To spay or not to spay now given the New Findings

Thanks to all of you for sharing your experiences, opinions and ideas... It helped us a great deal. We were reassured to hear that many of you have had varied yet largely positive spay experiences. After probably too much thought,
outside input and lots of waffling, and for a number of reasons, we cancelled our upcoming spay appointment and will delay it for 6 months-1 year more. .

So, thanks again to all who responded. If anyone has any other thoughts or insights about this subject, heat cycles or other female sheltie issues please continue to share. we need and appreciate all the insights we can get.
 
It's good that you've given it a lot of thought and have decided to wait. Too many rush into it and just listen to the vet without doing any research. I'm sure this is the one most important decision we make regarding our pups...I know I agonized over getting Piper neutered and that's why I waited as long as I did (he was 2).
 
Piper's mom said:
It's good that you've given it a lot of thought and have decided to wait. Too many rush into it and just listen to the vet without doing any research. I'm sure this is the one most important decision we make regarding our pups...I know I agonized over getting Piper neutered and that's why I waited as long as I did (he was 2).
Click to expand...
Agree wholeheartedly.. Time will certainly tell although for now feel comfortable with the decision to wait.
 
I know plenty of people in the dog world who went down the road of implants, but they made things worse behaviourally and were given up on. That was a trend at the dog club about 10 years ago and now I rarely see it because of how poorly it worked out. I believe that study did look at mammary tumours and it didn't show as an issue for Shelties, but I will keep it in mind for Della, who was not desexed until she was 6yrs old.

Personally, I find having a desexed dog so much easier. No worries about peeing inside or escaping or poor manners in boys, and no heat cycles and breaks from training (and pyometra) for girls. Right now I'm finding it a darn nuisance having Kismet in heat. Can't take her anywhere and I don't go for walks without the dogs, going to miss assessment to graduate to the next class. And we can't go to the one and only dog+human festival this year on Sunday night (the rest were cancelled) because Kismet is in heat. As soon as I can find a judge/sheltie expert to look at her teeth, if she's no good for confirmation she'll be getting desexed for Christmas.
 
Having had 2 boys my own experience has been that they're so so difficult to get them to stop peeing indoors! I found that they were both so focused on marking that they never really emptied their bladder. They'd come in the house and 30 minutes later...pee...
Piper was far far worse as he'd mark even over Riley's urine even in the yard. It's funny but literally the next day after Piper was neutered he stopped marking and peeing in the house!
I certainly don't regret waiting for both but I'd never keep an intact male unless I was doing conformation!
 
Piper's mom said:
I found that they were both so focused on marking that they never really emptied their bladder. They'd come in the house and 30 minutes later...pee..
Click to expand...

This was Brodie! You were MUCH better than me. I wanted to wait a year. He started this, then pee'd once (accident), twice (questionable), 3rd time the call was made for the neuter. I get all the stuff behind waiting and all, but a HUGE reason dogs are given up is for marking indoors. Brodie never had an indoor accident after his neuter. I get all the info behind pro waiting, but for me happy dog, happy family, most of all happy mama who has to clean up takes precedence over stuff. Brodie is given good food, good treats, good exercise so hopefully it balances out the 8 1/2 month neuter.
 
Sandy in CT said:
This was Brodie! You were MUCH better than me. I wanted to wait a year. He started this, then pee'd once (accident), twice (questionable), 3rd time the call was made for the neuter. I get all the stuff behind waiting and all, but a HUGE reason dogs are given up is for marking indoors. Brodie never had an indoor accident after his neuter. I get all the info behind pro waiting, but for me happy dog, happy family, most of all happy mama who has to clean up takes precedence over stuff. Brodie is given good food, good treats, good exercise so hopefully it balances out the 8 1/2 month neuter.
Click to expand...

The indoor marking (at obedience classes) only started around maybe 16 months for both and never at home. They'd have accidents yes but marking no, Piper was the worst as he just never had a really good pee outside. I remember one time (in fact my mom and I still talk about it lol it was THAT bad) I'd taken Piper outside to pee (he was almost 2), go in the house and Piper went down the basement to see my mom. Few minutes later she's calling me because Piper had peed down there....it was size of a small lake! Fortunately there was no carpet there but still...
Boys!!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top