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To spay before 1st heat?
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To spay before 1st heat?« on: November 24, 2008, 02:40:10 PM »
Hi,
I've another question for all you experts
Actually, two if you don't mind!
My dog is 7 months,and I was going to wait until after her first heat to get her spayed (advice from another board - something about needing the first heat to fully mature and have growth plates grow over). But, when I stopped at the vet today, the receptist looked a little bit taken back by that. She suggested that I talk it over with the vet but was in favour of getting it done before her first heat. What have you guys done with your dogs? Do you know if it a lot more expensive, and are the health benefits to either decision?
My second question involves deworming. I was a bit freaked over the weekend because I thought I saw something in her poop. So I gave her an OTC medicine from a pet store. But now it is time for her regularly scheduled heartworm (which, as it turns out, I don't need because we don't get that up here . . . but I still do need something for fleas). So I have senital, but I am hesitate to give it for fear that the OTC stuff might still be in her system and I don't want to overdose her. I should have just waited over the weekend until I picked up the good stuff from the vet, but I got parinoid and decided to use what I could get at the time.
But, in generally, I'd rather rely on the vet's medicine as I have read that the petstore stuff doesn't always work great. Any suggestions? Should I wait for 10 days and then give the senital? I'm nervous with waiting that long with no flea protection . . . . I'm definitely open to hearing what you guys suggest!
As you can tell, this is my first dog and I have silly questions tonight, but I want to make sure that I'm doing everything OK!
Thanks!
I've another question for all you experts
Actually, two if you don't mind!My dog is 7 months,and I was going to wait until after her first heat to get her spayed (advice from another board - something about needing the first heat to fully mature and have growth plates grow over). But, when I stopped at the vet today, the receptist looked a little bit taken back by that. She suggested that I talk it over with the vet but was in favour of getting it done before her first heat. What have you guys done with your dogs? Do you know if it a lot more expensive, and are the health benefits to either decision?
My second question involves deworming. I was a bit freaked over the weekend because I thought I saw something in her poop. So I gave her an OTC medicine from a pet store. But now it is time for her regularly scheduled heartworm (which, as it turns out, I don't need because we don't get that up here . . . but I still do need something for fleas). So I have senital, but I am hesitate to give it for fear that the OTC stuff might still be in her system and I don't want to overdose her. I should have just waited over the weekend until I picked up the good stuff from the vet, but I got parinoid and decided to use what I could get at the time.
But, in generally, I'd rather rely on the vet's medicine as I have read that the petstore stuff doesn't always work great. Any suggestions? Should I wait for 10 days and then give the senital? I'm nervous with waiting that long with no flea protection . . . . I'm definitely open to hearing what you guys suggest!
As you can tell, this is my first dog and I have silly questions tonight, but I want to make sure that I'm doing everything OK!
Thanks!
from what i've been told, it's best to fix before the first heat. I'm not sure what the reason I heard from the vet, but I was told to do it before the spay.
Re: To spay before 1st heat?« Reply #2 on: November 24, 2008, 04:39:44 PM »
I've never heard that it was good to wait untiol after the first heat to get spayed. Everything I've ever read and every vet I've talked to says that you should do a spay before the first heat.
As far as the medicine issue goes, I think you should call your vet and ask them for advice. They would know best about medicine interactions
As far as the medicine issue goes, I think you should call your vet and ask them for advice. They would know best about medicine interactions
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I figured I should throw my 2 cents in. 
Lola is going to be 3 in April. She's not yet spayed. Her first heat was 4 days after her first birthday and ever 6-7 months thereafter. So not fun..
I was told giants cycle yearly.. NOT.
Bubba just alerted me yesterday that Lola is going to be starting another heat. He seems to 'know' a week before. That also explains why the neighbours neutered Newf mix has been visiting every day this week.
Since Bubba's neuter he's really not that interested which relieves some stress. When he was intact it was a living h*ll. Regardless our house still goes on lockdown when Lola is in heat. There are many un-neutered dogs on my road that are allowed to run 'free'. So she's not outside without a leash and noone lets her outside but me.
I wanted to get her spayed before she went in again, but I've been side-tracked with Demon and I thought I had another month.
If I had the chance to do this all over again I would have spayed her at 10-11 months of age. It's super messy and a huge pain in the rear that lasts 25-30 days start to finish.
Don't wait for the first heat!
Lola is going to be 3 in April. She's not yet spayed. Her first heat was 4 days after her first birthday and ever 6-7 months thereafter. So not fun..
I was told giants cycle yearly.. NOT.Bubba just alerted me yesterday that Lola is going to be starting another heat. He seems to 'know' a week before. That also explains why the neighbours neutered Newf mix has been visiting every day this week.
Since Bubba's neuter he's really not that interested which relieves some stress. When he was intact it was a living h*ll. Regardless our house still goes on lockdown when Lola is in heat. There are many un-neutered dogs on my road that are allowed to run 'free'. So she's not outside without a leash and noone lets her outside but me. I wanted to get her spayed before she went in again, but I've been side-tracked with Demon and I thought I had another month.
If I had the chance to do this all over again I would have spayed her at 10-11 months of age. It's super messy and a huge pain in the rear that lasts 25-30 days start to finish.
Don't wait for the first heat!
I was told by a Saint breeder her females cycle yearly. My vet said the same. So I was thinking ahh.. I can handle that.
Then Lola didn't have her first heat until she was a year so I thought oh they are right. Then I was completely unprepared for the heat she had 6 months later. Plus it ended up being a silent heat or a spit heat. Is she in heat.. is she not.. is she finished, omg is she starting again. WTF? Totally wacky. I'll be so glad when I don't have to deal with them anymore!
Then Lola didn't have her first heat until she was a year so I thought oh they are right. Then I was completely unprepared for the heat she had 6 months later. Plus it ended up being a silent heat or a spit heat. Is she in heat.. is she not.. is she finished, omg is she starting again. WTF? Totally wacky. I'll be so glad when I don't have to deal with them anymore!
Re: To spay before 1st heat?« Reply #5 on: November 25, 2008, 05:49:07 AM »
I'm going to put my 2 cents in as well, because I also heart Holly, and she is in my opinion one of the smartest people I've never known when it comes to the health and well being of big dogs. But don't let that go to your head Holly, I hear Jen is afraid it might get too big .
I had my girl done at about 9 months of age, once the vet told me she was about as tall as she is going to get, for those very same growth reasons, but definately before her first heat, because I was also told by my former vet that it would reduce her chances of getting breast cancer by like 90%
Modified to add: On a side note, Julie, I love your new Avatar!
Okay, back to your regularly scheduled post
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.I had my girl done at about 9 months of age, once the vet told me she was about as tall as she is going to get, for those very same growth reasons, but definately before her first heat, because I was also told by my former vet that it would reduce her chances of getting breast cancer by like 90%
Modified to add: On a side note, Julie, I love your new Avatar!
Okay, back to your regularly scheduled post
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« Last Edit: November 25, 2008, 05:51:00 AM by London_Pyr_Lover »
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Re: To spay before 1st heat?« Reply #6 on: November 25, 2008, 11:07:37 AM »
Thanks so much for the advice. I have decided to get her spayed as soon as they can fit me in. I really don't want to have to deal with a mess, and I didn't realize that I would have to wait until she was 2 . . . that is a lot of cleaning/shooing neighbours dogs out of the yard.
I did call my vet re: my deworming question and she told me it would be OK as the dewormer would leave her body after 8 - 10 hours.
Thanks so much . . . now I'm off to read the linked article (even though I have decided to spay her, I'm still going to be as informed as possible!).
Many thanks again!
I did call my vet re: my deworming question and she told me it would be OK as the dewormer would leave her body after 8 - 10 hours.
Thanks so much . . . now I'm off to read the linked article (even though I have decided to spay her, I'm still going to be as informed as possible!).
Many thanks again!
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