The Bitch Spay - Factsheet

The bitch spay is one of the commonest operations that we perform. It is popular because it can prevent a lot of problems for both the patient and for you. However, the decision to have your bitch spayed is something that needs careful consideration. In many cases it is a wise thing to do, but you need to be well informed about what is involved and what you can expect.

This fact sheet aims to give unbiased advice. It is not intended to encourage you to have the operation done, nor is it a deterrent. The decision should be up to you, and we will be happy to discuss the matter further if you would like.

What are the advantages?

- It will prevent your pet from becoming pregnant.

- It will stop her having seasons which usually occur every six months.
(A season means that she will discharge blood for up to three weeks. Male dogs will find her attractive and she cannot be walked safely. She may become more irritable during a season)

- It will stop her having 'false pregnancies'.
(These occur about two months after the season has ended. All bitches have them to a greater or lesser extent. Usually the mammary glands develop, and there may be milk. Quite often she will have psychological changes and may want to mother things like cushions, or become over protective or aggressive to humans. Be particularly careful with children around)

- If done before the second season the operation reduces the chance of her ever having mammary tumours to a minimum. If done at six months of age, then it is virtually unheard of for her to get them in old age.

- The womb can become diseased in middle or old age and an emergency hysterectomy is then required. This would have to be done on a sick animal, which is not an ideal time to be administering a long anaesthetic. Not all bitches with womb infections survive.

What are the disadvantages?

- There is a tendency for the bitch to put on weight.
This is entirely avoidable by carefully adjusting the amount that she is fed, or, if she is a keen eater, by switching to a lower calorie food.

- She may have poorer bladder control later on in life.
This is not a common problem. It is usually seen in docked breeds, those who were fat at the time of the operation, or were in season when it was done. For this reason we prefer not to perform the operation whilst this is happening.

- She may become lethargic.
There is no evidence to support this, but it seems to have been passed down in folklore. The only attributable factor would be if she were allowed to put on weight after the operation.

- The surgery is elective.
There is no such thing as a completely safe anaesthetic. However, in this practice we use the safest drugs, originally intended for humans, and trained nurses monitor every anaesthetic thoroughly using sophisticated devices. We do not therefore feel that this factor is a significant deterrent.

What happens when she comes in for the operation?

The operation involves removing the whole internal reproductive system, leaving nothing that could go wrong and cause problems later.

In this practice...

You will have been asked to discuss the matter with the veterinary surgeon in advance of the operation date and let her be examined. She will be weighed accurately.

We would like you to stay with her for about ten minutes whilst a sedative and a painkiller are given. This helps her relax and reduces any anxiety.

She will be admitted to a comfortable cage, and a nurse assigned to look after her.

The operation lasts about an hour. We use human drugs, which, though more expensive, do not affect the cardiovascular system as much, and do not have any 'hangover' effects afterwards.

She will be monitored for ECG (heart), oxygen and carbon dioxide levels and pain control. Blood pressure readings and heart rate give us good information on this.

One nurse will be assigned as the 'Key Nurse' to look after both her and you throughout the day, and will be the one monitoring the anaesthetic. She will give you a call as soon as the operation is over, to let you know how it went and to check that you are OK. We appreciate that it not just the patient who is under stress on the day!

During her stay she will have her own kennel, and will be let out to do her 'business' on regular occasions.

We will ask you to collect her later in the afternoon, and will give full instructions on aftercare.

We would like to see her again after two days, and possibly ten days if she has had stitches.

Most of our bitches have internal stitches that do not have to be removed. They are kinder and safer, and leave less of a scar.

One month after the operation we will invite you back for a check-up to weigh her, to make sure that she isn't putting on weight. As with humans, it is very difficult for dogs to diet successfully, so it is best avoided.

Further information

We will always discuss the operation fully before it is performed. If you are not sure about whether to have it done or not, or whether it is the best for your bitch then call us and we will help you decide. We will only agree to do it if it is in our patient's interests.