whats more of a risk

I am still thinking wether or not to have indie spayed.
I dont plan on breeding from her but im not worried about seasons. What i need to know is what is more of a risk?
Not getting through the aneasthetic or contracting pyometra if not spayed.
I really dont know what to do as my vet said to spay if not breeding from.

Jenny, can't help but I can understand your concern. I got Olive spayed before I knew about the risks of aneasthetic, so I didn't worry too much. However, knowing what I know now I would have given it alot more consideration. I also got Olive spayed far too young and I think she hasn't really matured much, comparing her to her siblings, Olive still acts very much like a puppy.

Good Luck whatever you decide .

Our vet went through the anaesthetic with us and explained that it was fully reversible. After speaking to the vet we felt a lot more relaxed.

Don't unspeyed bitches have a higher risk of getting mammary tumours too?

I think that your vet ,s advice is probably the best I always have my bitches spayed as I would never breed dont think I could part with the pups but then thats just me

I think both have risks..... I don't think it's about whether to breed or not either ....in my breed I know that Sophie will now end up with a very wooly coat ( seen it a hundred times) and may become old for her age!!!! BUT thats my breed ..............you all know my views on spaying and unless it medically needs to be done I wouldn't risk the op but thats just me ..I like my girls to be as natural as possible .... hope that does not offend owners with spayed bitches ....xx not offence intended

Not sure which is more risky to be honest. But speaking from the perspective of having a dog that had a closed pyo, I would go for the spaying every time! At least your dog is young and has a better chance of surviving, where as if she had a pyo chances are she'd be much older and would still have to under go the op with her being ill on top of that. Bonnie had a closed pyo when she was about 11, it was horrific and it very nearly killed her. The vet said if we'd have been half an hour later she would've died. Thankfully she lived for another 4 years after the op.
As far as I know dogs do have a lower risk of mammary tumors, but more so if they're spayed before their first season.

Snorri-dog has a "stalked mole" lump which we would like to have had removed, but we are leaving it alone. Snorri has epilepsy, and we'd rather not risl anaesthesia unless it's a matter of life or death. There does not seem to be any increased risk because of epilepsy, but we're taking no chances.

Both mine are boys; you can call it some kind of male sympathy if you like, but neither of them have "had their nuts took" (as a late friend on mine put it), even though Snorri could pass on his epilepsy (he's too scared of other dogs to be able to get mated, anyway!).

Snorri

The risk is very very low with an anaesthetic unless you have a breed that is susceptible to problems with anaesthetics - mostly sight hounds and their crosses but other do have problems too.

Pyometra is not that common either, have only had one bitch get it and never had any mammary problems, mammary tumours are not that difficult to spot when they are very small and can be removed with little problem, you need to learn to check every time your groom, pyometra can be spotted in the early stages but you have to act with some speed if you suspect your bitch is off colour, but then you should do that anyway.


Do usually spay my bitches but not till they are about 7 although the one I have now was spayed at 4 when a whelping when wrong, she is now 11years and ok not fat but a very strange barrel shape and the coat is curly and moults all the time, she is a bit dribbley at around the time she would have had a season if she was still intact, my vet does not believe me but I am sure.

Exactly, Bonnie was feeling a bit off colour but we just put it down to the fact she was getting on a bit. My mam and I went away for a day or two (can't really remember how long) and when we came back we could see there was something seriously wrong as her third eyelid had come down and she wouldn't move out of her basket. My dad just isn't in tune with our animals like my mam and I and didn't notice she was off colour, it was all these things that led to her nearly dying. Rare circumstances, but still possible.
Another thing I hear a lot of people say is you shouldn't get a dog neutered (more often castrated than spayed) as they get fat? I find this crazy. The only way a dog can get fat is if you feed it too much and under exercise it. Woody definitely needs less food now he's castrated, but we reduce his food accordingly! Not difficult!