# Riley gets spayed today



## SMG (Apr 24, 2013)

OK...today is the day. My wife and I are first time dog owners (nevertheless Vizsla owners) and we are pretty nervous about getting Riley spayed today. Any suggestions from the experts on what we can do to make her more comfortable when she comes home? I'm sure we are going to get a long list of instructions from the vet...Thanks :-*


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## adrino (Mar 31, 2012)

Isn't your girl really young? :-\

No advice on spaying yet, Elza is 18 months old and we haven't spayed her yet. They need to grow up first before you should make this decision. 
We will not breed her and since we are living in London it's quite hard to keep and intact female but we wanted to give her the chance to fully develop before spaying. 

I hope you're making all the right choices...


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## SMG (Apr 24, 2013)

Yes, she is only 4 months.

She also has a small umbilical herniation which we want corrected (not that it will cause any medical problems). 

Not looking to start a huge forum debate but after much internet research and after speaking to multiple vets from numerous prestigious clinics (as well as multiple breeders) I feel the benefits of spaying early far outweighs the risks of waiting until she is older. There is no evidence based medicine (that I have found) that demonstrates any serious medical ailments as a direct result of spaying (the minor complications are treatable).

I do not plan on breeding her - so the spaying was inevitable. However, I do understand and respect differing opinions on the matter. I know its controversial.


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## redbirddog (Apr 23, 2010)

> Not looking to start a huge forum debate but after much internet research and after speaking to multiple vets from numerous prestigious clinics (as well as multiple breeders) I feel the benefits of spaying early far outweighs the risks of waiting until she is older. There is no evidence based medicine (that I have found) that demonstrates any serious medical ailments as a direct result of spaying (the minor complications are treatable).


Would you be so kind as to post some of this research? I just don't find this to equal what I have learned over the last five years of research. 

Good luck with *your *dog. But in my opinion, for what it is worth, you are making a mistake with your dog's health. 

If others read your post and see where you find "no evidence", then they will think it is fine to do. If you have the research then please post. 

Otherwise, I'd always wonder if you are not a PETA plant. :-\

RBD


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## SMG (Apr 24, 2013)

Well how about this........

not to sound brash - but would you care to share some of the 5+ years of research on why its not a good idea to spay? Like I said....I havent found any information on this.

Being a new dog owner, and you being the expert, ide love to read more....

The benefits of spaying arent really up for debate with me.....
Not planning on breeding and wouldnt want any unexpected pregnancies
Plus the reduction of mamillary cancer etc. etc. etc......blah blah blah 8)

Love to hear your thoughts...


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## redbirddog (Apr 23, 2010)

http://redbirddog.blogspot.com/2011/01/rethinking-spay-neuter-in-2011.html

http://redbirddog.blogspot.com/2011/07/on-going-discussion-on-spay-and-neuter.html

http://redbirddog.blogspot.com/2010/04/unspoken-truth-about-spaying-and.html

The search tab on the upper right corner: spay and / or neuter discussions here on HVF.

Your dog, do what you want.

RBD


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## SMG (Apr 24, 2013)

OK thanks for the info


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## GarysApollo (Nov 27, 2012)

Also remember just about every Vet out there is going to want you to have it done as early as possible, money in there pockets.


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## SMG (Apr 24, 2013)

yeah I understand all that. Now RBD has me worried sick that I made a bad decision or something. did ANYONE spay their pups early? :'(


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## redbirddog (Apr 23, 2010)

I'm sorry SMG. I really am. If it is done, then she will live just fine. 

If I caught you in time to stop you to reconsider then please do. If, after your research, you still want to do it early, like I say, she is your dog.

It would be interesting to see the research you did find to see what is being said on the internet.

I spayed my first Vizsla at 6 months, six years ago, because that is what I "thought" was right according to what I was told.

I take that back about the PETA plant. Sorry.

RBD


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## SMG (Apr 24, 2013)

No prob. I just want what's best for her life and for mine as well. I know it would be much more work to wait until after heat to get her spayed. You mentioned you spayed yours at 6 mo? How is she doing ? Healthy ?


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## redbirddog (Apr 23, 2010)

SMG, I'll ask you again;


> It would be interesting to see the research you did find to see what is being said on the internet.


Chloe is small, light-boned and walks incorrectly, has had a few health and temperament issues. Related? Will never know. Would never do it again that early. 18 months to 24 months. Not that hard a commitment for the dog that should live 14 to 16 years with you.

_Pukka's Promise_ is a great read I have going now. In it, he tells how European dogs live 1.5 years longer, on average, than U.S. dogs. The percentage of spay and neutered dogs is much lower.

RBD


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## MilesMom (Jun 21, 2012)

It may be a little more work but it's worth waiting a bit. At least she is a girl so the public can't tell she is intact. We had to deal with all kinda of comments about waiting to get our male neutered.


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## Rudy (Oct 12, 2012)

To make the muscle, bone, mind and matter

Hold, stay point 

Good Boy what a stud not a dud 

Now developed Great Girl looking Perky ;D

Hold the line vets are Nuts we love Big Nuts and clams ;D

50 reason why even at the cell Brain levels

Few why not very

I hold the line 18 months to 24 months

Nature is the key not more words from 

Goofs who read BS and don't live the codes and mapping there great genetic codes 

Now better the great DNA takes time

So many sheep

I saw it I read it please

LIVE IT"

Hold it matters More


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## WillowyndRanch (Apr 3, 2012)

Intellectual Property removed by Author


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## SMG (Apr 24, 2013)

Thank you for all your responses.

I will keep you updated on Riley's progress.

All I can hope for is a long, healthy, life together. 

Thanks everyone


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## redbirddog (Apr 23, 2010)

SMG stated:


> Not looking to start a huge forum debate but after much internet research and after speaking to multiple vets from numerous prestigious clinics (as well as multiple breeders) I feel the benefits of spaying early far outweighs the risks of waiting until she is older. There is no evidence based medicine (that I have found) that demonstrates any serious medical ailments as a direct result of spaying (the minor complications are treatable).


Still like to see what you found, so if others do the same research, then we'll know where the source of the data is coming from. Not everything told is true. Even here on HVF, amazing as that sounds.

Good luck with your decision. 

Happy trails,
RBD


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## Mandobizar (Dec 20, 2011)

SMG->I was in your situation too!! My vet kept reminding me about the 6 month spay of our Laika. After reading RBD's blog and other member posts we decided not to spay. Laika is now 1 1/2 yrs old and healthy. Believe it or not but she is a better dog after she went through her first heat


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## jld640 (Sep 29, 2010)

So...back to the original question...

I would have told you to practice getting Riley in and out of the car before you left for the vets, but you’re probably past that point. Just be careful when you take her out of her car not to pull on the incision.

BEFORE you leave the vets office with her, have the vet tech show you the incision and ask what 'normal' will look like while it is healing. Not to scare you, but for any surgery/procedure, I also ask for what could go wrong, when to call them, and when to scoop & run to the emergency vet. If you don't know the phone number or location of your 24 hour vet, now is the time to find them. You shouldn't expect any problems, but plans in place save precious seconds later. And knowing when to call will save you some worrying when you look at the incision after it has had a chance to bruise.

Do a search on this forum for activities to keep her occupied and calm. ‘Find’ hidden toys and treats was one of Savannah’s favorites. Chewing peanut butter ice cubes was also a favorite. You will probably also be able to do a fair amount of basic training and repetition while she is recovering. More ideas are listed in some other threads. The vet will tell you how long you have to keep her from running or jumping. If she is a serious jumper, then you may want to ask your vet about sedatives you can give her. If you decide to sedate her, LISTEN to the vet’s instructions and READ the bottle for dosage information and warnings. Folks on this forum go back and forth about whether or not sedatives are ok (one person thought she was a bad parent for even considering them), but your pup is the one that might have to have the stitches redone. Savannah took some mild sedatives from the vet. Every day or so, I would wait a bit longer between pills to see if her energy level was controllable. It wasn't. 

We tried 3 styles of collar. She was able to get around two types and still lick her incision. But, Savannah hated the original style of collar of shame so much that she left her stitches alone after she equated licking her incision with the collar. I had to put it on and take it off 3 or 4 times as soon as I saw her considering her stitches. Petco let me return the collar types that were ineffective. I kept the collar of shame for future use since it was so effective. 

Riley may come home ‘out of it’ and sleep for a while, or she may come home completely jazzed from being back with you. I’ve heard of both, so just be flexible about what she needs.

Hope the surgery and recovery are smooth and quick!


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## SMG (Apr 24, 2013)

jld640 said:


> So...back to the original question...
> 
> I would have told you to practice getting Riley in and out of the car before you left for the vets, but you’re probably past that point. Just be careful when you take her out of her car not to pull on the incision.
> 
> ...


Thank you so much for your response.


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## redrover (Mar 17, 2011)

I haven't ever helped a dog recover from a spay, but here's what I can tell you from my neuter experiences. That first night she'll still be wobbly and a little goofy from the anesthesia. Jasper couldn't hold himself upright very well. Aware enough not to eliminate inside, though! The second his paws hit concrete he pooped! Didn't have very good balance though, so he was pretty tippy while he did it. 

So our first night was nothing. The next day he was maybe a little slower than usual? But otherwise acted like nothing had happened to him. For the first couple of days he was really confused about why he couldn't go running or jump up and down, but then he sort of settled in. I had lots of good things for him to chew, but even those can get boring after a while. I honestly can't remember how I handled his pain medication. I do know it didn't have any sedative effects, so even giving him the pain pills didn't help settle him at all. I know others have requested sedatives in order to keep their dogs calm after surgery, especially if the dog is absolutely crazy and unwilling to settle (common in Vs!). 

After so many days he could start going for long, but slow, walks. We did a lot of those. Then he could go for short runs, but no wrestling or horseplay with other dogs. At this point his energy levels were much better. Lots of mind games, though to be honest, those don't seem to do anything for his energy levels. I need to come up with better ones, I guess! 

I took photos every day too, to better monitor his condition. Also good to show the vet in case there are complications! It did feel a bit weird to purposefully be photographing my dog's junk! 

Oh, and here is one of the most recent studies comparing early spay/neuter to late spay/neuter to intact dogs and disease rates for hip dysplasia, cranial cruciate ligament tear, lymphosarcoma, hemangiosarcoma, and/or mast cell tumors. http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0055937

This study was done in Golden Retrievers, and one note the authers make is that the exact results are therefore breed-specific--they cannot be extrapolated to other breeds or dogs in general. Certain diseases affect Golden Retrievers at different rates than other breeds. As a more popular breed than Vizslas, there is also the possibility than many of the dogs in this study come from less-than-reputable breeders. That stated, it's worth the read. While there is a drastic increase in the rate of certain disorders in early spayed female GRs (CCL tear being the biggest, and also the cancers), all risks were calculated to be less than 10%. Perhaps slightly comforting? I don't know, but when talking statistics, it's important to think about every aspect of the number.


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## Rudy (Oct 12, 2012)

smg

none would want anything but the best for your mate on here 

and the few that shared real facts from earned life of bringing it

care bunches not just emotions or vets stats

for real working gun dogs at there best or to exceed

all the best ;D

life is always choices not just a chance

all the best


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## SMG (Apr 24, 2013)

Riley is home from her spay.

In good spirits and eating well. 

Hope for a quick recovery.


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## adrino (Mar 31, 2012)

Wish her a quick recovery and a healthy life.


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## SMG (Apr 24, 2013)

thanks


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## Angie NG (Jun 6, 2012)

I'm glad Riley is home and everything went well  I felt exactly the same as you, Bella is our 1st dog and I really didn't have a clue what to expect with her season. She is having it now and it's really not as bad as you think, all good. She has been fine with it. I panicked for no reason at all and i'm glad I let her have it. 
We all do what we think is right, there is such conflicting information out there you just don't no what to do for the best. 
Hope Riley has had a good night and recovers well


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## jld640 (Sep 29, 2010)

How's the recovery going?


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## SMG (Apr 24, 2013)

The recovery is superfast. Riley is back to her normal self and jumping all over the place. The incision site is almost 100% healed. Thanks for checking up! ;D


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