery with that result. Honestly, her being high by 4 isn't much at all, and it's probably no big deal. I don't know much about the chemistries, but unless the vet said there's a reason to not have the surgery, her levels didn't look too off. I work in a human lab, so I am more familiar with human levels, haha :D

As long as you feel confident with your vet and their abilities to care for your little one, I would try very hard to relax, and maybe go out shopping for a new toy or 2 while she's in surgery :)

Good luck to you both!!!!

Hi Cathy. Thank you so much for the positive words and reassurance. It really helps to hear about positive experiences.

It's funny because when I read the results to my husband he said the same thing (which I was also thinking)-- about higher platelet count being a positive due to blood clotting. But then I went to the Liver Shunt Support site on Yahoo groups (which I had read was recommended from some on YorkieTalk) and read the file on Bloodwork Meanings and read "High platelet counts usually indicate a disorder of the bone marrow or an overwhelming response to immune blood disease." :confused:

That's when my husband said "Step away from the computer." :)

I do feel very confident with our vet. The vet group was highly recommended by many that I trust. So I know that I am probably just being a worry-wart :rolleyes: I scheduled her appt. on Tuesday because I am off on Wednesday and that way I will be at home with her all day on her first full day of recovery. My husband mentioned I should take off on Tuesday (the day of the surgery), but I think I would be better off at work so I can keep my mind pre-occupied. But, I'll definitely have to go shopping on my lunch break to buy her some new toys or clothes....like she doesn't have too many already :D

Thanks again for the positive words!

I was told by my vet that I should have Suzi spayed in the middle of her cycle. i.e. 2/3 months after her heat. (I'm having her spayed in a 10 days.) She's only tiny too. Other vets have different ideas though, so don't go by this.

Try not to worry love, she'll be fine. Vet's spay little dogs lots of times. They know what they are doing. This is what we pay them for. Trust in your vet's judgement. If he's not worried try not to worry yourself. They're the experts.

I have 2 other dogs, Katie and Odie, Katie was spayed a couple of years ago and was fine. Odie was neutered 10 days ago and had his stitches out yesterday. He's fine too.Sending hugs for you, do try not to worry.

Hugs Shirl x x

I would print out the anethesia recommendations from the sticky and just go with it. It's so easy to worry--just walk forward! It will be ok--we just spayed our girl 2 weeks ago-so my worry is fresh. Trusting the vet is the BIG part of the equation.

I understand how you feel. My Daisy is a little over 1yr. old and weighs 2.8. I decided to have her spayed in April. It makes me a nervous wreck, but weighing the pros and cons in my opinion she is better off to be spayed. Hope everything goes well for you:)

Nothing else "needs" to be done. If you want to take every precaution possible/the safest route, then a bile acids, test, EKG, and urinalysis could be done. These tests aren't recommend for preop very often, but it is a good way to go imo.

Also imo, it is probably fine to spay now, but waiting a few more weeks (like 6 weeks after heat ends) is not a bad idea. There is a higher risk for bleeding when spaying during heat, so a higher risk of complications. Waiting gives things a chance to return to normal in there.

Thank you all so much for the positive words. Also, I just realized that I forgot to mention that they have her scheduled for the teeth cleaning at the same time of the spay, but again assured me that they will be closely monitoring her and if for any reason she is not doing well under the anesthesia (such as temp. dropping, etc) they will not do the teeth. As I've read and they also stated it is better do both at the same time so that she doesn't have to go under anesthesia again.

So please let me know if there are any other thoughts, suggestions, etc. Unless I hear from anyone a reason that I shouldn't have it done- I plan on taking Tessie to the vet tomorrow morning and discuss all of my concerns with the vet before I go forward with the spay. I have printed off the sticky info on anesthesia and I will also discuss with the vet my concerns about the bile acid test. Only if my husband and I feel 100% confident then I guess we will go ahead with the surgery.

I also ask for prayers and special thoughts for my Tessie tomorrow. I keep telling myself that everything will be ok & count down the hours to myself saying-- "in only 24 hours she will be out of surgery and doing fine.... and in 72 hours she'll be back to her happy & sweet self." I am just so nervous because she is truly our little baby girl and I don't know what we would do if something happened to her.

Thank you again for the advice and positive thoughts!