Dog neutering.

[cal216610]

Hi all,
We have 2 bhes a chocolate lab 8yrs and a Bassett hound at 8months, the OH would like your opinions on wether to get them done.
Have read a few bits with regard to health issues and weight problems in later years.
Can anyone give us advice to the benefits of doing this for them or is it best to leave them as they are.
We will never want to breed them, which may or may not be a good thing.
We just want some good advice the could help the OH decide to get them done or not.
TIA
Chris.

[anonymous-user]

All I can say is I had mine done to stop the spotting and the male attention (from other dogs, obviously )

She's now 14 years and healthy and a good size.

[pikeyboy]

cal216610 said:

Hi all,
We have 2 bhes a chocolate lab 8yrs and a Bassett hound at 8months, the OH would like your opinions on wether to get them done.
Have read a few bits with regard to health issues and weight problems in later years.
Can anyone give us advice to the benefits of doing this for them or is it best to leave them as they are.
We will never want to breed them, which may or may not be a good thing.
We just want some good advice the could help the OH decide to get them done or not.
TIA
Chris.

You need Bex VN, personally I'd have the lab spayed and the basset hound when its old enough. Just watch the lab doesn't pile on the weight though as they can do this easilly anyway.

[itsnotarace]

Had my GR done a year ago, I cut down her food intake by about a 1/3rd and she has not gained any weight since. No other side effects.

[cal216610]

boy said:

You need Bex VN, personally I'd have the lab spayed and the basset hound when its old enough. Just watch the lab doesn't pile on the weight though as they can do this easilly anyway.

Thank so far all,

We are also concerned with Megan ( Bassett ) as they can take much longer to mature than other breeds and would like to know at what age would be best for her, if she decides.

[Jasandjules]

If you are not going to breed then IMHO it's kinder for the animal, it also reduces the risks of some conditions. It also makes life a lot, lot easier when it comes to them being in season and the upset to other dogs and difficulties on walks etc Check with your vet what time they would spay though, for some it's six months.

[bexVN]

Hi.
With your lab anytime soon would be good as she will be at risk of pyometra. Weight gain is avoidable with care. Reduce her food intake by 10% at least, once she's healed (about 10 days post op) and ck her weight 2 months post op.

bhes should be spayed midway between seasons, so usually 3 months post season.

For your young bassett let her have 1 season, would not advise pre season spaying with her breed but before her 2nd season as this will reduce the likelihood of mammary tumours occurring when older. Post 3rd season it makes little difference to the % chance of occurrence of mammary tumours but even late spaying can reduce the speed of growth I believe.

Spaying a female at a young age has less effect on maturity than castrating a young male.

There is no set age for when they will have a first season but the general rule is the smaller the breed the younger so eg Jack Russell 6months Springers 9-12mths Lab 12-15months etc

[cal216610]

Thanks for that,
Our Bassett had her first season at 5months ( we were very surprised ) but were concerned as to being told and read that they are slow to mature and that it would be best to wait a couple of years.
We are Leeds / Bradford area, can anyone recommend a good vet for this we do like our vet in saltaire but he comes across as dithery ( old guy but knows his stuff ) he looks after our birds well and tortoise ( with help from text books on his desk ) and that seems to put off the OH.
Thanks again all, OH wants the best for our girls but the mass of info on the Internet is giving her all sorts of doubts.

[bexVN]

5 months is very young for any breed let alone a bassett. Do you know if it was a true season?

I'd probably let her have another one in that case. I really wouldn't expect her to have her second one until 6 months after her first if it is sooner then this may be a concern in itself. Obviously nature doesn't follow strict rules but the general guides are usually fairly reliable and extremes of the average may suggest things aren't quite right.

If it is 6 months and you shouldn't spay her until 3 months after this season then she'll be about 14 months old and most of her essential growing done so should not have too much of an impact on her maturing.

[cal216610]

Her mother was kennel registered but father wasn't but both parents true Bassett, her cycle lasted 3weeks ( definite swelling and normal colour) like I said we were surprised at this.
For best we will wait 12 months at least for her.
Thanks for that.

For Mollie our chocky lab, would you recommend then getting her done now?? You don't think she is too old?
Also hope it does not change her character as she is very much affectionate ( even to our cat ) .
We really do want what's best for both of them in the long run.

[bexVN]

It really shouldn't change her character.

No she is not too old but a precaution may be pre anaesthetic bloods and even an iv drip during the op.

I had my first dog done at 8yrs (I wasn't aware of pyo's at that time, she was in the early stages of one, so very relieved we got her done as by next season she would have a full blown life threatening pyo)

As long as you are aware of the possible risks of not getting her done or getting her done then you can make an educated choice.

Obviously every ga has an element of risk but a planned ga in a healthy dog is far safer than an emergency ga in a toxic/ shocked dogs. Survival post pyo surgery is much better than when I first started nursing but we still lose them occasionally due to toxic shock.

There is a small chance of the risk of urinary incontinence post spay, this isn't usually immediate (often not til they are quite a bit older) but it's the only other negative (apart from poss weight gain if no care taken) that I am aware of or can think of. Some breeds do get coat changes but this is not normally an issue unless it's a show dog.

[cal216610]

Just asking for a little bit more info,
How long would the stitches be in for?
And.
Is it recomended to take time off work whilst healing?
And
What would be the best for our Bassett whilst Mollie is healing?
I'm sorry to constantly ask lots of Qs and get your Pro advice for free but it really is helping the OH set her mind at ease.
Thanks again, Chris.

[gd49]

cal216610 said:

Just asking for a little bit more info,
How long would the stitches be in for?
And.
Is it recomended to take time off work whilst healing?
And
What would be the best for our Bassett whilst Mollie is healing?
I'm sorry to constantly ask lots of Qs and get your Pro advice for free but it really is helping the OH set her mind at ease.
Thanks again, Chris.

Stitches normally left in for 10 days.

No need to be off work normally, as long as the dog is reasonably calm when alone.

As long as the basset isn't going to lick at the labs stitches you don't need to take any special precautions. If she is likely to you may need to get a buster collar for her too after the op

[Who me ?]

Jasandjules said:

If you are not going to breed then IMHO it's kinder for the animal, it also reduces the risks of some conditions. It also makes life a lot, lot easier when it comes to them being in season and the upset to other dogs and difficulties on walks etc Check with your vet what time they would spay though, for some it's six months.

Depends on the dog. I've had she's where in season they had no interest in mating.I'd take a bottle of 50% ammonia on a walk( cover up her markings),and we'd wash the front and rear with the same mix.Antimate Spray ( How she hated that stuff) also worked . Next one hardly showed she was in season ,but the dogs did. She got caught when missus took her to shops and tied her up .Free, she's have defended her honour( unless she fancied the dog,and that was very rare) ,but tied up ,she had little chance . She got done fast .
Present dog ,got done at six months. I'd suspect it was down to his temperament. In truth, I'd put his ways down to poor socialisation at an early age by his first owners. When I got him ,three years ago , he seemed not to know any doggy etiquette. I'd say he's never met many dogs ,without an owner getting in way. Now , other owners have commented on the improvement.He challenges other dogs to a pee contest,and the only worries I have are if he meets a snub nose dog, as I'd reckon he's been attacked by a Staff .Again, we met a Boxer to night ,and although the owner was worried ,as boxer loved to play ,and overwhelmed the other dog, Toby only had a minor snarl. Whether it's he's getting older, but he's more relaxed around other males .
He makes no distinction between males/females, something that I feel is wrong, but part of the neutering process. SO is it better to have a male done ,vs training to socialise
with males and let nature take it's course with spayed females ??
To my mind the jury is out .

[Jasandjules]

[quote=Who me ?]
Again, we met a Boxer to night ,and although the owner was worried ,as boxer loved to play ,and overwhelmed the other dog, Toby only had a minor snarl. Whether it's he's getting older, but he's more relaxed around other males .
He makes no distinction between males/females, something that I feel is wrong, but part of the neutering process. SO is it better to have a male done ,vs training to socialise
with males and let nature take it's course with spayed females ??
To my mind the jury is out .
[/quote]

Ok, if your dog met mine and gave a "minor snarl" to show he's the dominant male it would be badly hurt. He may well meet a dog in his time like ours who deal with aggression, so to be on the safe side in your shoes I'd get him neutered. You also have an issue where if someone has a dog and a bh and he tried to hump an in season female, the dog may well tear at him!

A neutered male does seem to calm down. But why would they make a distinction between a male or female? They play, say hello etc whether it's a male or female. It's only if a bh is in season where problems arise but a neutered male won't be such a problem with them (though if neutered later in life they can still have some instincts for a year or so IME!).

[Who me ?]

Jasandjules said:

Ok, if your dog met mine and gave a "minor snarl" to show he's the dominant male it would be badly hurt. He may well meet a dog in his time like ours who deal with aggression, so to be on the safe side in your shoes I'd get him neutered. You also have an issue where if someone has a dog and a bh and he tried to hump an in season female, the dog may well tear at him!

A neutered male does seem to calm down. But why would they make a distinction between a male or female? They play, say hello etc whether it's a male or female. It's only if a bh is in season where problems arise but a neutered male won't be such a problem with them (though if neutered later in life they can still have some instincts for a year or so IME!).

Jasandjules - he's been done, and therein lies the question . He'd not be badly hurt with any other dog- he's seen off much larger Staffs, but therein lies another problem in your thinking.He's of the size and mentality to attack the underside of a larger dog- this breed can /will kill much larger dogs,but to go into this argument is getting into the childish zone .I've seen one large cairn get fed up with a large bully GS, and sort it out. Had the cairn been a killer, the GS would have been dead .
I don't want dog conflict- in my opinion ,there's only one winner -the vet. A male dog that's not done, will respect any female. That's the problem I have- he's been done that long that he don't know the difference, because his first owners believed that it would calm him down, without proper training/socialisation which he's never had .

[Wigeon Incognito]

Out of interest, what do people on here think of early spaying/neutering say at 10 weeks old? More rescue centres than ever are doing it now. Would it put anybody off taking on a rescue pup?

[Who me ?]

Wigeon Incognito said:

Out of interest, what do people on here think of early spaying/neutering say at 10 weeks old? More rescue centres than ever are doing it now. Would it put anybody off taking on a rescue pup?

As I said- I've had adult males that respect a female out of season. but I've got a spayed dog ,that has problems with females( both done & undone) -he is lost on the sex front. A far as I'm concerned, the jury is still out.

[bexVN]

I don't like it. I know recovery is meant to be quicker and surgery easier I just don't like the idea of anaesthetising such a young critter for routine surgery.

[cal216610]

Thanks for all the advice.
Mollie will be booked in as soon as,

And we will book Megan in next year.