# Ovary sparing spay?



## nymeria (Jan 18, 2016)

Do people have experience with ovary sparing spay? I have a 6 month old V that I absolutely love, and I'm planning to wait until after her first heat to spay her, but I'm undecided about the type of spay. I called around to all the vets in my area and found one that did ovary-sparing spay, and I'm seriously considering that. I like the fact that she'll retain her ovaries and all the hormones that they release, and hopefully all the protective benefits that come from not spaying. I can't find a lot of research on this procedure, specifically, though. Most of it looks at spayed vs intact females, sometimes considering the age of spay. In the US, that pretty much means ovariohysterectomy. Everything I read attributes the problems to stopping hormone production, so you'd think an ovary-sparing spay would give you an outcome like an intact female, but there doesn't seem to be real data on that. What do people think? And if loss of hormones is really the issue, then why wait until after the first heat to spay if you're going to do an ovary-sparing spay? 

Thanks!


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## einspänner (Sep 8, 2012)

Lyra is the only one on the forum I know of that has had the procedure done, but in the UK. If he doesn't respond here, try PMing him. 

When I was on facebook, there was a really great group about the procedure with a list of vets that perform it and links to research. OSS and Vasectomy, maybe, can't remember the group name. I've considered going down this road in the future, but haven't read up on it in quite a while. The main concern with OSS is making sure they do remove every last bit of tissue, as any remaining would still be at risk for pyometra or cancer.


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## organicthoughts (Oct 9, 2012)

I personally know 2 bitches who have undergone the OSS procedure.

Everything worked nicely and the healing was quick. Both dogs seem exactly the same and I haven't heard of any hormonal issues arising from it. One of the bitches was in the early stages of pyometra when she had it done and it solved that issue.

I would still wait til after the first heat minimum. Preferably longer.


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## lyra (Nov 2, 2012)

As einspanner has said (sorry I'm don't know how to add the umlauts!), one of our girls has had OSS (the other was a rescue and had already been spayed before we got her).

If it is what you want to do then you have sorted the most difficult part - finding a vet who offers it. You are correct in that the procedure offers the advantages of a spay (not getting pregnant, vastly reduced risk of pyometra) with the potential benefits of retaining normal hormonal function (no spay incontinance, no changes in behaviour - possibly more fearful). When people consider neutering, they usually don't realise that sex hormones perform regulatory functions that are outside just sexual reproduction.

It isn't all benefit, some cancers may be higher in intact females - breast cancer is the most obvious example, although that is now disputed because previous studies have been shown to not be rigorous enough. However, most breast cancers in dogs are benign and those that aren't spread slowly and can be easily spotted and treated. On the other hand, the only Vizsla specific study shows that the *overall* cancer rates in neutered bitches (including *all *cancers) is higher, so personally I see no disadvantage to OSS.

The OSS Facebook group that einspanner referred to can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/alternativealteringinfo/. It has plenty of good information in the 'Files' section that you can download and read.

OSS dogs still have heat cycles but they don't bleed. There can be a small discharge from the vagina although we haven't noticed that with Lyra. 

I understand you logic about when to perform the surgery but surgery of this kind is easiest to perform on an adult dog (simply because they are larger). Also, there must be a small risk that things don't go as planned and it becomes necessary to perform a full spay so I would personally leave it until after the first heat just in case. Recovery from the operation is the same as a full spay.


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## nymeria (Jan 18, 2016)

Thanks, everyone, for the replies. 

Waiting until she's an adult to make the surgery easier and in case they need to do a full spay if things go wrong makes sense to me. I was just curious about the logic, if the hormones were still there and the idea is that is the same as an intact bitch. 

Off to check out info on the Facebook page.


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