Spay question???

Ok, so Sophie, David's dad's dog (Art and Bears mom), is FINALLY going to be spayed! Hooray for that. :hail::hail:

David was going to spay her when we first started going out but he didn't have the money and had to decide between her or Bear, and concsidering Sophie went into heat, so we couldn't spay her anyways at that point and his dad was bugging him to bring her back he chose Bear.

But we have Sophie yet again and he is determined not to let her back down there without being spayed! Poor girl has had a litter EVERY SINGLE heat she's ever had except one (when she was with David that one heat). They are the type who don't really believe in spaying/neutering animals. Plus they let her roam around wherever she wants so that's how she got preggos every time. *sigh*

Poor Sophie is only 5 yrs old (approximately) and looks like she is 9!

She absolutely will get spayed before she goes back, David feels so bad for her, but we have a problem. She is in heat again we think. There's a small minuscule possibility she could already be pregnant (probably not!, but she started her heat down at his Dad's house so possibly).

My question is, as long as she is not pregnant, how long after her heat can we spay her? and how long does the heat last?

(I've never owned a female dog myself, and never one that wasn't spayed.)

I am told that a great many vets WILL spay a female in heat. Probably cost a bit more.

If she's pregnant, it's still possible but a lot more expensive & hard on the dog.

Well they will, only $20 more, but I always thought it was somehow a bad idea to spay while in heat?

I don't know. Ask your vet.

Lucy was spayed while in heat. It went fine and didn't cost much more.
Ordinarily I'd wait, but if spaying the dog while in heat is the only way to make sure she won't be pregnant again when she goes back, I'd do it.
Definitely talk to your vet about it.

Spaying while in season can have added bleeding complications during surgery.

But, if you won't be able to keep her with you until she can be spayed later, you could have it done during if you explain the situation to the vet.

Otherwise I'd wait a month or so afterwards

Heat lasts about three weeks. And you can absolutely get her spayed while she's in heat/pregnant. I got my cat spayed while she was in heat (though with my cat, she went into heat every three weeks for a week at a time.... so it would have been extremely difficult to time it just right) and she was perfectly fine.

I would say go ahead and do it.

Well, she started her heat before she got here, and if it only lasts three weeks, maybe we can put it off for a week or two. HHe told them he would have her back by memorial day, but I'm sure we can hold them off for another week or so.

I'm just worried about any added complications. Bear had a bad reaction to the anesthesia and almost didn't make it. So I'm kinda worried she might have the same reaction.