To spay or not to spay???

[Byakko's Mom]

SPAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Just look up Pyometra and find out how awful that is for a dog to go through and how expensive it is. The treatment is a spay but a really expensive spay since they are sick, not to mention everything everyone else has allready mentioned. Please do your dog and yourself a favor and spay your dog it is a lot less expensive in the long run and many puppies are from no chance it will happen litters and we certainly don't need more unwanted puppies in the world today.

[Albea]

I was stupid enough not to spay my first Golden, not because I wanted to breed her or couldn't pay the bill, but because I thought it would be painful for her. She died of breast cancer at the age of 9 1/2. That was a long time ago and I learned my lesson.
My next two Golden girls were spayed as soon as they were six months old. They never gained weight or had any incontinence problems.
Please, do your pup a favor that will keep her with you, happy and healthy, for a long time. Spay her!

[mruffruff]

PLEASE SPAY!

For all of the above reasons. And a dog that is spayed (or neutered) is less likely to roam.

There have been cases of male dogs breaking windows to get to a female in heat!!
And dogs can mate through a chain link fence.

Mary

[Cataholic]

You know, I haven't really seen any 'evidence' of this weight gain due to altering your doggie, male or female. The facts seem to be...as ALL of us age, our energy levels decrease...but, our ability/desire to eat stays the same. I wonder how much of the weight gain is really just the natural progression of life?


As to your comment that she really likes her food....well, kids really like candy, too, but, you have to limit the intake.

[cloverfdx]

please spay her- as everyone else has said

we stupidly did not spay our jack russell terrier X untill this year, she had to go in for emergency surjury due to pyometra (spl?) and we nearly lost her it is the dumbest thing we have ever done and never will i have an intact dog again. also my rotti X was not done untill she was 3 years old so the percentage is higher for her getting mamery cancer in her older/ or not too older years, and that thought makes me sick

[lv4dogs]

I say spay (just look at my sig)
There have been a lot of facts stated for reasons to spay, there is only fact not to spay which is to IMPROVE the breed!
Pyometra is what I was going to say but was already mentioned. When I worked as a vet tech I saw many dogs come in w/ that, an emergancy spay is required & it is deadly (the cancers are deadly too).

Fatness ussually occures cause the owner increases the food &/or decreases the excersize. it is a myth.

If you love your dog you will get her spayed.

there are many programs out there for individuals that can not afford the full cost of spaying/neutering. Your local shelters & vet should be able to get all the info on that.

[micki76]

I think dogs are like people; some get fatter as they age and some don't. All three of my dogs are altered. Millie is the only chubby one. Chester is in fine, trim shape and so is Aneko (we've actually had to put weight on her). Neither of my girls has any incontenence issues and Aneko is 13-15 years old!

[clara4457]

Micki76 - I agree totally. Once I had Penny spayed her energy level went way up - she is a great deal more active now. Once I got her spayed, her incontinence went away.

Leo is a little overweight, but that is because he would eat everything in site if I let him not because he is neutered.

[shais_mom]

I wouldn't own a pet that was NOT spayed or neutered.

[Shelteez2]

no one has mentioned is that allowing a dog to go through heat after heat increases it's chances of getting pyometra.

http://www.askdrpetra.com/Dogs/Pyometra%20in%20Dogs.htm

[cloverfdx]

Pyometra has been mentioned a few times * a few posts up*

[Shelteez2]

Originally posted by cloverfdx
Pyometra has been mentioned a few times * a few posts up*

Whoops. I suppose it helps if I read all the replies before I post, huh?

[belle67]

Please spay her!
Not only will there be no puppies running around but it also cuts the risk of mammary cancer.
Our girl is spayed (a condition of her adoption contract) and she has never been incontinent or put on weight. And she is 5. Lots of exercise and controlling about of food will help with that.