Female spaying advice needed

[TeenLifeMum]

Our 6 month old sprocker is being spayed next week. I think a body suit thing might be better than a cone (we have a 5yo male cocker and I’m more concerned he might lick the wound). We didn’t get the boy neutered hence needing to spay the puppy on the early side.

No experience of this so wondered if there are recommendations re body suits or alternatives. Many thanks in advance.

My Border Terrier was spayed earlier this year, three months after her first season. I wouldn't do it before then as growth plates and hormones are linked.
Anyway, the vets provided an MPS surgical suit. Cost around £20, very strong and washed well. I also bought a cheapy pink striped one from Ebay that fastens up with press studs along the back, rather than the MPS that goes over their head and fastens at the rear with two press studs. Both were helpful.

I borrowed a spay suit from a friend when my spaniel was spayed last summer and would do the same again with any future pups – never the cone, always the suit. Cones are just annoying. The suit was super easy and not a faff at all. It was slightly too big but that didn't matter as I just rolled it up at the back. The vets tried to sell me one as part of the spay but I took the one we had with us when we dropped her off and they were delighted with that. She had the lap spay and I kept the suit on her more or less the whole time she was in recovery – spayed on the Monday, vet check up on the Saturday.

The only time it was a bother was when one evening on a walk it rained and she had it on so I had to take it off to dry it and she was then bare overnight. Made no difference as I don't think she fussed with the wound anyway and she was back up to full strength on off-lead walks immediately post vet check-up.

I appreciate you weren't asking about this but I am surprised your vet advised/will do a spay so soon. She's only a baby still at six months.

Is it a keyhole spay? My girl had keyhole and we didn't have to bother with a suit or cone as the incision was so small and painless that she didn't bother it at all. We had a cheap spay suit from Amazon just in case though, which is sensible.

I agree, it seems a bit early to be spaying her though. We were advised to wait until three months after her first season, which is what we did.

Spay suits are fine.

But I wouldn't be spaying so soon, even with an intact male in the house. She's not even an adolescent yet. I'd be very uncomfortable of a dog being spayed just because they live with an intact male...and if a vet suggested that as a solution, I'd be very unhappy with the vet!

The breeder you used may well have included a cause about spaying/neutering in the contract you signed - I always do. They should also have discussed with you how to manage a young bitch alongside an intact male dog...

We have gone back and forth on this but the risk of her having a litter in her first year is too big a risk. Living with a male dog who she adores, we can’t separate them while she’s in season, hence early spaying. All discussed with our vet.

Thank you all for your comments. I now have a few extra things to ask at her pre op so that’s really helpful.

I had the same- but intact male was neutered. I’ve just had my girl dog spayed at age of 5 last week. Vet mentioned to me that it’s good to wait for as long as possible as it’s essentially putting them into menopause which leads to bone weaknesses like it does in humans.

I bought two suits but she didn’t need them

No, we’ve had nothing but breeders were a family breeding their family dog for the experience. That said, our breeder for dog number 1 didn’t give any information like that and there was no contract re breeding as he’s kc reg from a “great line” so she was happy for us to breed. We don’t plan to.

PDSA recommends spaying before first season except in large breed dogs:

Yes, your dog can be neutered before her first season. In fact, neutering a female dog before her first season significantly reduces the risk of certain medical conditions such as mammary (breast) cancers and pyometra (womb infection).

Springers are at risk of urinary incontinence if spayed before a year iirc. It's probably worth weighing up the risks.

One of my pups siblings actually went back to the breeder during her first season as there was an intact male in the household.

PDSA advice is very heavily weighted in preventing unwanted pups by irresponsible owners imo. So their advice is spay to avoid unwanted pregnancy when it's perfectly possible to do this with management.

I genuinely have no words - at least nothing that won't get me banned.

There is no risk of her having a litter in your first year if you are a halfway competent owner and keep an eye on your dogs.

Following your updates I think I’ll leave @LandSharksAnonymous to say what I don’t think I can do super politely about this.

All I can say is that I am astonished that a vet, and presumably your trusted vet (since I know your boy has been very unwell) would advise early spaying over the fairly straightforward management of two dogs for a short period of time – once, since you’d then have her spayed after her first season.

Ha, x-point! @LandSharksAnonymous

Sometimes, silence speaks louder than words.

Plus I have four dogs harassing me for an afternoon walk...but I shall be thinking my (angry) thoughts loudly, aggressively and at length for the next 45 minutes whilst I walk in the rain. 😄

I really hope OP is taking on board the complete agreement of everyone else that early spaying is NOT a good idea, for the well being the dog. My BT didn't have her first season until she was 11 months old. Any sooner and I would have waited for a second season.

🙄 we work, albeit from home, and have 3 dc so no, I cannot watch them 24/7. Just spoke to vet and they are very happy due to her size etc so I’ll take their advice (which matches that of the PDSA) over your beliefs.

Taken on board, literally posting from the vet car park after her pre op appointment where I raised concerns on this thread. Went through pros and cons and for her breed and size they are happy it’s the right way forward. I appreciate there are varied views but I’ll take the advice of my vet (3 trained and experienced vets who are in agreement with their policies).

You can be angry all you like but do you honestly think a responsible owner would go with randoms on the internet over qualified professional advice from those who know my dog?

Reducing risk of cancers seems quite a positive reason.

@TeenLifeMum you're not a responsible owner though?

(A) You bought a puppy from a 'breeder' who not only had no idea what they were doing ('breeding for the experience'). Responsible owners don't do that.
(B) You have twice bought dogs from bad 'breeders' (sorry, but a dog being KC registered means nothing) and seem to think that's okay. Responsible owners don't make that mistake once, let alone twice.
(C) You bought a puppy from a 'breeder' who didn't do any proper checks on you (because no good breeder would sell to someone who planned on spaying their dog so young - because most vets recommend waiting past the first season. A dog's 'size' is not an accurate measurement of whether they have reached developmental maturity - just like, in very basic terms, the height and weight of a teenage girl is no indication of whether she has started her periods). Responsible owners don't do that.

Separately, three trained vets, eh? All to decide whether to spay a dog? Doesn't say much about their experience or competence.

I do know someone who had her bitch spayed pre first season. She had to approach 3 different veterinary practices, as the first 2 refused to spay that early.

Kc reg breeder has known me for 15 years and is well regarded in the world of working cockers. We had great support from the breeder who has one litter a year.

Second puppy came from a loving family home and their adult son was a vet himself so I’m happy with that breeder, met mum and the puppies. They’ve decided not to breed again because they found partying with the puppies quite emotional. I’d rather that than an “experienced” breeder with multiple litters per year doing it for £££.

The British Veterinary Association (BVA) says at 6 months is fine.

I’ve googled our 3 local vets and all will spay from 6 months. I appreciate there’s strong views on here but please appreciate that there’s a lot of mixed advice and I’ve done a lot of reading and taken advice from professionals. I’m sorry that you feel I’m a bad owner and I don’t think I’ll be able to change that view but I’m going to accept we disagree.

Separately, three trained vets, eh? All to decide whether to spay a dog? Doesn't say much about their experience or competence.

It's a large vets with 3 practices across our county and 3veterinary partners. The policy was agreed by all three. I haven’t seen all three to discuss. You really are looking for a way to argue.

I'm really surprised. This research paper, which is widely circulated among vets says that for female cocker spaniels, you should not spay until 11 months plus, and for female springer spaniels, you should not spay until 23 months plus.

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/veterinary-science/articles/10.3389/fvets.2020.00388/full

I'd just really have a think.

Perhaps, if you've already said you cannot keep your bitch safe if she has a season, the vets have agreed to spay as the least worst option.

Why not get the male neutered instead?

Give the male a suprelorin. Wait until she’s a year/past first season and then Spey?