# seasons



## Kez (May 1, 2011)

Hi I have Ruby who is just coming up to 6 months old. My vet says you can have them spayed at 6 months without them having a season. Someone else told me they should have a season first. Someone else said its best to let them have a litter. It seems everyone had an opinion. What age will she have her first season?


----------



## Sezra (May 20, 2011)

Hi there.

I think the general opinion is to ait until after at least their forst season but I know that vets opinions vary on this. Below is information from another thread that covers spaying and the health implications of being done to early. I hope that this is helpful. 

_I am all for spaying its the best thing for a bitches health But not if shes very young so please do plenty of research before you go ahead, a fair few people now believe early spaying increases the chances of a dog developing serious health conditions later on.

On the negative side, spaying female dogs
• if done before 1 year of age, significantly increases the risk of osteosarcoma (bone cancer); this is a common cancer in larger breeds with a poor prognosis
• increases the risk of splenic hemangiosarcoma by a factor of 2.2 and cardiac hemangiosarcoma by a factor of >5; this is a common cancer and major cause of death in some breeds
• triples the risk of hypothyroidism
• increases the risk of obesity by a factor of 1.6-2, a common health problem in dogs with many associated health problems
• causes urinary “spay incontinence” in 4-20% of female dogs
• increases the risk of persistent or recurring urinary tract infections by a factor of 3-4
• increases the risk of recessed vulva, vaginal dermatitis, and vaginitis, especially for female dogs spayed before puberty
• doubles the small risk (<1%) of urinary tract tumors
• increases the risk of orthopedic disorders
• increases the risk of adverse reactions to vaccinations

http://www.naiaonline.org/pdfs/longt...uterindogs.pdf _


----------



## caradunne (Nov 29, 2010)

Vets vary between waiting for a season and having them spayed before the first season. I have a female vet and she was passionate about not spaying prior to a season. I did quite a lot of reading and decided it was not too much of a problem for me to let Izzy have a season and then spay her. I have quarry tiled floors throughout the areas Izzy is free in and covers over the sofa in the breakfast room. However, I still wait! Izzy is 15 months this week and still has not had a season. There is a thread on here where we recorded the age our puppies had their first season - if you search season I think you should find it. If I remember it varied between 8 months-ish and Izzy! xx


----------



## flounder_1 (May 12, 2011)

Our vet is very pro having them spayed before their first season so we had Lolly spayed early at 5 months (due to holiday times and she's large enough the vet was happier to do it early than risk doing it later) This is the info our vet gave us

" The main reasons for spaying a dog are to prevent pyometra which is a womb infection that can occur after a season and is life threatening if not treated quickly and also ovarian and mammary tumours which can occur in entire female dogs. if spayed before her first season a female dog has a 0.05% chance of getting mammary tumours. However this encreases to 8% if spayed after the first season and increases further to 24% if spayed after two or more seasons"

I like you had no idea which was best but trust our vet completely so happily took her advice. I also didn't really fancy the idea of dealing with a season!!!


----------



## flounder_1 (May 12, 2011)

Oh how confusing for you Kerry. Very conflicting advice being given out by our vets and passed on to you! Sorry!!! lol


----------



## ali-s.j. (Jun 6, 2011)

I guess this is another of those topics on which there are conflicting opinions, and strong feeling. The vet who did Izzy's jag, and is young and therefore more recently qualified, advised spaying before 1st season too.


----------



## flounder_1 (May 12, 2011)

ali-s.j. said:


> I guess this is another of those topics on which there are conflicting opinions, and strong feeling. The vet who did Izzy's jag, and is young and therefore more recently qualified, advised spaying before 1st season too.


Yes our vet is fairly young too (I would guess under 30). She owns her own practice though!


----------



## Kez (May 1, 2011)

Thanks all, I really want to do whats best for Ruby and am happy to have the inconvenience of a season if thats best for her health wise. I wonder if vets have a standard patter as they dont want "irresponsible breeding" . I guess over time all health advice changes same as it does with humans and you can only go on current "best "practice. Im still no further forward AHHH!


----------



## ali-s.j. (Jun 6, 2011)

> Yes our vet is fairly young too (I would guess under 30). She owns her own practice though!


I think sometimes younger vets/doctors may be a bit more in touch with current medical opinion and research, I certainly find this at my doctors' surgery. I shall trust my vet's advice when the time comes


----------



## Sezra (May 20, 2011)

It is hard when you hear different things but I view it a bit like people. I view it like a 12 year old girl who hasn't yet started her periods she still has a lot of developing and growing to do and a lot of this has to do with her hormones. I am not an expert but this is just the option that I have decided for me. Good luck, you can only do what you think is best with all the advice that is given to you. x


----------



## M&M's mummy (Jul 12, 2011)

I spayed Milly 3 months after her first season as I wanted to make sure she was developed first.

My breeder was in favour of this- one of my vets practice ( I use 2) was happy to spay early.

I just thought that hormonal development was important and I had read about spay incontinence and puppies remaining in a puppy state and not maturing mentally so weighed it all up and based my choice around that.


----------



## JoJo (Mar 2, 2011)

Hi Kerry, 

As you can see people and vets feel very differently about this, by all in all it is a choice thing, you can breed Ruby, get her spay before her first season or after her first season, I know females dogs in all three situations and it is up to the owner. 

Seek your vets advice on this if in any doubt, like you vets and trust them .... some cockapoos have their first season at 6 months other may be later at around 12 months, all dogs are different 

I hope this settled whatever decision you make ... xx


----------



## Ali79 (Mar 30, 2011)

Hi Kerry 

We are in the same predicament as you! Beau is 6 months on the 16 August. Our vet recommends having her spayed before her first season and at the moment she is booked in to have this done on the 24 August although I am still undecided whether she will have the operation then. Our obedience trainer said she had her Cocker Spaniel done at 6 months which was before her first season and although there were no complications she felt afterwards that it was too young and wished she had waited a bit longer! I asked everyone on here to state at what age their Cockapoo came into season and the youngest was just over 7 months with some being over a year. I definitely do not want to breed with Beau and do not mind her having a season if this is the best option but like others have said EVERYONE has an opinion. I would love it if ALL vets went by one rule as it would be far less confusing. Good luck with whatever you decide


----------



## JoJo (Mar 2, 2011)

Is it a hard decision to make and I know what you mean Ali about vets should give the same advice ... I have looked into this myself and yes I could quote you all the benefits of spaying which you clearly already know, hence why you want to get it done.. 

Before or after first season is the big question? and the question that everyone has different feeling on ... it’s a tricky one  either way the dog will be spay at some point and I know bitches done before and after their first season and there is no difference in these dogs and how the operation went.... so it is simply the owners choice and their vets advice possibly...


----------



## kendal (Jul 16, 2009)

both my mums cockers had mamar cancer, both were spayed after their first season so we are hoping that the vets are right about spaying befor season wll reduce or elimanate the chances of that happening with our girls. so im all for spaying before seasons if you have no intentions to breed.


----------



## Happyad (Oct 5, 2010)

Always pro and cons for both. 
An changes over the years, a bit like should a baby sleep on it's back! Lol
Mine are staying un spayed until later in life. 
However a vet recently said, best done pre first season as it's not all developed as major organs. The blood supply is still minimal and it makes it a simpler and quicker op. Removes some complications.


----------



## Kez (May 1, 2011)

I'm off work for the summer holidays and want to be around after she's had the op. I'm worried sick about making the right choice but I think I'm going to go with my vets advice and have her done sooner rather than later.


----------



## JoJo (Mar 2, 2011)

Keep us updated Kerry .. at least you will be with her xxxx 

Its your choice and you made a good one xxxx


----------



## Ali79 (Mar 30, 2011)

Kez said:


> I'm off work for the summer holidays and want to be around after she's had the op. I'm worried sick about making the right choice but I think I'm going to go with my vets advice and have her done sooner rather than later.


We have been worried the whole time too but feel it is probably best to go with the vet's advice although our vet's nurse said that it really doesn't make much difference pre season or post as long as they don't have many seasons! Even get differing advice in the practice which makes it even more confusing! Good luck and keep us posted


----------



## strof51 (Sep 26, 2009)

I can only go by my own experience. I had my last dog spayed before her first season and she lived to the ripe old age of 17. The advice 20 years ago was the same as it is today, and it varied from vet to vet.
Poppy was done at 6 months and Rosie will have her op when she is 6 months.
Which ever you choose Pre or Post season is right for you as you have chosen what you think is right for your dog. We all love our dogs and are having this done for the right reasons.


----------



## Kez (May 1, 2011)

Hi all, had a consultation with the vet today regarding getting ruby done. He was great and chatted for about 20 mins re pros and cons. Although ruby is a good weight 8.7kilos, she only lost her last big teeth 2 weeks ago and still wee's a bit if she gets very excited, not all the time but sometimes. He thinks she's still very young for her age development wise, teeth and excitement wee should stop about 4 months. He advised because of the increased risk of spray incontinence we should wait till she has had a season. Hopefully by then she will be all developed and she won't develop spray incontinence. No charge from the vet either! Feel it's just the right choice for her.


----------

