If it wasn’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all…
I have my Papillon puppy scheduled to be spayed first thing Tuesday morning. This afternoon, she started coming into heat.
I have been reading up on line, and evidently they can spay in heat but don’t recommend it because of added risks. I just thought I would ask you guys, since we have so many dog lovers and veterinnary types here. Are the risks that bad?
She is small, about 10 lbs. She is my baby. I would die if anything happened to her in surgery.
Oh yeah… I also have an intact, 75 lb. male Gordon Setter, just to complicate things a little farther.
It won’t take long before someone here asks why you don’t just go ahead and neuter your male Setter, so I’ll go ahead and ask first. … …
Assuming you have your reasons … can you keep them physically separated for a week or so? She won’t be in heat *that *long.
Have you asked the vet where she had the appointment? Can’t be the first time a lady pet has become a woman right when the crucial appointment is coming up.
Also … um … your intact male dog? Is he … a horny dog? Cuz I’ve been around intact male dogs, and I don’t think your female being spayed is going to dissuade him from his ardor, if he is, well, ardent. And a 75 lb dog going at it with a 10 lb dog might cause other veterinary issues. :eek:
I’ve heard the same thing bandied about at dog shows, but never by the really informed breeders. It smacks of old wives tale.
The only actual reason I’ve ever heard given is that the bitch is likely to already be low on iron, since she is bleeding. Even that, I think is kinda silly - she’s not on the rag for heaven’s sake! It’s just spotting that shows she’s receptive.
My Setter isn’t neutered because he is a competing show dog over half way to his championship and half way to his junior hunter title.
He is not overly horny. He has NEVER humped anything inappropriately. In fact, we were all taking a nap together in bed this afternoon and it was when we got up that I noticed Bunny was bleeding; he hadn’t paid a bit of attention. And yes, I do have plenty of crates, a dog room and an outdoor kennel run that I cqn keep them well apart. I shudder to think what would happen if a 75 lb. male bred a 10 lb bitch…
I was not able to call my vet to ask him about it; he was already closed when I made the discovery. I will be oin the phine first thing Monday morning tho, bet on it…
Do keep a physical barrier between them. Once he catches a whiff he will be going on pure instinct; a completely different dog whom you do not want to get to know.
Separating a dog and bitch is one of the more dangerous things I’ve had to do in an all-too-exciting life.
Keep a pitcher of icewater on hand as well, it’s your best bet.
It is a bit more harder to spay a female animal while in heat. The reproductive organs are slightly bigger, the surgery tends to be a bit more bloody (more blood going to the slightly more enlarged uterus). Depending on the size of the animal, this may or may not make the surgery a very bloody thing…
It is a bit more complicated than regular spay on a non-pregnant, non-in heat bitch. It is not a death sentence, and it is easier and waaay less risky than doing surgery on pregnant dogs or dogs with infected uterus.
Keep animals separated, this Monday the vet will be at his/her office, she/he can maybe schedule a surgery for Tuesday or Wednesday, even while the animal is in heat. Do prepare to maybe pay a bit more.
Send the setter to a friend for a few weeks - there are too many possible risks here. The best breeders I know, with the best seperation set-ups can still have Ooopses, and a Pap puppy is TOO small to risk it.
From everything my vet has said - don’t risk it, wait. (yes, twice I’ve had dog spay surgeries delayed for an inconvenient heat!)
I only WISH I had somewhere to send my boy… I don’t have any local friends that will keep him, unfortunately. And I definitely can’t afford to board him out. I am just going to have to be very, very diligent, and will be on the phone to my vet first thing Monday morning. I’ve dealt with bitches in heat in the past with success, but this is just not what I had planned.
I talked to my vet this morning; he said that since she is just coming in heat, it won’t complicate it all that much, and he routinely spays in heat bitches anyway. I have used the same vet for close to 20 years, so I trust him.
I’d still look into some pants for her until she’s all healed and her hormones have subsided, maybe, so the big guy can’t act even if he does get any ideas and accidental, uh, time alone with her!
As far as I am aware the only increased risk is increased blood loss. It is not an old wives tale, dogs are different than humans of course and when they are in heat the tissues within their uterus are extremely engorged with blood, as are the vessels surrounding the reproductive organs.
I would put it off. My cat was in heat when they spayed her (she showed no symptoms and they didn’t realize), she lost a lot of blood and had a slow recovery.
I would like to say that there’s no particular reason to neuter your dog if you are a reasonably responsible pet owner (you can’t let an unaltered dog roam, but I don’t think any dog should roam). Science shows no benefit, although of course they will not get testicular cancer - but the incidence of that is vanishingly small. If anything I would say there’s a downside, no testosterone means it’s hard to keep them thinner as they age, and their bones/joints are more fragile.
There is a very good reason to spay your bitch unless you’re going to breed her - pyometra is very easy for them to contract.
