to spey or not to spey

[PrairieBoy]

I posted this earlier, but it never showed up

Spay prior to second heat to greatly reduce breast cancer
Spay prior to third heat to reduce risk of cancer but it is not quite as great as prior to second heat
Spay after third heat and there is no reduction in breast cancer risk
Spaying after third heat eliminates pyometria, except for stump pyometria.

What breed or breeds is this based on? What references and statistics are there to back this up. Where they show or working dogs? Does this included cross breeds. When was the research done? Was there any research on the historical incidence of cancer in the dogs used to produce the results.

No I thought not - just old wives tales.

My information came from a book written by three veterinarians.

[Naj]

I've never spayed a bitch & can't see why anyone would unless there was a medical problem. Similarly with the fashion for castrating dogs. Why would you want to do that? Seems almost routine now to de-masculinate & de-feminate dogs. Vets get excited over docking tails as a being mutilation but are perfectly happy to cut out sex organs.

Naj

[Stacia]

I worked for a vet and saw so many bitches with mammary tumours and pyometras which could have been avoided if the bitch had been spayed. Why would you not de sex a dog/bitch when it cannot fulfill its role, I am sure a male dog becomes sexually frustrated!

I think many vets see the result of health problems in not spaying a bitch and many unwanted puppies due to entire males. Remember, not all dogs are gundogs and well looked after and these accidents happen.

[Naj]

But aren't we talking about responsibly managed gundogs?

[ips]

I have to agree with naj I don't see the point unless there are definitive medical or behavioural reasons. Hence my original post.
I cant say I am any the wiser at the moment.

[Naj]

Everyone has their own views on this. There are pros & cons to both sides, based largely upon relative risk. You just need to sort out what's acceptable to you.

Naj

[Sgurr]

Ask your vet about the risk of urinary incontinence - not usually talked about when spaying a bitch is being recommended but about 30% of spayed bitches need lifelong medication to treat the condition. Tomorrow when I am more sorted, ips, I'll pm you a review of the pros and cons to help you make up your own mind.

[PrairieBoy]

Believe it or not, the estrogen in the female dogs heat cycle is damaging to the uterus. Cysts get formed which leads to pyrometra.
When the dog gets sick, it becomes life threatening. When the dog is sick and operated on, it becomes far more difficult to recover because the dog is full of infection and very run down.

And then there is the issue of keeping the dog population under control which is another can of worms.

Making an informed decision is best. Talk to your Vet and then sleep on it.

[Miesque]

The urinary incontinence is a bit of a red herring, I've had two develop it both at 15yo - the drug used to treat it is cheap and the doseage small - I'd rather a year of that than cancer or pyometra to be treated.

[Naj]

.... and my mother's spayed bitch had incontinence problems from 4 years of age.