|
What is
the estrous cycle?
The estrous
(commonly called "heat") cycles and spaying
(removal of reproductive organs – the uterus and
ovaries) in female dogs are topics of many questions and
also some serious misconceptions. Let's take a moment
and look at some of the most commonly asked questions
about "heat" cycles and spaying. Breeding
ethics and risks will not be addressed, here. This is
just to cover some of the more frequently asked
questions regarding a female dog's heat cycle and
spaying.
When
will my dog come into heat?
First heat can vary greatly dog to dog. The youngest is
about six months of age though sometimes a female will
come into season younger. First heat can start as late
as 12 or even 14 months of age or later in rare cases.
Again, it can vary dog to dog. Spaying at six months is
recommended before a female begins to enter sexual
maturity. Some vets will spay younger and spaying of
puppies as young as eight weeks old who are up for
adoption in shelters is becoming more popular.
How
often will my dog come into heat?
Again, this varies dog-to-dog – average is
every six months but it could be more or less often.
How
long does heat least?
This again can vary. The average is three
weeks (21 days). But it can be shorter (two weeks) or
longer (four weeks). Assume the longer period if in
doubt.
When
is a dog most fertile?
Again, this varies dog to dog and is why some
breeders attempt to progesterone test to help pinpoint
fertility (though testing is not 100% reliable but can
help). The fertile period can last about five days and
may begin approximately nine to ten days after the onset
of heat. However, onset of fertile period can vary after
the start of the heat cycle. Some females will only
accept a male during this fertile period though others
females may allow a male to mount at any time during her
cycle while others are not receptive at all. But
remember, fertile periods can vary dog to dog.
Can
a dog get pregnant her first cycle?
A puppy can get pregnant her first cycle.
Ideally she should not be bred until about 24 months
when she is out of adolescence.
Will
my dog go through menopause?
No. Females do not go through menopause
though sometimes there may be a cessation in heat cycles
for a period of time and then they can start back up
again. As a female ages, her fertility does drop off but
she will not go through menopause as humans do. It is
also possible for senior dogs to become pregnant.
Dropping off of fertility with age does not mean she
cannot become pregnant.
Why
do people suggest spaying my dog?
There are a variety of reasons why spaying is
recommended. The biggest is health. An unspayed female
has a greater risk of developing some tumors such as
mammary tumors. An unspayed female can developed
pyometra (a serious uterine infection than can be fatal)
as well as uterine cancer. Having litters is risky to
the dog and can be very costly to properly plan and
raise. Then there are behavioral issues: unspayed
females are more likely to have hormonally related
behavioral issues than spayed females (Puppy PMS).
Spaying is not a cure for behavioral issues but is a
step in working with them. Heat cycles can be very messy
and spaying is cheaper than having carpets cleaned after
the female gets out of the kitchen and spots all over
the beige rug!
Does
a female need to have a litter before being spayed?
Having a litter is not healthier than being
spayed before a first heat. First, a dog should not be
bred her first cycle – she is too immature mentally
and often physically. Make the analogy of a teenager
having a child at fifteen – is she ready? A dog should
be bred at the earliest 18 months of age; however, hips
cannot be certified (OFA – Orthopedic Foundation of
America) if she is younger than 24 months and many
recommend waiting until hips can be certified before
breeding. You want her to be physically and mentally
mature before breeding. Also, there are complications
that can arise during pregnancy and delivery and even
post-partum. These complications can be life
threatening. A litter of puppies is stressing to her
entire system. Spaying eliminates this. Having a litter
is more dangerous than spaying in the long run. Plus,
the longer a female goes unspayed, the greater chance of
her developing other health problems. A female should be
spayed before her first cycle ideally – though spaying
at any age has more benefits than not spaying.
Is
spaying a dangerous operation?
There is risk in any surgery. Without knowing
specifics, you will not know why the death occurred.
Thousands of spays are performed daily around the
country. In a rare few there may be complications
leading to death. But again this is rare. Complications
from not being spayed are more of a concern than the
operation itself. Now this does not help ease the pain
for those whose dogs die during a spay. However, there
are many factors that can lead to death during surgery.
Ask for preoperative bloods to be done to check for
problems that could lead to complications. Ask what type
of anesthesia is used and note that some breeds may need
milder anesthetics. But the health risks of being intact
far outweigh the small risks of surgery.
Is
spaying expensive?
Let's break down a few things and see how
much spaying costs as compared to the costs of other
things that can happen in an intact female. A spay
depending on the size of the dog and the clinic (and
what types of testing is done prior to, what anesthesia
is used, etc) can range from as low as $50 to $175. You
can spend many times more than this to treat a pyometra
or remove mammary tumors. Blood spots on a carpet can
cost a couple hundred dollars to remove if you call in a
carpet cleaning company. And of you cannot get the
stains out, how much will replacing the carpet cost? A
litter of puppies from birth to eight weeks can cost
hundreds if not thousands of dollars in food, supplies
and inoculations combined. If there are medical
complications, this expense can grow. These expenses do
not even include pre and post natal care for the mother.
Spaying is cheaper than not.
|
