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INFORMATION FOR PET
OWNERS
SPAYING A FEMALE DOG AT TOA PAYOH VETS
Dr Sing Kong Yuen, BVMS
(Glasgow), MRCVS
First written: Jun 10,
2009.
Update: Dec 31, 2009
Recently, one young lady told me that her vet
phoned her to spay her female dog at 4 months of age. Her dog
was vaccinated one month earlier by this vet who is in her 30s
and the lady vet followed up with a call to get her dog
spayed.
This young lady
rejected
the offer to spay early. She waited for her dog to come
into heat and then spay her 2 months after the heat period.
By
the 9th month, the small-breed dog still had not come into
heat. "Most dogs come into heat from 6-8 months of age.
She could have a silent heat with no signs of vaginal
bleeding," I said when the lady told me that she had monitored
her dog daily and would know if there was bleeding.
"She would have had her heat period or could be coming into
heat soon," I checked that the vulva area was swollen but not
red. She made a decision to spay. The dog was on heat as the
uterine blood vessels were enlarged. However, the dog
recovered safely.
Older vets do not phone owners to spay their dogs in the 1970s
but times have changed. The animal shelters and some
veterinary associations in the USA advocate the spaying of
female dogs as early as 3 months of age. The purpose is to
reduce the stray dog population if one reads between the
lines.
Various vets have their personal opinions as to when to spay
the female dog. One veterinarian wrote in the internet that he
recommends spaying at 6 months of age, before the dog comes
into heat, as evident by vaginal bleeding. At that time, the
dog's temporary canine teeth, if not dropped off, can be
extracted at the same time. Certainly, spaying at 6 months is
easier as the dog has less fat, generally. In addition, some
writers claim that spaying before the first heat greatly
reduce the female dog getting breast cancer. Any spay over the
first heat will increase the risk. There are so many claims
and therefore it is up to the owner to decide when to spay
their female dog.
As regards spaying of the female dog who is a home pet,
I do not recommend spaying earlier than 6 months of age
as the female dog has not matured.
My recommendation is to spay your female dog 2-3 months after
her last heat as the operation is practically blood-less and
very safe for your female dog. The heat period is usually 6-8
months of age. The main reason for spaying at this time is
that the female dog's vulva has had matured. Therefore, she
would have no difficulty peeing in later life. Spaying too
early, before the first heat, deprives the reproductive organs
of the female dog from maturing.
However, female dogs can be spayed during the
heat period but it is a more bloody surgery. I will do it
if the owner insists and have been advised of the risk of
bleeding accordingly.
Below is some information about your dog's spay procedures at
Toa Payoh Vets.
WHAT TO EXPECT.
The
veterinarian removes the womb and ovaries of the female dog.
This is called ovariohysterectomy or spay. It is a major
surgery. In healthy female dogs, the risk of dying on
the operating table is very low.
WHAT TO DO
BEFORE.
Make an appointment 6254-3326, 9668-6469 for surgery. The
dog must be healthy and not obese (if possible). She is
active and has an excellent appetite. Dogs should have
their last vaccination less than 12 months ago. Bathe the pet the night before and wash her private parts
and lower abdomen thoroughly. Bring the pet to the
surgery at 9 a.m.
FOR DOGS. Don't give food and water after 10 p.m
the day before the surgery and in the morning of the surgery
date. Make sure the dog has passed motion and urine. She
has no ticks or skin diseases. Bring the dog into the surgery
at around 9 a.m. after making the appointment the day before.
WHAT TO DO DURING.
The female dog is given a tranquiliser and a general
anaesthesia using gas. The skin and muscles of the female dog
at midline is incised. A spay hook fishes out the womb and
ovaries.
WHAT TO DO AFTER. FOR DOGS. The owner takes the dog home at around 5
p.m. Bring your e-collar if you have one. At home, make sure that the dog does not jump and run around for
the next 7 - 14 days. Check the wound daily for signs of
itchiness or infection. Replace the plaster on day 3. If not, remove the plaster on day 7.
Give the pain-killers and antibiotics as advised.
The stitches on the skin will dissolve after 14 - 30 days.
There is no need to return to the surgery for stitch removal.
Consult the vet promptly if the dog is not eating or
active or he keeps licking the wound from day 3. The phone
number is 9668-6469, 6254-3326,
e-mail judy@toapayohvets.com
HIGHLY CHARGED
EMOTIONS IN OWNERS OF
PYOMETRA DOGS
Case 1.
I have had
encountered cases
where the older dog
dies due to a delay in
the surgery to remove
the infected womb. The
children would be very
upset. The adults
start blaming the vet
for the death since
they don't blame
themselves for the
delay and/or
indecision to get the
sick dog operated
immediately.
In one
case I know of, the
female dog had a
very high fever. A
tentative diagnosis of
pyometra was made by
Vet 1. After bringing down
the fever, the vet
advised surgery the
next day. The adult
owner
had conferences with
family members and
decided not to opt for
surgery, since the
risks of dying on the
operating table were
high.
They got the dog home.
The dog was still
vomiting. So they went
to another vet. The dog died
after one day at Vet 2. So,
much anger was vented
on the first vet as
the second vet had
charged $1,000 for the
treatment but the dog
had died. So the first
vet was to be blamed.
Case 2.
Many years ago, one owner
cursed me and
bad-mouthed me after
pyometra surgery
because her dog still
continued vomiting.
The kidneys had
already been damaged
due to toxins from the
pus in the womb,
resulting in high
blood urea. Urea is a
toxic substance
causing the dog to
vomit. This thin dog
had been vomiting for
several weeks and
continued vomiting
after pyometra surgery
because the kidneys
were failing. Spaying
would not resolve the
problem of vomiting. As
far as this adult lady
owner was concerned, I
did not resolve her
problem and
bad-mouthed me to her
friends who probably
thought that spaying
by me caused the dog
to vomit!
ECONOMICS. Every owner
wants the least
veterinary costs for
their dog care and
this is understandable.
Prevention of pyometra
by a simple spay when
the female dog is
young and healthy is
most inexpensive.
Female dogs tend to
soil the apartment
when they are on heat.
I can understand that
it costs money to spay
a dog. However, a
pyometra case may cost
the owner more than
$1,000 depending on
the tests (blood
tests, X-rays) to be carried out
and no guarantee of no
death on the operating
table.
CONCLUSION.
All these highly
charged emotions
affecting family
members, especially
children can
be avoided if the
adult owners get their
female dog spayed at 6
months to 2 years of
age. If the
owner feels that it is
cruel to sterilise the
dog, it must be the
owner's responsibility
to get the female dog
examined yearly or
promptly when she is
not eating. Pyometra
does not occur
overnight and when a
sick vomiting dog is
presented to the vet,
that dog is already in
poor health.
Be
vigilant regarding
your older female
dog's health
especially when she
has irregular heat
periods or a change in
the colour of her
bleeding during heat.
An annual examination
will be the best, but
some older Singaporean
dog owners just do not
do it. After the
joys of puppyhood had
long evaporated, the
older dog is now a
piece of "old
furniture". Bad
breath? No worries.
Loose teeth start
falling out? So what?
The dog can still eat.
Dog not eating for a
few days? Wait and
see.
The baby-boomer
generation that is not
really keen in the pet
dog is getting old. I
am glad to know that
the younger dog owners
are more concerned and
vocal about their
dog's health but
sometimes it is just
too late to save the
old companion, due to
the neglect of the
head of the
house-hold.
TOA
PAYOH VETS
