Can anyone give me any advice about spaying ?

[Winetimeisfinetime]

I have had to pemanently adopt my mum's dachshund puppy as she is ill and can't give the puppy the attention she needs. I already have 2 male dogs, one of whom hasn't been neutered as he has some congental problems that mean a general anaesthetic is particularly dangerous for him - so I need to get the female dachshund spayed and having never had a female dog before don't really know what to expect. I am worried about how long it will take her to recover and how quiet she will need to be kept as she is normally very lively and loves rough and tumble with the other 2 dogs.

Also does having had the operation tend to have any impact on temperament like it is supposed to do in male dogs.

I feel quite worried about such a major operation for her and am looking for reassurance as well.

Anyone ?

It is generally considered to be beneficial to female dogs to be speyed, but you do need to watch out for weight gain. I don't think it affects their temprement like it does for dogs. I'd give your vets a ring about recovery times, my dogs due to go in next week for neutering and I've been told he should be fully recovered in 7-10 days, I imagine its fairly similar for a bitch, like you I don't know how I'll keep my lively dog quiet, but I will keep him on a lead for a couple of days and then make sure he doesn't jump any stiles etc for a few days. I'd give your vets a ring as they should be able to give you more details.

My mum has just had her new Jack Russell puppy spayed (she was found abandoned and is about six months old)and I wouldn't say it has affected her temperament at all. She had the operation and then a check-up a couple of days later. The stitches came out 10 days after that. She had to wear a 'bucket' on her head to stop her pulling out the stitches and she wasn't allowed to climb stairs or jump about for the first few days (although there was no stopping her after that!). The vet also said to always support her bottom when she was picked up and not let her 'dangle' in case she hurt her tummy. She stayed on the lead when she went out to keep her out of mud/brambles etc. All just common-sense really, she was very happy after the first evening when she felt quite sorry for herself.

Oh and Mum did have to stop her playing too roughly with her other dog for about a week but she goes in a cage when she is left anyway because she is at the 'destroying the house' stage so that kept her quiet.

Thanks so much for your replies - sounds like female dogs tend to cope with the operation quite well.

I worried myself when I found out that spaying in a female means removal of ovaries and womb { I had some vague idea it was more like a human sterilisation} - which seems so major and also would mean hormone replacement for us human females.

I'm sure she will be ok but I think that I will struggle to keep her quiet whilst she recovers as she is such a live wire and loves winding up the other 2 dogs.

LittleB -my experience of male dogs is that they recover very quickly after the operation- just a bit sorry for themselves for a day or two and then back to normal.

My dog was tender for a few days.

It won't make her gain weight, no dog will get too fat as long as they they have sufficient exercise and proper diet.

My puppy was spayed at 6 months. She was up and about after 24 hours and back to normal in a few days. 3 months down the line her scar is barely visible and she hasn't put on any weight but I am very careful with her diet.

I'd always, always spay a bitch on health grounds, unless I was determined to breed from her. It massively reduces their risk of breast tumours if you get them spayed before their second season, so at about 5 or 9 months. It also means they won't get pyometra (sp?), which is fairly common in intact bitches and can be fatal. They do get greedier after and their metabolism slows a bit, so you need to watch their weight, but otherwise it has no effect on their personality at all.

Apart from anything else being on heat can be miserable for them - ours was very upset and uncomfortable and sad, which surprised me as we had the one before fixed before her first heat. And we couldn't walk the poor pup either, as she was desperate to get laid and dogs frantic to get to her! Really there are advantages on all sides and very few disadvantages.

She'll be fine, as long as she's kept very quiet for 2 weeks so her stitches heal and the wound closes, and she should be home the afternoon of the op, if you drop her at the vets in the morning.