# To Spay or Not to Spay that is the Question



## PowderPuff (Feb 16, 2013)

I have a 9 lb. miniature unspayed white Poodle that I found in 2009 that was a mess and covered with fleas. see attached photo Even though she was microchipped, it was never registered. Therefore I decided to keep her. This is her after being cleaned up and groomed. see attached photo. She is now about 7 to 9 years old. Every time I take her to the vet for her annual exam, they tell me I should have her spayed. The benefits being less chance of breast cancer and no chance of pyometra. Side effects are 20% will have incontinence, possible weight gain, personality changes, less activity, hormonal changes, etc. Has anyone had an experience of pyometra in their unspayed females? Is there any way to reduce the risk of incontinence? Is there a best time during their menstrual cycle to have the spaying done? Comments appreciated. I am having her teeth cleaned this week and am considering have her spayed at that time. Thank you.


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## Joelly (May 8, 2012)

I have no suggestion for you. I just want to complement your gorgoeous poodle. Very beautiful! Love her icy white coat!


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## Samba (Sep 14, 2012)

I would spay her. Generally, spays > 1 year have very little chance of incontinence. Its often the younger puppies that are spayed early that experience this later in life.


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## AngelsMommy (Nov 3, 2012)

My grand parents had their older female spayed and she ended up incontinent.  Grandma was convinced by her vet of the same issues and so she did it. Then she wished she had not. Her wonderful mpoo female was so distraught over the incontinence. So for me I will not unless forced to by other clear cut issues. It is a surgery I would rather avoid and since my baby is not at risk for unplanned pregnancy. I know that pyometra could be an issue, but my family has had a large number of females and never had that problem. I have also heard of spayed females having pyometra because not all was excised in the surgery and what was left over time did become infected. Also the info is unclear at best on other kinds of cancers being less due to spaying or neutering. So I will just keep a close eye on my baby and believe for the best. This is something I have been doing research on because I had been given the same speech about spaying my female. 

Good luck with which ever route you choose. 

PS you have an adorable baby.


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## Fluffyspoos (Aug 11, 2009)

There was this article about a spay that only removes the ovaries, leaving the uterus intact. The study hadn't had any recorded cases of pyometra, saying that without the ovaries and the hormones associated with it wouldn't cause the infection. I don't know how true this is, but I talked to one of the vets I work with about it, and she had already read about it, seeming quite excited and interested. It's also said that it's a quicker healing time. Perhaps you can look into this?

Does anyone have the link to that article?


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## ArreauStandardPoodle (Sep 1, 2009)

We had a girl get pyometra when I was fifteen. I will never forget it. She went from perfectly normal to having a belly as if we were at the end of a pregnancy overnight. She survived the surgery, but was never quite right again and died about three months later.


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## JudyD (Feb 3, 2013)

Fluffyspoos said:


> There was this article about a spay that only removes the ovaries, leaving the uterus intact. The study hadn't had any recorded cases of pyometra, saying that without the ovaries and the hormones associated with it wouldn't cause the infection. I don't know how true this is, but I talked to one of the vets I work with about it, and she had already read about it, seeming quite excited and interested. It's also said that it's a quicker healing time. Perhaps you can look into this?
> 
> Does anyone have the link to that article?


I haven't read the article, but I have seen it referenced. I asked my vet about that. She wouldn't even consider it, so I did have Jazz spayed, and at a young age, as the vet advised. If I didn't have an intact male Lab, or if I had some reliable way to keep the two of them apart during her heat cycle, I would have waited until after she was a year old, but...I do, and I don't, so I didn't.


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

It is a very hard one to call, but my own decision would be not to spay. At her age, it would make very little difference to the risk for mammary cancer, so the big risk is pyometra. If she is with you all day every day, and you are very aware of the symptoms and not too far from a good veterinary hospital, the survival rate for pyo if treated early with surgery is very good. But it is an absolute emergency, and a potentially very expensive one.

If you do decide to have her spayed, the usual recommendation is to do it mid cycle, half way between seasons. 

Your before and after photos are amazing - what a lucky little dog to have found a caring, loving home!


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## PowderPuff (Feb 16, 2013)

that's too bad!


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## Abbe gails Mom (Nov 8, 2012)

All the little ladies at my house are spayed, 2 were spayed at the shelter where I got them.the others I had spayed, No heat to put up with,no blood,or smell, no possible over, or under the fence boys getting at them, no little pupies to find homes for.it was just better for my house, i never thought about the cancer.


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