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Violet, a mini, is now 11 months old and has not had a heat cycle. The breeder would like her spayed after her first heat. Apparently age of first heat is anywhere from 6 months to 24 months, with larger dogs taking longer and smaller dogs more likely to be earlier. I've also read somewhere that black minis have a tendency to be later, like 15 to 18 months (true? not true?). Anyway, I am anxiously awaiting it more so than a human child. I think it is because it will be a first for me. I have never experienced a dog in season and the unknown is a bit scary.
I have recently been considering an ovary-sparing spay (uterus and one ovary removed) so that Violet can have the benefit of her hormones for her health. This is a hard decision to make since I have no prior experience with heat cycles, and an ovary left in place will cause her to act/smell-to-dogs like a regular heat cycle. There is usually no bleeding/discharge, but in some cases there may be a small amount.
If I wasn't under a spay contract with the breeder, I would take my time to figure this out (2 to 3 years as needed). My question is simply can I live with and manage appropriately a dog who is hormonally intact? I feel like experience will be the best teacher. My current plan is to do the OSS (ovary-sparing spay) and then if it seems impossible to live with to have the other ovary removed during a future dental cleaning to avoid an extra anesthesia event. I change my mind about this frequently!
In Europe I hear they do very few routine spay/neuter surgeries. In the U.S. it is becoming more common to at least wait until one heat cycle so that the bitch can more fully mature, helping to prevent spay incontinence and bone growth differences among other things. Some cancer and all pregnancy is prevented by spaying, other cancer is prevented by not spaying/being hormonally intact.
OSS is not very common, and usually done for larger breeds who tend towards orthopedic issues- or at least this is what I was told at a recent vet visit. Has anyone on PF done an OSS? Care to tell me about it? Even if you don't have direct experience with this, I'd love to hear some opinions. What do you think about our U.S. standard practice of pediatric spays and/or spay after first heat?
I am a member of the OSS Facebook group, which is very informative but not poodle centric.
I have recently been considering an ovary-sparing spay (uterus and one ovary removed) so that Violet can have the benefit of her hormones for her health. This is a hard decision to make since I have no prior experience with heat cycles, and an ovary left in place will cause her to act/smell-to-dogs like a regular heat cycle. There is usually no bleeding/discharge, but in some cases there may be a small amount.
If I wasn't under a spay contract with the breeder, I would take my time to figure this out (2 to 3 years as needed). My question is simply can I live with and manage appropriately a dog who is hormonally intact? I feel like experience will be the best teacher. My current plan is to do the OSS (ovary-sparing spay) and then if it seems impossible to live with to have the other ovary removed during a future dental cleaning to avoid an extra anesthesia event. I change my mind about this frequently!
In Europe I hear they do very few routine spay/neuter surgeries. In the U.S. it is becoming more common to at least wait until one heat cycle so that the bitch can more fully mature, helping to prevent spay incontinence and bone growth differences among other things. Some cancer and all pregnancy is prevented by spaying, other cancer is prevented by not spaying/being hormonally intact.
OSS is not very common, and usually done for larger breeds who tend towards orthopedic issues- or at least this is what I was told at a recent vet visit. Has anyone on PF done an OSS? Care to tell me about it? Even if you don't have direct experience with this, I'd love to hear some opinions. What do you think about our U.S. standard practice of pediatric spays and/or spay after first heat?
I am a member of the OSS Facebook group, which is very informative but not poodle centric.
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