Spay and time for shots

[JDH2]

I am going to get Gypsy spayed now. I have put it off but don't know why except that something just seems more fragile about her. I am more scared of pyro than the spay I think. My question is should I wait after her rabies shot or would it be ok to go ahead and do it? I have no idea why I feel like she is more fragile because look wise she doesn't appear it but I guess it's just a Mommy feeling. I had no problems getting Max fixed although I hate that I didn't know about NN and waiting until he was older... I will also have the titters done for the other vaccines that are not mandatory. Thanks for any advice.

 

[sendchocolate]

How old is she? Personally, I would not do the spay and the rabies at the same time, but then I wouldn't do that with my kids, either. The immune system is kept busy with the rabies vaccine, and I think has less to direct for healing with the spay. I wouldn't mix them.

Edited to add: Not that I would SPAY my kids, anyway.... :roflmao: but I would not mix medical procedures.

 

[JDH2]

That was kinda what I was thinking. She is 5 and I've put it off but it is time to do it. Do you think 2 weeks or so between getting her rabies shot and doing the spay would be enough time or should I wait even longer?

 

[Emmy985837]

I would not do the two together either. I also think you should wait longer then 2 week between the 2, but that is JMO. Maybe you can see what your vet thinks about the time frame between the vaccine and spay.

 

[ardeagold]

I'd put it off for a month to six weeks after the vaccination (or do it before).

We waited until Mira and Molly were both 5 to spay them. Just make sure that your vet can handle spaying such a large dog. Some aren't comfortable with it.

 

[JDH2]

Good deal, I am going to talk to her about it toady when I take Max in. The hardest part about getting her spayed has been the timing between her cycles.

 

[JDH2]

I talked with my vet today when I took Max in. She says that now is the ideal time between her cycles. My only concern now is that they don't use a laser. In talking with her she says that it is more important for the vet vet to be comfortable. I agree there. She has had pets come in after another vet burning them with the laser. Even had a cat come in after being declawed with the laser that couldn't walk for 3 days. I am very comfortable with them but don't know what to think about the laser now.

 

[sendchocolate]

I had the same problem. Use the vet I was comfortable with, or go to a different one and use laser. I chose my regular vet. (better the devil you know, rather than the devil you don't know?) Overall, it went well. My #1 piece of advice...GET PAIN MEDS, and DO NOT take no for an answer! Poppy absolutely needed them at first.

 

[ardeagold]

Ours have never been spayed with a laser. They've "mostly" done fine, but the problems weren't due to the type of procedure.

Ellie had a stitch come loose (internal) and she had to be re-opened up 5 hrs later. We brought her home and when she got up to get a drink several hours later, she poured blood from the incision. But after that, she did great.

Mira's thyroid crashed after being spayed (really at the same time). She got rampant infections all over, PLUS since she has spondylosis (which we didn't know until then), she was in severe pain and was having difficulty walking. She was a very sick girl. After weeks of not having good success with traditional treatment, we took her to a holistic vet (who coordinates everything with our regular Vet), and within a week she was 90% better and was 100% in two.

Things CAN happen during a spay. However, they rarely do. There's always a risk with any surgical procedure, but if you don't get her spayed, there's also an increasing risk of pyo.

Ask the vet about the anesthesia, definitely ask about pain meds...and GET them, ask if the dog will stay overnight and if so is there someone there. If not...you might want to bring her home instead. And most of all...STAY with her for the first 24 hrs. Right in the same room. Leaving a dog who's had recent surgery alone is a risk. If we had decided that since Ellie seemed fine and was sleeping, that it was okay for us to go out to eat or something....she may not have lived. She was bleeding profusely. And as I said, that was hours after we brought her home.

So just do your research, talk to the Vet, and I'm sure she'll be just fine!

 

[JDH2]

Thanks for the info. They kept Max overnight when they did his because I was worried about keeping him calm around Gypsy. I talked with her a bit today about the meds that they use during and after. She did say laughingly that if I could get Gypsy to lose 10lbs before the surgery it would be easier for both. Max ended up with a small infection from getting around the cone and licking the staples but it wasn't bad.

 

[BoundlessNewfs]

Our vet allowed us to bring Maggie home in the evening, since nobody is actually THERE at the vets' office overnight. Made much more sense to have her home with us. Ask your vet ahead of time, if they would be agreeable to that.

There is an emergency hospital that is staffed 24/7 nearby, but they would charge the ER prices for a spay and overnight, which was about double the cost. If you have similar near you, that might be something you'd want to consider, if your own vet won't let you take her home that night.

We have also dealt with an open pyo, with Lucy. Quite frightening, since Lucy has a heart condition which prevents her from ever having surgery. She did survive without surgery, but the repro vet calls her a "miracle dog" because "they just do NOT get better without having an emergency spay". She is now on mibolerone to prevent any further heat cycles. Two years later, so far, so good.

 

[JDH2]

Laurel, I remember reading about her problems and praying for y'all. The pyo is super scary and the reason that I am going to do this now. My mom raises Yorkies and she just lost one of her Champs to it even though she knows the symptoms and got her to the vet as soon as humanly possible.
I made Gypsy an appointment for Monday and pray that my baby girl does as well as Max did. I know that it will be harder on her than it was on him but it will be ok.