spaying advice please

[Bid]

The cost we were quoted was £175..

We've just paid £180 and that included descaling some of her teeth - sounds like they charge similar prices.

[Carole g]

Love the graphic, Bid.

[Bid]

Why thankyou - I like to keep up with the seasons!

[Sharon]

Bitches usually have seasons that are not completely regular, but 12 weeks from the first day of season is a safe indicator of "anoestrus" (no heat)the term used to describe the safe period between seasons when there is no activity of the ovaries and it is safest to spey. Anoestrus typically starts about 10 weeks after the first day and continues a varied number of weeks until the "prooestrus" (before heat) starts the development of fertility that culminates in full season (the oestrus/heat). The length of anoestrus is not all that relevant to speying as it is rarely less than 1 month and typically 5 months, the only safe indicator is how long ago was the last season.
On a slightly different topic, bitches that have had a litter should really not be speyed before they have the next season as it is very difficult to assess the correct time. I would always wait for the post litter season and then count 12 weeks after the first day.
Of course medical emergencies can force the vet's hand to spey at any time but normally we can pick the safest time. Bitches usually survive the emergency operation but excess bleeding can be a real problem.

But what if your dog has an irregular cycle - say every three months, as a friend's dog did. You'd then be spaying just as the dog was coming into season if you booked her in 12 weeks after her first season wouldn't you? Is there a problem with leaving a dog intact until she is say 2 years old?

What is the correct term ... spey or spay?

Juliette,

the correct spelling is definitely SPAY ...

It is so annoying to see it spelt as "SPEY" on this forum, although I do believe they spell it like that in the States and Australia....

[amber]

(I always spell it spey, so I must be old fashioned 45 year old.
Amber

[Carole g]

Someone better tell my vet, his predecessor, and the vet I worked for as a teenager then, although he's long since departed.
Looking back through my vet receipts, the only alternative spelling with the "a" was a locum from foreign parts.
We're old fashioned round here and will stay like that. I've only just been dragged kicking and screaming into the last century, as for this one, I am not amenable to any further "upgrades"

[Juliette]

dont go longer than 13 weeks or less than 11 from Day 1 when you first see bleeding.

Sorry to keep rattling on about this, but surely this advise is only good if your bitch has already had two seasons and you know that she's cycling every 6 to 7 months?

[Carole g]

Did you miss this bit?

"The length of anoestrus is not all that relevant to speying as it is rarely less than 1 month and typically 5 months, the only safe indicator is how long ago was the last season. "



Would love to see a picture of Mr Socks even if the sock has not been in the wash recently