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Because... you love your pet. Spaying and neutering your pets will help prevent cancer, uterine infections, and prostate problems.
Why All Female Dogs Should Be Spayed
By Wendy Brooks, DVM
Sterilization of the female dog is commonly performed surgically via the "spay," in which both ovaries and the uterus are removed. It is a major surgery, though a commonly performed one. This web site hopes to address the usual questions owners have regarding this procedure.

WHY ALL FEMALE DOGS SHOULD BE SPAYED

MAMMARY CANCER
A female dog spayed before her first heat will have a near zero chance of developing mammary cancer. After the first heat, this incidence climbs to 7% and after the second heat the risk is 25 percent (one in four!). It is easy to see that an early spay can completely prevent what is frequently a very difficult and potentially fatal form of cancer.

But is it too late if a dog is already past her second heat? No, in fact spaying is important even in female dogs who already have obvious tumors. This is because many mammary tumors are stimulated by estrogens; removing the ovaries, the source of estrogens, will help retard tumor spread.

Spaying removes both the uterus and both ovaries and is crucial in the prevention as well as the treatment of mammary cancer.

SIMPLE CONVENIENCE
The female dog comes into heat every 8 months or so. There is a bloody vaginal discharge and attraction of local male dogs. Often there is an offensive odor. All of this disappears with spaying.

WHAT IS PYOMETRA?

"Pyometra" is the life-threatening infection of the uterus that generally occurs in middle-aged to older female dogs in the six weeks following heat. The hormone "progesterone," which primes the uterus for potential pregnancy, does so by causing proliferation of the blood-filled uterine lining and suppression of uterine immune function. It is thus easy during heat for bacteria in the vagina to ascend to the uterus to cause infection. The uterus with pyometra swells dramatically and is filled with pus, bacteria, dying tissue, and toxins. Without treatment, the pet is expected to die. Despite her serious medical state, she must be spayed quickly if her life is to be saved.

THIS IS AN EXTREMELY COMMON DISEASE OF OLDER UNSPAYED FEMALE DOGS!

PYOMETRA IS NOT SOMETHING WHICH "MIGHT" HAPPEN; CONSIDER THAT IT PROBABLY WILL HAPPEN.

The older unspayed female dog has an irregular heat cycle. There is no end of cycling comparable to human menopause. If you still decide against spaying, be very familiar with the signs of pyometra. (These include loss of appetite, lethargy, vomiting, excessive thirst, marked vaginal discharge).

NOW THAT WE KNOW WHY IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO SPAY, WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENS?

It is very important that the patient has not been fed in at least 8 hours. Anesthetic medications commonly induce nausea and vomiting can be very dangerous in a sedated patient (vomit can be inhaled/aspirated leading to pneumonia).

A preoperative evaluation is performed; blood work is recommended for older females. An intravenous catheter may be placed to facilitate the administration of anesthetic drugs, for any fluid administration, and for use in case of emergency. This necessitates shaving a small patch of skin on one of the legs.

Should you notice such a shaved patch, this is undoubtedly from an intravenous catheter.

A tranquilizer or other pre-anesthetic medication may be administered to ease the induction of anesthesia. A special medication is given intravenously to induce sleep. This medication is called an "induction agent" and lasts only long enough to establish the maintenance of anesthesia by the inhalant anesthetic (gas). Once the pet is asleep, an tube is placed in the throat to insure that a clear airway is maintained through out the procedure.

Sometimes a cough is noted for a couple of days after surgery. This may have been caused by the tube in the throat. Such coughs only last a couple of days; anything that persists longer should be re-evaluated.

The tube is hooked up to a special machine to deliver a specific concentration of inhalant gas mixed in 100 percent oxygen. A special technician is assigned to the monitoring of this pet so that the concentration of inhalant gas can be changed, color, heart rate, respiration and other parameters are followed.

In the surgical prep area, the abdomen is shaved and scrubbed. The bladder is emptied and the patient is moved to a surgical suite, where she is draped with special clothes or papers to isolate the area where surgery will take place.

An incision is made on the midline of the abdomen, and the three points where the ovaries and uterus attaches are tied off and cut. The abdomen is checked for bleeding and two or three layers of stitches are placed to close the incision.

It is helpful to know that should the skin stitches come out, there are two layers below holding everything closed. Sometimes skin stitches are not placed but if they are present, you will need to return in 10-14 days to have them removed.

The anesthesia technician continues monitoring until the pet dog wakes up and coughs out the throat tube. The patient is kept in an observation room until she is able to walk.

Our hospital feels strongly that a night in the hospital is important to an uneventful recovery. This night in the hospital is analogous to strict bed rest, just what you would expect to be needed after a major abdominal surgery. This night also allows for proper administration of pain medication for a longer time period as well as a post-operative check up with the doctor the morning after surgery.

Our colleagues at the Ocean Beach Veterinary Hospital in Longview Washington have put together a slide show demonstrating the spay surgery. To see this slide show click here (http://www.cport.com/~obvc/slides/spay/intro.htm).

WHAT TO EXPECT AT HOME:

Most spay patients go home the next day as if nothing had happened though some will need pain medication for a few days.

Some nausea may occur in the first couple of days after surgery and it would not be unusual for the pet to refuse food for a day or two after surgery.

As noted above, a cough may persist for a couple of days as a result of the throat tube. This should not persist longer than a couple of days.

Dogs who show a propensity to lick their stitches will need an Elizabethan or "E" collar to restrict access to the stitches. This is not very comfortable for the dog but must be used strictly until the stitches are out and the incision is healed.

Activity should be restricted during the week following surgery. Excessive activity can lead to swelling or fluid accumulation under the incision. If a fluid pocket does form, it should resolve on its own after a few weeks. If a fluid pocket forms and drains liquid from the incision, the dog should be re-checked with the veterinarian.

SPAYING IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PREVENTIVE HEALTH MEASURES THAT CAN BE PROVIDED FOR A FEMALE DOG OF ANY AGE.

WHAT ABOUT BEHAVIORAL CHANGES?

The female dog's reproductive tract is dormant for most of the year. It only activates for the three week period of heat. This means that from a behavioral stand point, the female dog acts spayed most of the time. It is unlikely that any change will be evident.

HEALTH BENEFITS FROM SPAYING ARE TOO IMPORTANT TO IGNORE. PLEASE CALL FOR SPAY SCHEDULING FOR YOUR FEMALE DOG.

There are several web sites on the importance of spaying and neutering. If you wish to browse another web site with information on this topic you might visit:

Y2SPAY Main : About the Surgery ... : Why All Female Dogs Should Be Spayed

Why Neuter Your Male Dog?
By Wendy Brooks, DVM
WHAT ARE THE HEALTH BENEFITS TO THE DOG?

There are several health benefits to neutering. One of the most important concerns the prostate gland, which under the influence of testosterone will gradually enlarge over the course of the dog's life. In age, it is likely to become uncomfortable, possibly being large enough to interfere w/defecation. The prostate under the influence of testosterone is also predisposed to infection which is almost impossible to clear up without neutering. Neutering causes the prostate to shrink into insignificance thus preventing both prostatitis as well as the uncomfortable benign hyperplasia (enlargement) that occurs with aging. It is often erroneously held that neutering prevents prostate cancer but this is not true.

Other health benefits of neutering include the prevention of certain types of hernias and tumors of the testicles and anus. Excessive preputial discharge is also reduced by neutering.

WHAT BEHAVIORAL CHANGES CAN BE EXPECTED AFTER NEUTER?

The only behavior changes that are observed after neutering relate to behaviors influenced by male hormones. Playfulness, friendliness, and socialization with humans are not changed. The behaviors that change are far less desirable. The interest in roaming is eliminated in 90 percent of neutered dogs. Aggressive behavior against other male dogs is eliminated in 60 percent of neutered dogs. Urine marking is eliminated in 50 percent of neutered male dogs. Inappropriate mounting is eliminated in 70 percent of neutered dogs.

WHAT EXACTLY IS DONE SURGICALLY?

An incision is made generally just forward from the scrotum. The testicles are removed through this incision. The stalks are tied off and cut. Castration is achieved. If the testicles are not removed, the desirable benefits listed above cannot be achieved. The skin incision may or may not have stitches.

WHAT CAN I EXPECT UPON DISCHARGE FROM THE HOSPITAL?

The scrotum is often swollen in the first few days after surgery, leading some people to wonder if the procedure was really performed. If the dog is immature at the time of neutering, the empty scrotum will flatten out as he grows. If he is mature at the time of neuter, the empty scrotum will remain as a flap of skin. Sometimes the incision is mildly bruised but this is not unduly sore for the dog and pain relief is almost never necessary post neuter. Most male dogs are eager to play by the day after surgery but to keep the incision intact, it is best to restrict the dog from boisterous activity.

AT WHAT AGE CAN NEUTERING BE PERFORMED?

Neutering can be performed at any age over age 8 weeks. Dogs neutered before puberty (generally age 6 months) tend to grow a bit bigger than dogs neutered after puberty (testosterone is involved in the causing bones to stop growing so without testosterone the bones stop growing later). Neutering can also be performed in the geriatric patient should the prostate gland become enlarged and the best medical decision be to shrink it. In this event, preanesthetic bloodwork and other diagnostics relevant to anesthetizing an older patient would be recommended.

The traditional age for neutering is around 6 months of age and many veterinarians still recommend neutering at this age.

The benefits of neutering (both health and behavioral) can still be obtained regardless of the age at which neutering is performed.

WILL HE GET OVER-WEIGHT OR LETHARGIC?

Activity level and appetite do not change with neutering. A male dog should not gain weight or become less interested in activity post neuter.

WILL HE STILL BE INTERESTED IN FEMALES?

His interest will be reduced but if he is around a female dog in heat, he will become aroused by her. Mounting behavior often has roots in the expression of dominance and may be expressed by a neutered male in a variety of circumstances that are not motivated by sexuality.

WHAT IF A DOG HAS AN UNDESCENDED TESTICLE?

Undescended testicles have an increased tendency to grow tumors over descended testicles. They may also twist on their stalks and cause life-threatening inflammation. For these reasons, neutering is recommended for dogs with undescended testicles. This procedure is more complicated than a routine neuter; the missing testicle can be under the skin along the path it should have descended to the scrotum or it may be inside the abdomen. Some exploration may be needed to find it thus there is often an incision for each testicle. The retained testicle is sterile and under-developed. If there is one descended testicle, this one will be fertile but since retaining a testicle is a hereditary trait, it is important that the male dog not be bred before he is neutered.