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Toller
Dogsey Junior
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Location: wny
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15-12-2017, 11:54 PM

Removing the uterus on a spay?

I have read there is no advantage to removing the uterus; that leaving it is less traumatic and can reduce the tendency to urinary problems.

Our vet says there is no compelling reason to remove it, except he has removed it hundreds of times and left it a couple times. Since he has more experience removing it, he is more comfortable doing that, and would remove it on his own dog.

Medically he sees no real difference; complications are pretty much the same either way, and the incision is the same, as is the recovery. He feels the urinary problems are entirely hormonal and have the same likelihood either way; besides it is easily treated.

I want to leave it, my wife wants to do what the vet is comfortable with. Should I make an issue out of this, or let it go.
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Trouble
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16-12-2017, 11:10 AM
Easily treated by medication every day for life and it's not a cheap medication either. Not to mention if you don't spot the problem immediately it could mean new carpets etc. We weren't offered the option as the last girl spayed was Rio about 10 years ago. If I had been offered the option knowing what I learnt about living with an incontinent dog I wouldn't hesitate to go for the no incontinence option.
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CaroleC
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16-12-2017, 02:04 PM
I think it is possible for a bitch who has been left with a stump uterus to still develop pyometra. Complete removal does away with this risk.
According to Mercola's figures, between 5 and 20% of spayed bitches go on to develop urinary incontinence.
Leaving a bitch entire raises the likelihood of mammary cancer, cystic ovaries and pyometra.
It would seem that the choice is between a rock and a hard place.
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Toller
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16-12-2017, 06:33 PM
We are spaying her on 1/3/18; we went through one heat and aren't doing that again.

The issue is whether to remove just the ovaries, or the ovaries and the uterus. Wife wants to remove it because the vet has more experience with that procedure, I think leaving it is less traumatic and just maybe has fewer urinary problems.

Wife always wins, but I wonder if I am right.

Incidentally, she is 10 months old, 30 pounds, and had her first heat in October. I wanted to wait a few more months, but the vet was concerned about missing the 2nd heat.
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Pitrescuemama
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29-12-2017, 11:22 AM
Zen is my first female ever! She will be 5 months on 1/13/18. Of course I don't plan to breed her at all and talked to my vet he wants to spay her at 6 months. I'm already nervous cause I know its more of a complicated surgery and recovery then neutering a male. Which all my boys were over a yr when they were neutered.
I've read that spaying her to early will effect her growth is this true? Also now I need to ask my vet about leaving her uterus or removing it idk if he even gives us that option. I'm getting a little nervous the closer it gets I trust my vet but she is my baby and I want to make sure I don't make a mistake that will hurt her in anyway!
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Toller
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29-12-2017, 02:09 PM
Spaying was always done at 6 months. The modern trend is to wait until after the first heat.
Doing it at 6 months prevents mammary gland cancer, but risks incontinence and joint problems.
There is no right answer. We did our first girl at 6 months 16 years ago. She turned out fine. We waited on our second girl. I hope she turns out as well.

I don't have any doubt that leaving the uterus is better, but our vet isn't comfortable with it. He is the only vet around, so we are leaving it.
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COBAR5
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30-12-2017, 03:15 AM
What are the Stats , for incontinence
with leaving the uterus intact,
or take everything out, does the VET know these STATS.
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Pitrescuemama
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30-12-2017, 03:18 PM
[COLOR="black"I'm glad to hear that you did your girl at 6 months and she did fine. I shouldn't be so worried especially because my vet is absolutely wonderful and has been for 16 yrs with my boys. I always worried about my boys especially Zeus cause he had never been crated and left by me til he was neutered and he was terrified. I was suppose to pick him up at 3pm but he wasn't released til 6. P
Slow waking up and staying up from anesthesia Doc wanted to make sure all was good before sending him home. All my boys and fosters were dropped off at 8am and home later the same day!


He's keeping Zen over night.


Quick question about how long in your experience did it take your girls to heal I plan on keeping her separate from Otis and other dogs for a few days. Gonna try to keep her as calm as I can for as long as I can while she heals. Ughhh I just can't wait for it to be done and over��
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Toller
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30-12-2017, 03:43 PM
Originally Posted by COBAR5 View Post
What are the Stats , for incontinence
with leaving the uterus intact,
or take everything out, does the VET know these STATS.
Vet claims the stats do not support removing the uterus causing incontinence. He says the problem in hormonal and the uterus does not affect that. The ureters runs along the uterus, but he's never damaged one.

It doesn't make sense to me though. Why remove an organ when doing so has no benefit? How could removing the ovaries be more difficult than removing the ovaries and uterus? My wife is a nurse and she is insistent that we follow the vets recommendation. I generally defer to her judgement on medical matters, so out the uterus goes.

Our first girl was 17 years ago, so I don't really remember her recuperation, but my wife says it was short. There weren't any problems with incontinence right up to the day she died at 16y8m. She was a great dog.

OTOH, my breeder claims that spaying after first heat prevents incontinence. She has no opinion on the uterus issue.
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