Spaying Opinions, PLEASE

[Gijora]

Some of you may [or may not] know that I have a female GSD from the pound that came home with us several weeks ago. She's about 4yrs old and in good health. When she first came home my parents and my sister kept saying 'she needs to be spayed. she needs to be spayed.'

Here's my question/dilemma/what would you do? >.<

-The pound we got her from gave us a voucher to use to wards her being spayed. I think that's awesome for a pound like that to do! The only problem [if I can call it that] is the time limit - the surgery must be done before Feb. 14
-However, the vet wants us to wait several months past that date, to see if she goes into heat or not [I think he thinks that she may already be spayed. simply because she's not preggo!] If we wait that long we don't get the voucher, and it is pretty expensive [money is not a HUGE issue, tho]
-After talking to him and weighing the options, my Mom went ahead and scheduled an appointment. So when they go in and do the surgery the vet said he could remove her hernia [he's not even sure that's what it is. he said its it doesn't have to be removed, and its more for the 'appearance'] so if she is spayed it won't be a total waste of time, money, and an invasive surgery.
-On the other hand if she goes into heat its going to be a mess, and a pain to deal with her. I'm not worried about keeping her away from boy dogs - just her being witchy .lol.​

-After that, how long do we have to wait before we get her spayed? I've read that we have to wait a couple months so she goes back to normal.?

The other night, after my sister and I walked the dogs she was sitting on the floor petting the dogs. Lady laid on her side for her belly to be rubbed. Dana petted her for a while, and then said "You know, she might Be spayed." It was kind of random, and I asked her why she said it and she said she wasn't sure. She said its possible there's a scar [and she pointed it out - nothing to see, really] that's really well healed. She's calmed down a lot, and she doesn't try to mark when we walk at all anymore.

I don't know. Should we cancel the appointment? I'm starting to think we should. But I'm not sure if waiting is good or not.

 

[Lizmo]

Well, if they go ahead and spay her...if she is spayed...there will be nothing to remove right?

So I would go ahead and do the surgery AND get the thing on her removed

 

[iheartsammy]

I think you should just go ahead with the operation... I don't think it would be putting her in pain or anything if she has the operation, but is already spayed..

but thats just what I think...

 

[mojozen]

Personally I'd keep the appointment, irregardless. If he goes in, and she is spayed no harm done. And what's this about a hernia? I think you need a second opinion... because what this vet is saying makes very little sense to me. Why would removing a hernia just be for "appearnace" reasons?

 

[Gijora]

thanks for the opinions guys

I'm sorry - no one thinks its a big deal to be sliced open for no reason? Even with meds, I'm sure it effects them, even hurt...

the hernia is not bothering her. he said that several times. It's obviously been there for years. He said it won't matter much if its fixed or not - the only think that will change is the looks since it doesn't bother her. might be a cist .
I'm only 14 - I actually don't have endless amounts of money or resources. A second opinion would be another vet in the same office

 

[mojozen]

thanks for the opinions guys

I'm sorry - no one thinks its a big deal to be sliced open for no reason? Even with meds, I'm sure it effects them, even hurt...

the hernia is not bothering her. he said that several times. It's obviously been there for years. He said it won't matter much if its fixed or not - the only think that will change is the looks since it doesn't bother her. might be a cist .
I'm only 14 - I actually don't have endless amounts of money or resources. A second opinion would be another vet in the same office

Not many of us have endless amounts of money or resources, I don't, and I am 30!

Yes, one should be concerned about the dog being sliced open for no reason... but I'd far rather have my dog go through a spay process (if I had a female) if there was any doubt rather than run the risk of just waiting to see if she goes in heat. To me that poses more risks than having a vet check...

 

[Julie]

I am just curious. I realize it is obvious if a male has been neutered, but with a female dog outside of external scars...cant a vet tell if it has been done or not? What about ultrasound, xrays, blood tests or something? You would think in this day and age, a vet should be able to tell before opening a dog up.

 

[Lizmo]

I am just curious. I realize it is obvious if a male has been neutered, but with a female dog outside of external scars...cant a vet tell if it has been done or not? What about ultrasound, xrays, blood tests or something? You would think in this day and age, a vet should be able to tell before opening a dog up.

^^^ I was thinking the same thing

 

[chinchow]

You can feel there, an experienced person knows what to feel for, and I'm sure you can x-ray that to tell. There's no point in waiting. Go ahead with that appointment.

 

[Julie]

I think I would see another vet now. I wouldn't keep an appointment with a vet that doesn't know if she was already spayed or not.... but scheduling a surgery appt. anyway, whether you wait a few months or not.

 

[Lizmo]

Well if there is a way to know whether or not she is spayed without going under, I would go to another vet and get another opinion. And even see if she is spayed

 

[showpug]

Usually, you can see a scar and feel the permanent sutures if the dog has been spayed.

I say go for the appointment. Is her hernia an umbilical hernia? If so, I can almost guarantee that she is not spayed. No vet would spay a dog and leave a hernia present. Umbilical hernias can be life threatening and although it is not bothering her, that doesn't mean it's not a risk!

Good luck with whatever you decide and kudos to you for helping a dog in need!

 

[Gijora]

Thanks for all of the replies!!!

I am just curious. I realize it is obvious if a male has been neutered, but with a female dog outside of external scars...cant a vet tell if it has been done or not? What about ultrasound, xrays, blood tests or something? You would think in this day and age, a vet should be able to tell before opening a dog up.

that's what I thought too. I asked about an ultrasound at the front desk before we were seen, and the receptionist laughed.
That's why I thought it was so rediculus to 'cut her open' not nowing if she is spayed or not

I say go for the appointment. Is her hernia an umbilical hernia? If so, I can almost guarantee that she is not spayed. No vet would spay a dog and leave a hernia present. Umbilical hernias can be life threatening and although it is not bothering her, that doesn't mean it's not a risk!

Good luck with whatever you decide and kudos to you for helping a dog in need!

It is. What causes those, and how can it be life threatening? Thanks for the tip...
I talked to my mom and said we should probably keep the appt. I haven't known the dog that long but I'm already nervous for her to go under !

 

[Boemy]

I don't see any point in waiting. If you spay her while she's in heat, it will be more expensive. If you wait until her heat is over, you'll have to be beating off male dogs. Plus if she has a silent heat she could get pregnant before you know it. Spay her now. If the vet can't tell if she's already spayed, get a different vet.

 

[casablanca1]

I asked about an ultrasound at the front desk before we were seen, and the receptionist laughed.

Medical professionals are such assholes. Did she at least explain after she got done laughing?

As far as the 'can't they tell without surgery?' issue, I have adopted two adult female dogs from the same (great) shelter and both times, they insisted on 'opening them up' to make 100% sure the dog was spayed. I think that it must be hard to tell - this is a very good shelter. If the spay was done very young, which is pretty common, there can be no scar at all. I know my current dog has no scar from either procedure. And if the spay was done later, the dog may look sexually intact - my first dog, who was spayed around 3, always had the more prominent nipples of an intact b!tch.

 

[Gijora]

Arrgg!!!

Medical professionals are such assholes. Did she at least explain after she got done laughing?

As far as the 'can't they tell without surgery?' issue, I have adopted two adult female dogs from the same (great) shelter and both times, they insisted on 'opening them up' to make 100% sure the dog was spayed. I think that it must be hard to tell - this is a very good shelter. If the spay was done very young, which is pretty common, there can be no scar at all. I know my current dog has no scar from either procedure. And if the spay was done later, the dog may look sexually intact - my first dog, who was spayed around 3, always had the more prominent nipples of an intact b!tch.

Oh, I agree. I've yet to meet any kind of "dr" who doesn't act like my mind is too feeble to understand, because I don't have a degree
[not saying that all dr's are like that, I haven't met 'all' drs so I wouldn't know lol]
She did - She said an ultrasound is expensive and they still wouldn't be 100%sure because instead of looking for puppies they'd be looking for something that's not there, and its... complicated, I guess.
I agree with the scars comment. You can't see my sister's cocker spaniel's scar. Heck, Missy was spayed just last year [same vet!] and you can hardly see a scar. I'm not a vet, so I can't claim that they don't know what they're doing wanting to cut her open to see.
She does have very prominent nipples...

Again, thanks for the comments. We'll keep the appt, I think

 

[Brattina88]

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hate to be the bearer of bad news​

(Cory - I don't know if your still in the class where you can check this, but you need too lol)

but 'Lady' is in heat now!​

I suspected it last night, and confirmed this morning. She's spotting
I called the troops (the parental units, and the neighbors lol) to let them know, and also to remind the parents she can not be outside unsupervised even though the yard is fenced in, and walks are to be suspended until further notice. I asked the neighbors to give us a call if they see any dogs around the house that actually aren't supposed to be here.

I had to make her some underware... heh heh

She's been very clingy, and keeps laying by Charlie and licking his face LOL
Not only is he too old for her (and neutered btw, I hope you guys know I'm combating this incident by trying to joke around!!) but I might have to tell Maddie that Lady's trying to get him to cheating on her !! he's not interested, though

The vet appt to be spayed is for the 11th... Should I call and cancel???

 

[StealthDog]

It is extremely hard to tell if a dog has already been spayed or not. When dogs aren't in heat, they have pretty much the same hormones running through their system as dogs who are spayed, so blood tests don't really help. Radiology is good for seeing bones and gas, but really lousy for looking at soft tissue (unless there's something really wrong with it). A normal uterus and ovaries generally won't show up on an X-ray. Ultrasound is really hard to interpret- even human ultrasounds can sometimes miss the fact that a mom is carrying a boy instead of a girl, or twins instead of one baby. Not all vets use permanent sutures- lots use absorbable. Plus, not all vets use the same technique- some will go in on the animal's side instead of on their belly, some do ovariectomies instead of ovariohistorectomies, etc. The vet I worked with aimed for "bikini cuts", tiny little incisions, because they heal faster and reduce the chance of infection. Laser incisions can be particularly tiny, and heal up very nicely.

Anyway, while there are ways to determine if she's already been spayed or not, I think the vet was trying to be most cost-effective by wanting to wait to see if she went into heat.

 

[StealthDog]

The vet appt to be spayed is for the 11th... Should I call and cancel???

Call and say "She's now in heat, what do you recommend?"

 

[Miakoda]

Call and say "She's now in heat, what do you recommend?"

I agree. Some vets will go ahead & do the surgery but at an increased price. However, due to the extremely high blood volume loss during the surgery, many vets prefer to wait until the dogs has finished the cycle.