Spaying bitch just started season

[readyveg]

So the dog we acquired a while ago hadn't been spayed after all. We have an intact male ... Called vets and they have said they will spay her and to bring her tomorrow but am interacts in what people know before I talk to the vet tomorrow. How much bigger are the risks?

Could you not let her season run its course and neuter the dog? Or have the dog stay with someone while she's in heat?

I am wary of spaying during a season - it is becomes a complex operation with all the risks that carries. I would avoid it at pretty much any cost.

I've been told to wait 3 months before getting my girl done. We had her booked in for yesterday and the little bugger started bleeding on Thursday last week!

Luckily we have no other dogs to worry about!

Hope you manage to sort it soon and I'd agree with daisy...can you sort out an alternative solution for now?

Not got anywhere to stash her really, oddly my male hasn't noticed although a terrier in the park certainly did!

There is a much greater risk of serious bleeding when spaying bitches in heat as the bloods vessels that supply the uterus are up to 4 times bigger than they are between seasons.
Personally I would never spay an in season bitch. Do you have friend who could borrow one of your dogs?
The current BSAVA advice is to spay bitches 6 weeks after a season to avoid the complication of a phantom pregnancy.

I have no one who would want either, both difficult in different ways and the people who would help have dogs that couldn't IYSWIM.

However was worried that my giant male (there must be a ten stone mis match between them!) would be restless and interested but he is absolutely unresponsive to her so will watch and wait. Hopefully he stays unaware... bit gormless and dim at best:) Keep them separate when I am out etc Get her done at the safer time.

Thanks

You really are running a massive risk. That's how unplanned pregnancies happen.

He will notice; likely at about 2 weeks in when she stops bleeding - just at her most alluring and fertile time. I really don't think that keeping them separate when you're out is all you're going to have to do. To be honest, I think you're going to end up with a pg bitch.

Does your dog have to stay entire? Why have you not neutered him? That would be the failsafe option.

Yup not ideal but it would seem my option is spaying at a bad time or managing at home. If he had started off crazed by it then it wouldn't be manageable ...

He is a rescue, intact when he came and to stay that way unless I approach them with a good readon (breed rescue). Now he has heart disease so no ops for him.

Hmmm.

Could you discuss an implant for him with the vet? It's a temporary chemical solution to the problem and acts by suppressing his hormones almost completely as I understand it. Of course, it might not be suitable but it's got to be worth finding out.

I am only banging on because I know through the experiences of a couple of people who have years worth of experience with dogs and have been caught out by accidental matings; of another couple of people who thought they'd kept their 2 entire dogs separate for the duration and ended up with a pg bitch. And despite the fact she'd had 2 litters already (they are absolutely fantastic breeders), she died in whelp leaving pups who needed hand rearing and a massive vets bill - and utterly heartbroken owners.

It's not worth running the risk, IMO.

I come from NZ and have spayed plenty in season. It's a bit trickier and you will probably get charged more ( takes longer) , and it's not the best time to do them, but needs must. British vets do seem to be a lot more wary about bitch spays in general, so if you've found one who has agreed to spay in season they must be confident of their abilities.
Your boy will definitely notice at some point, and even if you neutered him today, you'd have to keep them separate for a week or two anyhow. I've seen a few pregnancies from recently neutered dogs, 2 weeks seems to be the limit.

Hi again,

Cheers for the nz perspective...I remember the chemical cosh taking a few weeks with another boy I had. Hmm

Poor thing is in her own room today...not a big fan of this arrangement!

I know many people (breeders) who keep intact dogs and bitches and never end up wih accidental pregancies.

You do need to keep them apart though and be endlessly vigilant, no excuses, even popping out of a room for a second could be too long.

Providing you are prepared to be totally responsible and extraordinarily careful you should be fine and can spay at the right time.

Neutered dogs can and will mate with a bitch in season. Can't make her pregnant of course (except if he's very recently castrated) but the 10 stone difference in size would squash her.

I suspect that UK vets are more cautious as our clients are more litigious and our professional indemnity insurance tell us that they would be unable to defend us if something went wrong.

And indeed they weren't very confident although they would do it. I obviously wouldn't at this point so we are on the keep them separate route. He is still oblivious so maybe his lack of drive will help. Not sure she will, seems suddenly fonder of him...

Lizcat, indeed. This was 10-15 years ago!
But I'm not sure the VDS would not be able to defend you if you'd made it clear that spaying in season was riskier but the client had requested that you go ahead anyhow? As I said, we did many ( 2-3 a week?) and I can't remember ever losing one. The blood vessels were bigger, but it meant they were more obvious and there was more oozing from smaller vessels of course, but the bitches seemed to do fine.