Having my puppy spayed

Hi all just asking some advice I want to have my staffordshire bull terrier puppy spayed when she is old enough (have been told they have to be 5 or 6 six months) she is only only 4 months at the moment, when I took her to the vets for worming they told me that she would have to wait until her first season until I could have her spayed because she dribbles a bit of wee when she gets excited(say when we get up in the morning or come back from the shops) because this could cause incontinence problems when she gets older they say it points to her not being devoloped properly or something like that they said. But I have been told by another vet that my auntie uses that this is not the case and it makes no difference, so I'm feeling quite confused as what to do, have any of you heard that this is the case any advice would be welcome as I would like to get her done asap so frightened about a dog getting at her thanks in advance.

Hi, I have heard that some breeds are more succeptible than others to incontinence after spaying. Just really try to do your research, and go with the vet's (yours) advice. As to when she's in season, keep her on a lead and try to stay away from busy dog walking areas. If it's only one season, you'll be fine.

FWIW we have been told she must have at least one 'season', actually where we are the vets usually like to wait until after the second 'season' different breeds vary I guess. As said above, keep away from popular walking areas, keep her on a lead, check the fences around your home and you should be OK

I'm sure there will be many more experienced people on here soon to adise you.

Hello. I have a 7 month old SBT and i will be getting her spayed before her first season - fingers crossed.

I did a lot of research into this before deciding, called about 15 vets and all but one had the policy of not spaying until after their first season, but not one of them could give me a good reason...or the real reason for it, which i already knew from speaking to a dog behaviourist/ex vet.

The real reason is that before their first season the pups tubes (for want of a better word) are very small and the chances of the vet cutting the nerve related to continency and incontinency. If they do this the dog may suffer incontinence.

I found an experienced vet who was willing to discuss all the pros and cons and didn't fob me off with talk about growth of longbones. Tonks will be done this month. This vet has been doing early speys for ten years and has never had a case of incontinence yet.

I had Selkie spayed before her first season. I will admit I regretted it. I can't say whether any of her joint issues were a result may just have been in her genes, but I do know that the experience of the surgery and the cage recover at just 4 months old let her with permanent psychological scars, she didn't forgive the vet for years and still wont go near the vet who spayed her, she refused to go in to kennels again.

I have decided to spay Kismet after her first season, possibly her second if the first doesn't drive me mad.

I too had conflicting advice, one vet said before, one said after, one said after 2.. I think you just have to go with your heart. You know your dog and you know your vet. I don't think there is one sound rule on this one.

But I would suggest that he has probably specialised in this, studied it a lot, maybe even written a few science papers on the subject, clearly it is something he has taken on board and had a lot of practice at doing, so yes, it can be done, but like most people vets have many calls on their time and if they don't have the time to study and practice a technique you can't really blame them for risking it can you I guess you are lucky to have found this guy if having it done early is what you want, clearly the tragedy of an unwanted litter is totally avoided, for most people the 'safer' route would be to wait, as I said above around here they don't like doing it before the 2nd. season, but then again the vets here are hardly at forefront of medical science of that I'm quite sure

Yes i suppose it depends on the vets. I tried lots of vets and then me with this one before she decided she was happy to do Tonks before 7 months and also i was happy with her. She definately knows her stuff and was happy to discuss all the pros and cons rather than just stating "it's practice policy not to spey before first season".

Fingers crossed Tonks won't be the first accident!!

I had Willow my Lab spayed at just over 6 months on the advice of my Vet because it limited the risk of breast cancer later on. I should explain my previous lab Bramble had breast cancer so l took his advice. Willow is now 12 months with no incontinent problems. I must admit l have always used the same Vets and taken their advice.
Good luck with your research Rosie