About spaying and neutering female dogs

When you adopt a female puppy, the first thing you need to think about is spaying.

This time, we've put together a summary of spaying and neutering surgery. Please read to the end.

1. The Need for Spaying and Neutering Dogs

~Is spaying necessary in the first place?~

After welcoming a puppy and completing vaccinations, many owners consider spaying as the next step.

Why has the general public come to believe that spaying is necessary?

This may be due to changes in the way dogs are kept. Until about 30 years ago, it was common to keep dogs outdoors, but in recent years, the practice of keeping dogs indoors has become more common.

This also applies to neutering males. Compared to keeping dogs outdoors, keeping them indoors limits their exercise, which can lead to stress.

Spaying your dog reduces sexual stress and makes it easier to care for.

Also, are there any risks to not spaying or neutering your dog? ~

2. How to Spay/Neuter Your Dog

There are two methods for spaying female dogs.

① Removal of only the left and right ovaries.
② Removal of both the ovaries and uterus.

There are two methods, and currently, surgical method ①, which is less physically demanding, is recommended.

In addition, currently, there is no significant difference in the long-term incidence of diseases such as endometritis, pyometra, and urinary incontinence between methods ① and ②.

Method of Removing Only the Left and Right Ovaries~

Advantages

• Small scars
• Less bleeding during surgery
• Shorter surgery and anesthesia times

The choice of which method to use will depend on the hospital and your dog's condition, so be sure to carefully consider and consult with your doctor before having the surgery.

3. Risks of Spaying

So, what are the risks of spaying?

Spaying is not 100% safe, even for young and healthy pets. Even with a pre-operative health check, unexpected accidents can occur.

As mentioned earlier, the general anesthesia used during spaying carries certain risks. Although spaying has become commonplace, if the blood vessels in the ovaries and uterus are not properly ligated, it can lead to dangerous conditions.

In some cases, obese dogs may have difficulty tying blood vessels due to the buildup of fat around their internal organs, increasing the risk of bleeding.

Also, spaying can make dogs more prone to gaining weight, so be sure to pay close attention to their weight management.

4. Advantages and Disadvantages of Spaying and Neutering Your Dog

So, what are the advantages and disadvantages of spaying/neutering?

~Advantages~

Here are the advantages of spaying/neutering your dog.

・Disease prevention

＿Removing the ovaries and uterus helps prevent disease.

The ovaries secrete various hormones, including sex hormones and steroid hormones. Spaying is said to be effective in preventing and treating diseases related to these hormones.

In particular, spaying can reduce the incidence of a disease called "mammary tumors" to just 0.05%!

【Ovarian Disease】

Ovarian Cyst

＝A disease in which the ovaries, the female reproductive organs, become tumorous.

As the disease progresses,

Symptoms include: lethargy, loss of appetite, and abdominal enlargement.

Granulosa cell tumor

= A type of ovarian cyst.

Uterine Diseases

Hydromoretoria (Hydrometra)

= A condition in which the uterus expands due to the accumulation of sterile, thin serous fluid or a more viscous fluid.

Most cases progress asymptomatically, and in some cases, the condition is discovered during spay/neuter surgery.

Pyometra

= A disease in which pus accumulates in the uterus due to bacterial infection.

Among these,

① Open pyometra = accumulated pus is discharged from the genitals

② Closed pyometra = no discharge at all

There are two patterns.

Symptoms include:

Listening is a common symptom, but symptoms can also include: lethargy, loss of appetite, increased water intake, excessive urination, vomiting, and abdominal distension.

In addition, in cases of open pyometra, pus discharge from the genitals may be observed.

・No more menstrual problems

Dogs' menstrual cycle (heat) begins between six months and ten months of age, occurring approximately once every six months.

During menstruation, bleeding will occur from the genitals for about one to two weeks, and your dog will need to wear sex pants.

・Reduced stress

＿During menstruation, appetite and energy levels decrease, and you may feel restless.

Also, after menstruation, a phenomenon known as "physiological false pregnancy" may occur.

This false pregnancy may result in slight lactation and behaviors such as holding toys as if nursing a baby.

When this happens, they become nervous and stressed.

*Physiological false pregnancy = Hormonal changes that occur in the body, similar to those that occur during pregnancy.

・Prevents unexpected pregnancy

＿At places like dog parks and cafes, mating can occur while you're not looking, leading to unexpected pregnancy.

Neutering your dog eliminates those worries and allows you to take them anywhere with peace of mind.

Disadvantages

Here are some disadvantages to neutering your dog.

Risks of Surgery

As mentioned above, surgery does carry certain risks.

・More likely to become obese

＿As mentioned briefly above, after spaying, hormonal changes can increase appetite and decrease metabolic calories, making your pet more susceptible to obesity.

If you notice a significant weight loss after surgery, you may want to adjust the amount of food you feed your pet or switch to a low-calorie diet food.

・Inability to become pregnant or give birth

＿Spaying your pet will prevent it from becoming pregnant or giving birth.

If you want to breed puppies, you can choose not to have your pet spayed or neutered.

5.Summary

This time, we've summarized information about spaying and neutering dogs.

Spaying dogs has become commonplace recently. While spaying and neutering offers benefits such as reducing disease risk and preventing unwanted pregnancies, it also comes with disadvantages, such as surgical risks and the inability to become pregnant.

Consider how you want to spend your time with your dog in the future and decide whether or not to have the surgery.