About spading.... - YorkieTalk.com Forums

protea · 02-02-2014, 07:03 AM

Thanks for welcoming me to this forum....I have a 6 months yorkie Sophie,and really enjoy her....do they really have to be spaded???is it more healthier for them???would like to get opinions on this matter before I decide

IDPiper · 02-02-2014, 07:09 AM

A topic that can get very heated.

I suggest that you research both sides and decide what is best for you. Keeping an intact dog comes with LOTS of responsibility to ensure that you do not have pups. There are pros and cons to both sides.

Kiki Mama · 02-02-2014, 07:22 AM

If you chose to please ask the vet for pain meds & know what to look for when they are in pain. My baby was in pain & I didn't know it & had nothing to give her. It is something that still hurts my heart.

pstinard · 02-02-2014, 07:45 AM

The general consensus is that from the standpoint of the health and happiness of your pet, it is better to spay than not to spay. I've included a couple of links about the pros and cons of spaying below. For what it's worth, we had Bella spayed at 7 months, and she did great. You can have retained baby teeth extracted at the same time.

Spaying Your Female Dog – Pros and Cons

Pros and Cons of Spaying and Neutering in Dogs | Dog Wellness

theporkieyorkie · 02-02-2014, 08:07 AM

I have always been a fan of spaying/neutering when it comes to my pets, but due to all of the health risks with an unplanned breeding of a yorkie, I think it's even more important to spay these little ones if you aren't a reputable breeder who's planning on breeding.. If a yorkie is too small to breed, there can be issues. If it accidentally gets bred to a dog too big(which really doesn't take much), there can be issues.

I haven't been on here too long, but I've been on here long enough to see plenty of unplanned pregnancies by people who have chosen not to spay their pets, yet had no intentions of breeding them. I wouldn't consider most of these people irresponsible pet owners. They were owners who made a mistake or took their eyes off their pup for one quick second and it happened and they, and their dogs ended up paying the price for it.

IMO, unless you are prepared to take responsibility and deal with an unplanned pregnancy, which can not only be dangerous and life threatening for your dog, but also very financially draining, it's best to spay your little girl so there's not even a remote possibility of an "oopsies" happening.

MandiesMom · 02-02-2014, 08:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pstinard

The general consensus is that from the standpoint of the health and happiness of your pet, it is better to spay than not to spay. I've included a couple of links about the pros and cons of spaying below. For what it's worth, we had Bella spayed at 7 months, and she did great. You can have retained baby teeth extracted at the same time.

Spaying Your Female Dog – Pros and Cons

Pros and Cons of Spaying and Neutering in Dogs | Dog Wellness

great info and links

My advice, spay.

IDPiper · 02-02-2014, 08:28 AM

There are a lot more cons to spaying than just weight gain which IMO is a moot point compared to the real risks of spaying. If you are not going to be proactive in seeing to it that your intact female, during heat cycle, will NEVER even come close to an intact male then by all means spay! They can not even go outside unsupervised for even a second!! Please do not allow your dog to have puppies if you choose to not spay.

gemy · 02-02-2014, 08:46 AM

Well these are nice user friendly articles they don't quote the source research.

At this point in time, my comment is that there is NOT a whole lot of research done special to small breed dogs. Much of what I read in the articles listed I am assuming are referring to research links I have posted numerous times in other threads.

Could these risk factors be different for small breeds? Perhaps. Could some be the same across the board? Perhaps. Until we get more small breed specific research - basically the articles show what is becoming to be a prevalent veterinary opinion.

If you want to keep your female intact, you need to know the signs and symptoms of pyrometra, mastitis, do breast examinations at least monthly. Then be prepared to never allow her out alone and or off lead during her heat cycles. This means you also need to track her heat cycles, and recognize when her heat begins, and when it ends.

Check your pet insurance plan to see if they have special requirements if you wish to keep your dog intact.

Good Luck with your decision, and do remember to discuss your options thoroughly with your vet.

lisaly · 02-02-2014, 09:00 AM

Welcome to YorkieTalk. I have always had my females spayed, but that is because I worried about pyrometra and mammary tumors. The more I have read because of YT, I think I would explore tubal ligation more if it was possible in the future. I strongly believe that it is best to wait until after the first heat after reading a lot about this subject.

http://www.caninesports.com/uploads/...tions_2013.pdf

Lovetodream88 · 02-02-2014, 09:10 AM

Spaying before there first heat can definitely reduce mammary cancer and obvious other cancers. I am a big fan of spaying and most smaller dogs have baby teeth that don't fall all fall out so its also a good time to get those pulled. Anesthesia is really a lot safer then it used to be and when the proper protocol is done and pre op blood work is done then its even safer. With a non spayed female you have to make sure they are absolutely not around any intact males and males will hurt them selves to get to a female in heat so certain things will not keep them away, you also have to not let them outside alone when they are in heat even for a second, if you have to go out of town you have to make sure shes not going to go into heat while you are gone and if she does will the person watching her keep her safe and 100% away from intact males. Yorkies are also highly stolen dogs so one that's not fixed is worth more money and could even get stolen and sold to someone who uses them just t breed. I'm a fan of spaying.

yorkiemom76 · 02-02-2014, 12:32 PM

Mine are all spayed. There are risks with any surgery but I feel the benefit outweighs the risks. They are at an increased risk of mammary tumors if they're not spayed and there is a possibility of pyometra (infected uterus). I work at a vet clinic and we see a lot of these. If this happens, you'll have no choice but to have her spayed to save her life and it will be at a much higher cost because she'll need to be hospitalized and on IV antibiotics. And Of course you always have the possibility of accidental pregnancies also.

02-02-2014, 07:03 AM	#1
protea Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Canada Posts: 46	About spading.... Thanks for welcoming me to this forum....I have a 6 months yorkie Sophie,and really enjoy her....do they really have to be spaded???is it more healthier for them???would like to get opinions on this matter before I decide

02-02-2014, 07:09 AM	#2
IDPiper Donating Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Idaho Posts: 331	A topic that can get very heated. I suggest that you research both sides and decide what is best for you. Keeping an intact dog comes with LOTS of responsibility to ensure that you do not have pups. There are pros and cons to both sides. __________________ Tammy Piper

02-02-2014, 07:22 AM	#3
Kiki Mama Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Tennessee with Kiki Posts: 199	If you chose to please ask the vet for pain meds & know what to look for when they are in pain. My baby was in pain & I didn't know it & had nothing to give her. It is something that still hurts my heart. __________________ Spoiled Baby Girl

02-02-2014, 08:28 AM	#7
IDPiper Donating Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Idaho Posts: 331	There are a lot more cons to spaying than just weight gain which IMO is a moot point compared to the real risks of spaying. If you are not going to be proactive in seeing to it that your intact female, during heat cycle, will NEVER even come close to an intact male then by all means spay! They can not even go outside unsupervised for even a second!! Please do not allow your dog to have puppies if you choose to not spay. __________________ Tammy Piper

02-02-2014, 08:46 AM	#8
gemy YT 2000 Club Donating Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Huntsville,Ont,Canaada Posts: 12,340 Blog Entries: 2	Well these are nice user friendly articles they don't quote the source research. At this point in time, my comment is that there is NOT a whole lot of research done special to small breed dogs. Much of what I read in the articles listed I am assuming are referring to research links I have posted numerous times in other threads. Could these risk factors be different for small breeds? Perhaps. Could some be the same across the board? Perhaps. Until we get more small breed specific research - basically the articles show what is becoming to be a prevalent veterinary opinion. If you want to keep your female intact, you need to know the signs and symptoms of pyrometra, mastitis, do breast examinations at least monthly. Then be prepared to never allow her out alone and or off lead during her heat cycles. This means you also need to track her heat cycles, and recognize when her heat begins, and when it ends. Check your pet insurance plan to see if they have special requirements if you wish to keep your dog intact. Good Luck with your decision, and do remember to discuss your options thoroughly with your vet. __________________ Razzle and Dara. Our clan. RIP Karma Dec 24th 2004-July 14 2013 RIP Zoey Jun9 th 2008-May 12 2012. RIP Magic,Mar 26 2006July 1st 2018

02-02-2014, 07:45 AM	#4
pstinard YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Urbana, IL USA Posts: 3,648	The general consensus is that from the standpoint of the health and happiness of your pet, it is better to spay than not to spay. I've included a couple of links about the pros and cons of spaying below. For what it's worth, we had Bella spayed at 7 months, and she did great. You can have retained baby teeth extracted at the same time. Spaying Your Female Dog – Pros and Cons Pros and Cons of Spaying and Neutering in Dogs \| Dog Wellness

02-02-2014, 08:07 AM	#5
theporkieyorkie YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: dearborn heights Posts: 1,148	I have always been a fan of spaying/neutering when it comes to my pets, but due to all of the health risks with an unplanned breeding of a yorkie, I think it's even more important to spay these little ones if you aren't a reputable breeder who's planning on breeding.. If a yorkie is too small to breed, there can be issues. If it accidentally gets bred to a dog too big(which really doesn't take much), there can be issues. I haven't been on here too long, but I've been on here long enough to see plenty of unplanned pregnancies by people who have chosen not to spay their pets, yet had no intentions of breeding them. I wouldn't consider most of these people irresponsible pet owners. They were owners who made a mistake or took their eyes off their pup for one quick second and it happened and they, and their dogs ended up paying the price for it. IMO, unless you are prepared to take responsibility and deal with an unplanned pregnancy, which can not only be dangerous and life threatening for your dog, but also very financially draining, it's best to spay your little girl so there's not even a remote possibility of an "oopsies" happening.

02-02-2014, 09:00 AM	#9
lisaly Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Long Island, New York Posts: 5,892	Welcome to YorkieTalk. I have always had my females spayed, but that is because I worried about pyrometra and mammary tumors. The more I have read because of YT, I think I would explore tubal ligation more if it was possible in the future. I strongly believe that it is best to wait until after the first heat after reading a lot about this subject. http://www.caninesports.com/uploads/...tions_2013.pdf

02-02-2014, 09:10 AM	#10
Lovetodream88 Yorkie mom of 4 Donating YT Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: LaPlata, Md Posts: 23,248	Spaying before there first heat can definitely reduce mammary cancer and obvious other cancers. I am a big fan of spaying and most smaller dogs have baby teeth that don't fall all fall out so its also a good time to get those pulled. Anesthesia is really a lot safer then it used to be and when the proper protocol is done and pre op blood work is done then its even safer. With a non spayed female you have to make sure they are absolutely not around any intact males and males will hurt them selves to get to a female in heat so certain things will not keep them away, you also have to not let them outside alone when they are in heat even for a second, if you have to go out of town you have to make sure shes not going to go into heat while you are gone and if she does will the person watching her keep her safe and 100% away from intact males. Yorkies are also highly stolen dogs so one that's not fixed is worth more money and could even get stolen and sold to someone who uses them just t breed. I'm a fan of spaying. __________________ Taylor My babies Joey, Penny ,Ollie & Dixie Callie Mae, you will forever be in my heart!

02-02-2014, 12:32 PM	#11
yorkiemom76 YT Addict Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Ohio Posts: 364	Mine are all spayed. There are risks with any surgery but I feel the benefit outweighs the risks. They are at an increased risk of mammary tumors if they're not spayed and there is a possibility of pyometra (infected uterus). I work at a vet clinic and we see a lot of these. If this happens, you'll have no choice but to have her spayed to save her life and it will be at a much higher cost because she'll need to be hospitalized and on IV antibiotics. And Of course you always have the possibility of accidental pregnancies also.