# To spay, or not to spay...



## threefsh (Apr 25, 2011)

... that is the question!

Riley is a little over a year old now and already had her first heat back in April/May. She's getting moody again, so I can tell her next heat cycle is about to begin. Should I go ahead and have her spayed or give her a full 2 years to develop?


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## Kay92 (Oct 19, 2012)

She will live a lot happier and healthier if she is spayed. Although it is completely up to you, just don't wait too long. She will be a lot less moody. Even though our V, also named Riley, is a boy we will testify that he is so much easier to live with. It also depends what you wish to use her for. If you want to breed her then let her develop, if not then I'd say get her spayed. Completely up to you though. Good luck.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

At a year old I would wait. Let her finish developing and then decide. There is no hurry, and once its done you can't go back.


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## WillowyndRanch (Apr 3, 2012)

Kay92 said:


> She will live a lot happier and healthier if she is spayed.


sometimes you just have to call Horsepucky or Bullsnot. This is one of those times. 
We've gone through this dozens of times and despite the propoganda mill, spaying does not make a dog "happier" and certainly does not make it healthier unless one considers a 300+% increase rate of all cancers except mammarian "healthier", a significant increase in cruciate leg injuries "healthier", etc. etc. 

I would suggest waiting until she is older quite obviously. As I've stated before, spay or neuter prior to 2 will void our health guarantee. I'd recommend holding off.

Ken


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## threefsh (Apr 25, 2011)

Thanks for the input! We'll hold off until she's at least two years old. Her last heat wasn't a big deal... I was just being selfish and thinking about all the hunting we'll miss.


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## hotmischief (Mar 11, 2012)

threefsh - as you hunt you might like to search around on the forum for some earlier threads about spaying and neutering where members were saying how their dogs and bitches lost the hunting drive once they had been done!

I would add that I have no experience of this, but just found those post very interesting.


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## jcbuch (Oct 15, 2009)

threefsh said:


> Thanks for the input! We'll hold off until she's at least two years old. Her last heat wasn't a big deal... I was just being selfish and thinking about all the hunting we'll miss.


Lol, this might make you feel better. My 18 month female Vala is 2 weeks into her second heat cycle. She is wearing a diaper constantly and I cant field trial her.. My wife is 38 weeks pregnant and my male V, who was just breed 5 weeks ago is all jacked up by this house of female hormones. Spaying is not an option as we still want to show her and breed her. Plus i am not a believer of the cash mill for the vets suspect rationals, similar to Ken. Just thought i would share my situation.

Joe


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## flynnandlunasmom (May 28, 2012)

I know it's different for everyone so here is my story. We had Luna spayed a few weeks ago at 16 months. She had previously had one very long heat cycle at 12 months and she is full grown. In terms of her hunt drive, she just went out for her first bird session post-spaying this past Saturday and she seems to still have the same drive as before.


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## threefsh (Apr 25, 2011)

jcbuch said:


> threefsh said:
> 
> 
> > Thanks for the input! We'll hold off until she's at least two years old. Her last heat wasn't a big deal... I was just being selfish and thinking about all the hunting we'll miss.
> ...


 

That does make me feel better! She's not in heat *yet*, so I'm trying to get all our hunting in during the next few weeks. ;D


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## harrigab (Aug 21, 2011)

Ruby finished her second heat a few weeks ago, she's 16 months old now, I'm going to let her have one more heat then have her spayed mid - cycle, which if I've got my maths right will put her bang on 2 years old.


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## Bernie (Jan 17, 2011)

Do what is best in your situation. We had Morgan spayed at 6 months with no known "side effects". She is 2-1/2 now and we and she could not be happier. She is well developed, happy and hunts as well or better than any other dog I have see. In our eyes she is perfect; a life changer. Good luck with your decision.


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## Oquirrh the V (Jun 24, 2011)

harrigab said:


> Ruby finished her second heat a few weeks ago, she's 16 months old now, I'm going to let her have one more heat then have her spayed mid - cycle, which if I've got my maths right will put her bang on 2 years old.


Is there a benefit to having them spayed at mid-cycle? What's the reasoning for doing that? I have an intact male, so I was mainly just curious.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

threefsh
You can still hunt her without other dogs on private land.
You would just have to keep her insight at all times.
I have taken the dogs to one preserve where you could rent 200 acres for the day. No other dogs or people there.
I have one female that gets moody during her heat, so we don't try and train anything new at that time. I do still run her and work her on what she knows. The other female doesn't get moody. My point is she dosent have to spend the entire time under lock and key. You just have to be very vigilant.


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## Bellababy (Mar 31, 2010)

My Bella was spayed at 18months, she has spay incontinence and will be on medication for the rest of her life.


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## flynnandlunasmom (May 28, 2012)

I was under the impression mid-cycle isn't a great time to spay. I was told to wait at least a month after the spay cycle ended to make sure all of the swelling (internal) was down. I am sure there are different schools of thought though.


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## Darcy1311 (May 27, 2012)

Darcy was spayed, at my vet's recommendation at 6 months old, before her first season. Darcy also had an umbilical hernia so she was spayed through the hernia site....All went really well and she has not suffered any incontinence etc etc.


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## hotmischief (Mar 11, 2012)

There is an interesting post by SkyMaxx about her bitch that was spayed shortly after finishing her heat cycle ( use the search box) her dog was very ill and it turns out her vet forgot to tell her you should only spay mid way between two cycles.

That has always been what I have had recommended to me, and also that the bitch should have had at least one season before spaying.


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## adrino (Mar 31, 2012)

Threefsh, you probably remember that Elza had her first heat this past June when she was only 6,5 months old so we definitely have to wait at least one more before we can spay her. I'm hoping it won't come in six months time cause that would be in the middle of winter... :-\ (at least I want to see if there's a dog approaching)
She's on the smaller side anyway so I want to make sure she will be fully grown before spaying. 
Also as far as I know it should be around 3 months after her heat the best time for spaying when her body settled back. 

We will chose keyhole spaying, it might be more expensive but I feel it's less invasive as the normal procedure.


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