| Spaying - Why it's a Good Idea Race Foster, DVM Marty Smith, DVM Drs. Foster & Smith, Inc. |
Newspapers, radio, and television commonly feature articles about pet
overpopulation. They stress the fact that too many puppies and kittens are
produced every year and that there just are not enough potential owners to go
around. The obvious conclusion is that we should breed fewer dogs and cats and
produce fewer litters. The best way to ensure that this occurs is through
sterilization procedures, so a larger percentage of dogs and cats are incapable
of breeding. Performing an ovariohysterectomy (spaying) female animals is the
best approach to decreasing the number of puppies and kittens. Being
veterinarians, we also know that spaying and castrating pets are important to
the average pet owner because of the health and well being of their animals.
So, although you may spay your animals in an effort to help control a national
problem, in doing so, you increase their chances of living long healthy lives.
Having a litter of puppies may seem like a fun thing to do. Some even believe
that it helps their female dog, in some way, to develop more completely or
become a better pet. Neither is true. Becoming pregnant and having a litter of
puppies in no way alters the maturity level of the dog, either physically or
mentally. In most cases, people find out that it is hard to find good homes for
all of the puppies, regardless of the selling price. In addition, not all
pregnancies go smoothly. Difficult labor, puppy mortality, and potential health
problems in the mother, such as uterine and mammary gland infections, can
take all the fun out of the experience. Most of the clients we have worked
with end up wishing they would never have allowed their female to have a litter.
Professional breeders are prepared and equipped for the entire process and it
should generally be left to them.
The female reproductive tract
The reproductive tract of the female dog begins
with the ovaries where the ova (or eggs) are
produced. When a female puppy is born, every
egg that will be released by her ovaries over
her lifetime is already present. They are,
however, in an immature form and require
further development to reach a stage that
can be fertilized by sperm. When a dog's heat
cycle starts, hormones stimulate the maturation
of some of the ova or eggs. The ova are then
released through the surface of the ovary and
pass into the oviducts. These are tiny tubes that run between the ovaries and
the horns of the uterus. It is within the oviducts that fertilization (the union
of the sperm cell and ovum) occurs. The horns are the muscular section of the
uterus between the oviducts and the body of the uterus. The uterine horns of
dogs can vary greatly in length and diameter. In the typical 40-pound dog, they
are normally about four inches long and the diameter of a wooden pencil. When
the animal is in heat, their thickness will easily double and they may lengthen
slightly. During pregnancy, they will vary from 2.5 to 6 inches in diameter and
up to 24 inches in length. The horns attach to the body of the uterus, a short
common area where the horns meet. The uterus ends at the cervix of the dog.
During pregnancy, most puppies develop within the uterine horns, but one may
reside within the body of the uterus.
Birth control pills
There are birth control pills and medications manufactured specifically for use
in dogs. Most of these oral products can have serious unwanted side effects,
are expensive, and usually cannot be used for long periods of time.
Surgical sterilization
Since birth control pills are not a viable option as a practical permanent form
of sterilization, the only option is surgical sterilization. In the female, this
would be either spaying (medically referred to as ovariohysterectomy); a
hysterectomy, in which only the uterus is removed; or a tubal ligation. These
are different surgeries, but each one will prevent future pregnancies if done
correctly. Only an ovariohysterectomy should be considered for the long-term
health of your dog.
Ovariohysterectomy: An ovariohysterectomy (OHE) or spay is the complete
removal of the female reproductive tract. The ovaries, oviducts, uterine horns,
and the uterus are removed. Not only does this procedure prevent the animal
from becoming pregnant, it also eliminates the twice-yearly heat cycles. The
surgery removes the source of production of such hormones as estrogen and
progesterone. These hormones are responsible for stimulating and controlling
heat cycles and play a major role during pregnancy. But they also have other
effects on the body and some of them are potentially harmful.
Tubal Ligation or Hysterectomy: A tubal ligation, whether in veterinary or
human medicine, only affects the oviducts. These small structures are isolated
during surgery and then cut and tied off with suture material. This prevents
the ova from coming in contact with sperm cells or passing into the horns of the
uterus. In a hysterectomy, the uterus is removed, but the ovaries remain.
With either procedure, the hormones that are normally produced by the
ovaries continue to be released to the rest of the body. This is fairly
important in humans. However, in dogs it is a disadvantage.
Tubal ligations and hysterectomies, through owner demand or veterinary
preference, have never been very popular in canine medicine. Some owners see
hysterectomy or tubal ligation as a way to sterilize the pet, yet still allow her
to experience heat cycles and participate in mating. Because the ovaries
remain in the animal, the disadvantages of these procedures are similar to
those seen in intact dogs (dogs that have not had surgical sterilization).
Disadvantages of tubal ligation, hysterectomy, or not spaying
your dog
An OHE eliminates most, if not all, of the female hormone production. In so
doing, the real advantages of this procedure are realized. In human cases,
great efforts are undertaken to maintain or restore hormone production in the
body, but the same is only rarely true in canine practice. These hormones play
key roles in reproduction in the dog. However, they can also have many
unwanted side effects.
Estrus: During the heat cycle there are behavior and hygienic problems that
develop. Females in heat will actively search out male dogs and may attempt to
escape from the house or yard, putting them in the danger of traffic, fights
with other animals, etc. Often there is a sudden influx of male dogs around the
home and yard. These dogs leave numerous droppings and spray plants and trees
with urine in an attempt to mark their new found territory. Owners also need
to contend with the vaginal bleeding that typically lasts for 4 to 13 days.
Mammary cancer: Estrogen is one of the primary causes of canine mammary
cancer, the most common malignant tumor in dogs. Animals that are spayed
prior to one year of age very rarely develop this malignancy. Spaying a dog
before her first heat is the best way to significantly reduce the chance your
dog will develop mammary cancer. The risk of malignant mammary tumors in
dogs spayed prior to their first heat is 0.05%. It is 8% for dog spayed after
one heat, and 26% in dogs spayed after their second heat.
Tumors of the reproductive tract: Tumors can occur in the uterus and
ovaries. An OHE would, of course, eliminate any possibility of these occurring.
Uterine infections: Many female dogs have problems with a severe uterine
disease called pyometra following their heat cycles. With this disorder, a
normal three-ounce uterus can weigh ten to fifteen pounds and be filled solely
with pus. Undetected, this condition is always fatal. Its treatment requires
either the use of expensive hormonal and IV fluid therapy or an extremely
difficult and expensive ovariohysterectomy. A normal spay costs between $100
and $200, while one done to correct a pyometra can easily cost $600 to over
$1000, depending on complications. The strain on the kidneys or heart in some
of these cases may be fatal or cause life long problems, even after the
infected uterus has been removed.
False pregnancy: Some bitches fail to routinely go out of their heat cycles
correctly causing a condition we call 'false pregnancy.' In these cases, even
though the bitch may not have mated with a male dog, her body believes it is
pregnant due to some incorrect hormonal stimulations that it is receiving. The
dog may just have some abdominal swelling and/or engorgement of the
mammary glands, but in some cases, they will even make nests and snuggle with
socks or toys against their bodies. These animals often experience no longterm
serious problems, as the behavior disappears when the circulating hormones
return to their appropriate levels. In others, we may see mastitis (infection of
the mammary glands), metritis (infection of the uterus), or sometimes these
cases develop into full-blown pyometras. We recommend spaying dogs that
consistently have false pregnancies.
Hair coat problems: In dogs, hair does not grow continuously as in people, but
has a definite growing (anagen) and resting (telogen) phase. Estrogen, which is
increased during estrus, retards or inhibits the anagen phase, so more hairs
are in the telogen phase. These resting hairs are more easily lost because they
are less firmly anchored. As a result, the hair coat on many dogs suffers
because of estrogen surges that occur with heat cycles or whelping. Their
coats appear thin and the underlying skin is exposed in many areas. It can take
two to four months for the hair to return to normal. Additionally, there are a
small number of female dogs that never develop a normal hair coat because of
the cycling hormones. Their coats are consistently thin over the sides of their
bodies and these cases are sometimes confused diagnostically with hypothyroid
animals. The only treatment for these dogs is an OHE.
Early spaying
In the United States, most dogs are spayed between 5 and 8 months of age.
Many humane shelters and veterinarians are starting to spay female animals at
a younger age, even at 2 months. This early spaying does not affect the growth
rate, and there are no appreciable differences in skeletal, physical, or
behavioral development between those animals spayed early than those spayed
at a more traditional age. It must be remembered that younger animals may
need different anesthetics and are more prone to hypothermia (lower than
normal body temperature) during surgery. As long as procedures are modified
to account for these differences, early neutering is very safe. In fact, animals
spayed at a younger age often have faster recoveries than those spayed when
they are older.
Summary
As can be seen from our discussion, an ovariohysterectomy eliminates many
medical and behavioral problems that a tubal ligation does not. In fact, in many
dogs, an OHE probably adds years to their lives or at least provides them with
a more comfortable, less stressful life. The OHE does its part in pet
overpopulation, but you, as the owner of an individual dog, should also view it as
a way to increase the length and quality of your pet's life with you.
References and Further Reading
Rutteman, GR; Withrow, SJ; MacEwen, EG. Tumors of the mammary gland. In
Withrow, SJ; MacEwen, EG (eds). Small Animal Clinical Oncology. W.B. Saunders
Co. Philadelphia, PA; 2001 455-477
overpopulation. They stress the fact that too many puppies and kittens are
produced every year and that there just are not enough potential owners to go
around. The obvious conclusion is that we should breed fewer dogs and cats and
produce fewer litters. The best way to ensure that this occurs is through
sterilization procedures, so a larger percentage of dogs and cats are incapable
of breeding. Performing an ovariohysterectomy (spaying) female animals is the
best approach to decreasing the number of puppies and kittens. Being
veterinarians, we also know that spaying and castrating pets are important to
the average pet owner because of the health and well being of their animals.
So, although you may spay your animals in an effort to help control a national
problem, in doing so, you increase their chances of living long healthy lives.
Having a litter of puppies may seem like a fun thing to do. Some even believe
that it helps their female dog, in some way, to develop more completely or
become a better pet. Neither is true. Becoming pregnant and having a litter of
puppies in no way alters the maturity level of the dog, either physically or
mentally. In most cases, people find out that it is hard to find good homes for
all of the puppies, regardless of the selling price. In addition, not all
pregnancies go smoothly. Difficult labor, puppy mortality, and potential health
problems in the mother, such as uterine and mammary gland infections, can
take all the fun out of the experience. Most of the clients we have worked
with end up wishing they would never have allowed their female to have a litter.
Professional breeders are prepared and equipped for the entire process and it
should generally be left to them.
The female reproductive tract
The reproductive tract of the female dog begins
with the ovaries where the ova (or eggs) are
produced. When a female puppy is born, every
egg that will be released by her ovaries over
her lifetime is already present. They are,
however, in an immature form and require
further development to reach a stage that
can be fertilized by sperm. When a dog's heat
cycle starts, hormones stimulate the maturation
of some of the ova or eggs. The ova are then
released through the surface of the ovary and
pass into the oviducts. These are tiny tubes that run between the ovaries and
the horns of the uterus. It is within the oviducts that fertilization (the union
of the sperm cell and ovum) occurs. The horns are the muscular section of the
uterus between the oviducts and the body of the uterus. The uterine horns of
dogs can vary greatly in length and diameter. In the typical 40-pound dog, they
are normally about four inches long and the diameter of a wooden pencil. When
the animal is in heat, their thickness will easily double and they may lengthen
slightly. During pregnancy, they will vary from 2.5 to 6 inches in diameter and
up to 24 inches in length. The horns attach to the body of the uterus, a short
common area where the horns meet. The uterus ends at the cervix of the dog.
During pregnancy, most puppies develop within the uterine horns, but one may
reside within the body of the uterus.
Birth control pills
There are birth control pills and medications manufactured specifically for use
in dogs. Most of these oral products can have serious unwanted side effects,
are expensive, and usually cannot be used for long periods of time.
Surgical sterilization
Since birth control pills are not a viable option as a practical permanent form
of sterilization, the only option is surgical sterilization. In the female, this
would be either spaying (medically referred to as ovariohysterectomy); a
hysterectomy, in which only the uterus is removed; or a tubal ligation. These
are different surgeries, but each one will prevent future pregnancies if done
correctly. Only an ovariohysterectomy should be considered for the long-term
health of your dog.
Ovariohysterectomy: An ovariohysterectomy (OHE) or spay is the complete
removal of the female reproductive tract. The ovaries, oviducts, uterine horns,
and the uterus are removed. Not only does this procedure prevent the animal
from becoming pregnant, it also eliminates the twice-yearly heat cycles. The
surgery removes the source of production of such hormones as estrogen and
progesterone. These hormones are responsible for stimulating and controlling
heat cycles and play a major role during pregnancy. But they also have other
effects on the body and some of them are potentially harmful.
Tubal Ligation or Hysterectomy: A tubal ligation, whether in veterinary or
human medicine, only affects the oviducts. These small structures are isolated
during surgery and then cut and tied off with suture material. This prevents
the ova from coming in contact with sperm cells or passing into the horns of the
uterus. In a hysterectomy, the uterus is removed, but the ovaries remain.
With either procedure, the hormones that are normally produced by the
ovaries continue to be released to the rest of the body. This is fairly
important in humans. However, in dogs it is a disadvantage.
Tubal ligations and hysterectomies, through owner demand or veterinary
preference, have never been very popular in canine medicine. Some owners see
hysterectomy or tubal ligation as a way to sterilize the pet, yet still allow her
to experience heat cycles and participate in mating. Because the ovaries
remain in the animal, the disadvantages of these procedures are similar to
those seen in intact dogs (dogs that have not had surgical sterilization).
Disadvantages of tubal ligation, hysterectomy, or not spaying
your dog
An OHE eliminates most, if not all, of the female hormone production. In so
doing, the real advantages of this procedure are realized. In human cases,
great efforts are undertaken to maintain or restore hormone production in the
body, but the same is only rarely true in canine practice. These hormones play
key roles in reproduction in the dog. However, they can also have many
unwanted side effects.
Estrus: During the heat cycle there are behavior and hygienic problems that
develop. Females in heat will actively search out male dogs and may attempt to
escape from the house or yard, putting them in the danger of traffic, fights
with other animals, etc. Often there is a sudden influx of male dogs around the
home and yard. These dogs leave numerous droppings and spray plants and trees
with urine in an attempt to mark their new found territory. Owners also need
to contend with the vaginal bleeding that typically lasts for 4 to 13 days.
Mammary cancer: Estrogen is one of the primary causes of canine mammary
cancer, the most common malignant tumor in dogs. Animals that are spayed
prior to one year of age very rarely develop this malignancy. Spaying a dog
before her first heat is the best way to significantly reduce the chance your
dog will develop mammary cancer. The risk of malignant mammary tumors in
dogs spayed prior to their first heat is 0.05%. It is 8% for dog spayed after
one heat, and 26% in dogs spayed after their second heat.
Tumors of the reproductive tract: Tumors can occur in the uterus and
ovaries. An OHE would, of course, eliminate any possibility of these occurring.
Uterine infections: Many female dogs have problems with a severe uterine
disease called pyometra following their heat cycles. With this disorder, a
normal three-ounce uterus can weigh ten to fifteen pounds and be filled solely
with pus. Undetected, this condition is always fatal. Its treatment requires
either the use of expensive hormonal and IV fluid therapy or an extremely
difficult and expensive ovariohysterectomy. A normal spay costs between $100
and $200, while one done to correct a pyometra can easily cost $600 to over
$1000, depending on complications. The strain on the kidneys or heart in some
of these cases may be fatal or cause life long problems, even after the
infected uterus has been removed.
False pregnancy: Some bitches fail to routinely go out of their heat cycles
correctly causing a condition we call 'false pregnancy.' In these cases, even
though the bitch may not have mated with a male dog, her body believes it is
pregnant due to some incorrect hormonal stimulations that it is receiving. The
dog may just have some abdominal swelling and/or engorgement of the
mammary glands, but in some cases, they will even make nests and snuggle with
socks or toys against their bodies. These animals often experience no longterm
serious problems, as the behavior disappears when the circulating hormones
return to their appropriate levels. In others, we may see mastitis (infection of
the mammary glands), metritis (infection of the uterus), or sometimes these
cases develop into full-blown pyometras. We recommend spaying dogs that
consistently have false pregnancies.
Hair coat problems: In dogs, hair does not grow continuously as in people, but
has a definite growing (anagen) and resting (telogen) phase. Estrogen, which is
increased during estrus, retards or inhibits the anagen phase, so more hairs
are in the telogen phase. These resting hairs are more easily lost because they
are less firmly anchored. As a result, the hair coat on many dogs suffers
because of estrogen surges that occur with heat cycles or whelping. Their
coats appear thin and the underlying skin is exposed in many areas. It can take
two to four months for the hair to return to normal. Additionally, there are a
small number of female dogs that never develop a normal hair coat because of
the cycling hormones. Their coats are consistently thin over the sides of their
bodies and these cases are sometimes confused diagnostically with hypothyroid
animals. The only treatment for these dogs is an OHE.
Early spaying
In the United States, most dogs are spayed between 5 and 8 months of age.
Many humane shelters and veterinarians are starting to spay female animals at
a younger age, even at 2 months. This early spaying does not affect the growth
rate, and there are no appreciable differences in skeletal, physical, or
behavioral development between those animals spayed early than those spayed
at a more traditional age. It must be remembered that younger animals may
need different anesthetics and are more prone to hypothermia (lower than
normal body temperature) during surgery. As long as procedures are modified
to account for these differences, early neutering is very safe. In fact, animals
spayed at a younger age often have faster recoveries than those spayed when
they are older.
Summary
As can be seen from our discussion, an ovariohysterectomy eliminates many
medical and behavioral problems that a tubal ligation does not. In fact, in many
dogs, an OHE probably adds years to their lives or at least provides them with
a more comfortable, less stressful life. The OHE does its part in pet
overpopulation, but you, as the owner of an individual dog, should also view it as
a way to increase the length and quality of your pet's life with you.
References and Further Reading
Rutteman, GR; Withrow, SJ; MacEwen, EG. Tumors of the mammary gland. In
Withrow, SJ; MacEwen, EG (eds). Small Animal Clinical Oncology. W.B. Saunders
Co. Philadelphia, PA; 2001 455-477
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