Spaying Female Labradoodle

TomsMom

little_miss_muppet_face wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies guys.. i think i have made up my mind to get her done...

Just outta interest, if i have to wait post first season do i need to keep her out of the public areas when walking her, i,e, just let her out in the garden ? I was of the impression that all male dogs would be hunting her down for miles around.. is this right ?

When my pup was in season I was unwell myself for 3 weeks and OH in hospital so we couldn't get out anyway but I had read of precautions to take as male dogs can smell a b1tch in heat from a very long way away.

I just googled "B1tch in season" (replacing the 1 with an i) and the first link is to this article. Scroll down to read the bit about males being attracted and taking her out. You'll find quite a few other articles all saying roughly the same.

I would wait now until she's had her first season. It can be anything from 6 months onwards, and we were told that after the season we should wait two clear months from the end of the season, or a clear 3 months from the date she started, for everything to settle back down again.

FWIW I think you've made the right decision.

gratefulforhelp_2

Make sure you get a lampshade for her...we didn't and she took out all her own stitches when i finally dropped off at 4 am!

Sagz_2

little_miss_muppet_face wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies guys.. i think i have made up my mind to get her done...

Just outta interest, if i have to wait post first season do i need to keep her out of the public areas when walking her, i,e, just let her out in the garden ? I was of the impression that all male dogs would be hunting her down for miles around.. is this right ?

It's not just the local male dogs you need to watch out for.

Remember if you are letting her out into the garden to keep an eye on her - her hormones will be telling her to find a mate and it's amazing how high they can jump with the right incentive! Or dig.... or chew fences....

:T Well done on deciding to spey her - if more people took your attitude the dog rescues wouldn't be bursting at the seams as they are now.

ash28

We had our Staffordshire Bull Terrier speyed a year ago when she 18 months - the vet wouldn't spey her before her first season and we had to wait until she was mid way between seasons. She's a rescue we got her at 5 months and wanted her to speyed at about 6 months - our vet wouldn't do it - so we waited until after her first season.

Her season was awful (I guess they're all different), she was very quiet and miserable and very messy (and needy - are dogs needy?) - I was just grateful we had hard floors downstairs and not carpets..

I took her out early in the morning to our local park but kept to quiet areas and didn't let her off the leash and then I walked her round the block about 9pm. She's normally really active but for those 3 or so weeks she wasn't interested in her walks or playing - just as well really.

Once when walking her in the park she went mad to be off after other dogs - she was almost doing somersaults. That was towards the end of her season.

I don't know whether having her speyed quietened her down or whether it was because she was getting older (18 months) and it was just a coincidence - but there was a big improvement in her behaviour - she was much quieter and less of a puppy.

The vet used dissolvable stitches - she didn't fancy having to take them out because she was so lively - she tends to be a bit hyper at the vets.

The biggest problem afterwards was trying to keep her calm for 10 days - nightmare!

tankgirl1

ash28 wrote: »

We had our Staffordshire Bull Terrier speyed a year ago when she 18 months - the vet wouldn't spey her before her first season and we had to wait until she was mid way between seasons. She's a rescue we got her at 5 months and wanted her to speyed at about 6 months - our vet wouldn't do it - so we waited until after her first season.

We would probably do the same - although we advocate pre season spaying, with a 5 month old rescue pooch, it would be very difficult to ascertain if she had already had a season - albeit premature, it can happen. Much safer to wait, let her have a season, then spay 2-3 mths later IMHO

ellies_angel

I had my border terrier spayed at 6 months before her 1st season. The vet said why wait and put her through a season and because he was happy to do it, I went along. She came home I expected her to be quiet, off her food and a bit unhappy. She wouldn't stay in her bed, woofed down the food I got from the vet for her and was her usual happy self (although not quite as bouncy). She had a lamp to wear, but never went near her stitches so I took it off after the first night.
I did give her arnic for about 2 days before and 3 days after and I think that made a difference to her recovery.

tankgirl1

ellies_angel wrote: »

I had my border terrier spayed at 6 months before her 1st season. The vet said why wait and put her through a season and because he was happy to do it, I went along. She came home I expected her to be quiet, off her food and a bit unhappy. She wouldn't stay in her bed, woofed down the food I got from the vet for her and was her usual happy self (although not quite as bouncy). She had a lamp to wear, but never went near her stitches so I took it off after the first night.
I did give her arnic for about 2 days before and 3 days after and I think that made a difference to her recovery.

sorry for my ignorance but what is arnic?

kazschow

i think she meant Arnica, could be wrong though...

Raksha

Arnica is great for speeding recovery from the bruising caused by an operation (or any other bruising). I gave it to my son after he had his appendix removed - the Drs on the ward agreed his recovery was quicker than expected. It's part of my family first aid kit now.