How to choose laparo-or endoscopic sterilization of a dog. When to spay a dog How to spay girls' dogs without surgery

Such questions are asked by responsible pet owners as soon as they appear in the house. It is important for them to sterilize on time and correctly. So what do the experts say about this?

Age and other criteria for the procedure

If we talk about the surgical risks of such manipulation, then veterinarians emphasize that the dog, first of all, must be healthy. This is the basis for sterilization without complications. The health of the animal is more important than the age at which the intervention is performed. Of course, sterilizing an animal at the age of 5-7 years is less preferable than doing it at a young age. After all, an aging body recovers much more slowly after surgical interventions. Deep anesthesia and surgery are a burden in terms of physiology and psychology.

Early sterilization carried out before the age of 5 months is also undesirable. It is actively promoted by some veterinarians who argue that the sooner the dog is operated on, the better. This is wrong, because sterilization at an early age can lead to complications, such as a lag in physical development. And at a young age, it is difficult to remove everything as expected, because the reproductive organs are still too small. Their fragments that have not been deleted can be restored, which will lead to the need to do the operation again.

Many veterinarians believe that adult dogs that have reached the age of 8 should be neutered without fail, regardless of whether they gave birth once, five times or not at all. Indeed, after eight years, the risk of oncological ailments increases significantly, which is prevented by the surgical removal of the reproductive organs.

If you have adopted a non-breeding female, then the most favorable age for surgical intervention is the period before the onset of the first estrus. It is at this time that the operated dog is less at risk of hormonal disruptions. The specific age of spaying depends on the breed of the dog, because small ones mature earlier, and large ones become sexually mature later. Therefore, on average, a period of six months to one and a half years is suitable. When buying a dog, you should ask the breeder when the mother of your young pet had the first estrus, and focus on this age, because such a physiological feature is inherited by dogs. If the owner does not have the opportunity to find out about the period of the first estrus in the mother of his pupil, then you can take tests for hormones.

Sometimes female owners are faced with the fact that they have prolonged estrus, severe false pregnancies, which indicates a hormonal imbalance. In such situations, veterinarians advise to sterilize bitches without fail, regardless of age and previous births.

Sterilization and pregnancy

Sometimes dog owners resort to emergency sterilization when the dog is already pregnant. So they try to avoid all the worries associated with raising offspring. However, such owners should know that it is easier and safer for the bitch to carry, give birth to and feed puppies than to be operated on at this time. The fact is that the uterus increases in size during gestation, the hormonal background changes, the body is tuned to perform a natural function, which is interrupted by sterilization. It can be complicated by bleeding during pregnancy. Therefore, not planning to receive offspring from your pupil, it is necessary to deprive her of such an opportunity in a timely manner. And when they were late and overlooked - let them give birth, think about where to attach the offspring while she feeds him.

Preparing to sterilize your pet

Make sure your dog is healthy. To be sure, take blood and urine tests, go through an ultrasound with her. If some chronic ailment is found, then the condition of the caudate patient needs to be stabilized.

As for vaccination, it should be carried out a month before surgery. 10-14 days before this, the bitch needs to be dewormed.

A dog during estrus torments you with unbearable behavior, and you decide to sterilize your pet?

Find out if the operation will really change her behavior, and what your dog will become after spaying.

Looking to fix your pet's behavior? Find out what the dog will become after sterilization

A person who is truly interested in the issue of spaying his dog is driven by the desire to forever forget about the antics of a pet during sexual activity. And if you decide to take this step, it means that you were really tortured by deafening barking, disobedience and crowds of males around your pet on a walk.

It is good that before giving the animal under the knife, you decided to learn more about the possible consequences of the operation. Veterinarians are gradually accustoming us to the idea that sterilization is a simple elective operation that should not cause health problems for your pet. Let's see if this is the case.

Sterilization is a surgical operation to remove the sex glands from an animal. A dog after sterilization is deprived of the opportunity to have offspring and ceases to show sexual desire.

Let's clarify the terminology

There are two types of surgery for castration of a bitch: oophorectomy and ovariohysterectomy.

An oophorectomy is a surgical procedure to remove the ovaries. In an ovariohysterectomy, the uterus is removed along with the ovaries. After castration, the dog will not be able to have offspring, and she will not show sexual activity. The bitch stops estrus, as no eggs are produced.

Ovariohysterectomy is most commonly used for female castration.

Medical business

Before the operation, the veterinarian will examine the dog: weigh it, measure the temperature, pressure, pulse, take blood and urine tests. The animal must be healthy.

Preoperative examination allows you to check the work of the whole body and the most important organs: the heart, lungs, kidneys, liver. If any contraindications are identified, the doctor will prescribe an additional examination: ultrasound, ECG. During anesthesia, especially if the animal is not young, chronic diseases of the cardiovascular, respiratory and excretory systems may worsen, so a preoperative examination is of great importance.

Decided to sterilize your dog? Find out when is the best time to have surgery

Neutering or castration is done to the animal after the completion of the puberty process. Each breed of dog "ripens" at different periods, much depends on the size of the animal. On average, puberty in a dog occurs at the age of 8-10 months. It is at this time, before the start of the first estrus, that dog sterilization is recommended due to a decrease in the likelihood of a breast tumor in the future.

In reality, dogs are spayed much later. This usually happens at a time when the owner's patience is running out, and he is ready to take this cardinal step for the sake of peace in the house. Stop! Weigh all the pros and cons.

Learn the pros and cons of spaying dogs

This is rarely talked about by veterinarians: the cons of spaying dogs

risk of general anesthesia. Sterilization is performed under general anesthesia, after which the animal may not wake up. After waking up, exacerbations of latent chronic diseases of internal organs are possible.
development of complications. The consequences of dog sterilization can be severe postoperative complications: bleeding, infection, hernia, inflammation of the sutures, their rupture or gnaw.
A dog that has been spayed may develop urinary incontinence. This is expressed in the fact that at any time of the day the dog will urinate under himself. In some animals, incontinence occurs episodically. Other neutered dogs suffer from this ailment all the time.

Obesity. As a result of hormonal failure in a sterilized dog, metabolism is disturbed. Estrus no longer occurs, and the animal becomes less mobile, shows an increased interest in food. The risk of obesity in a spayed dog in comparison with an unsterilized one increases by 1.5 - 2 times.

The listed disadvantages are only a part of the consequences of dog sterilization. The body of each animal reacts to surgery individually. However, even this information is enough to think: is it worth going to peace in the house at the cost of the health of your beloved pet?

Neutering a dog: the pros of the operation

After the operation, the dog will not be able to become pregnant and give birth to puppies.

How is a dog spayed? A few words about care after surgery

If the veterinarian is satisfied with the results of the preoperative examination, he will set the date and time of the operation.

At the appointed time, it is necessary to come to the veterinary clinic, before that the animal is kept on a starvation diet for 12 hours. Before the operation, the pet will be given a sedative injection to relax. After that, the animal is taken from the owners and sent to a separate cage. The owner will see his beloved dog after the operation.

Remember that the operation is performed under general anesthesia. Sterilization takes about an hour. After that, the dog is again sent to the cage and is under the supervision of a veterinarian for some more time.

The animal is given to the owner unconscious. Often a dog in this state has half-open eyes, a dry tongue sticks out of its mouth. A surgical suture will appear on the pet's stomach.

After sterilization, the dog needs careful care. When you bring your pet home, the most difficult stage for her will begin - the exit from anesthesia. The dog will be shivering (when coming out of anesthesia, the strongest cold is felt), she will be thirsty, the animal may urinate.

At this time, it is important to be close to your pet, to monitor its condition. If your dog gets worse, call your veterinarian.

In order for the dog to suffer less from the cold, put it on a bed, cover it with a warm cloth. Do not place the bed on a sofa or chair. The pet, being under the influence of anesthesia, cannot control its movements. The dog runs the risk of falling, hitting his head, breaking or dislocating his paw.

The Sex Barrier is the most humane solution to the problems of unwanted dog behavior. Instead of sterilization

We know how important peace in the house, health and safety of your four-legged friend is for you. Therefore, we offer a humane alternative to sterilization of a dog - the use of the drug for the regulation of estrus Sex Barrier.

Sex Barrier is the choice of experienced breeders and dog owners. The drug has won their trust due to the following competitive advantages.

Remove or leave genitals?

Almost all pet owners ask themselves this question, but not everyone decides to take this step. And in vain...

We will discuss the pros and cons of sterilization, indications and contraindications in a detailed review below.

Sterilization (ovariohysterectomy) - complete surgical removal of the reproductive organs females (uterus and ovaries) from the body: during the operation, the ovarian veins, arteries and the distal part of the uterus are ligated, and after the uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries are removed as a single block.

The term "sterilization" is used in relation to females. The operation to remove the male genital organs is called.

As a result of such a surgical operation bitch completely loses the ability to. But as a result, a number of other problems can be solved, directly or indirectly related to the sexual activity of the animal:

Correction of behavior, elimination of aggression.
Prevention of unwanted pairing.
Prevention of a number of oncological diseases, including breast tumors.
Prevention of diseases of the genital organs.
An effective remedy for the treatment of hormonal disruptions in the body.
A humane solution to the problem of unwanted female offspring.

The opinion of veterinarians is almost unanimous in recommending the sterilization of dogs as the only safe way for the health of the animal to limit cravings for the opposite sex and prevent serious diseases of the genital area.

Right moment

When can a dog be spayed? Operation acceptable for any age. At the same time, it is not recommended to carry it out until the maturation of the reproductive system, as well as in adulthood.

Sterilization between 8 months and 1 year minimizes the negative effects.

It is highly undesirable to remove the genitals of a bitch during the first period of active growth - from six weeks to four months. It is at this age that the active growth of all tissues and internal organs of the animal occurs, and the removal of the ovaries can provoke vaginal hypoplasia and developmental delay.

Undesirable surgical intervention in the body of a mature dog (after 7 - 9 years), as the health of the animal is weakened, the regenerative processes will proceed sluggishly, and the reaction of the aging organism to anesthesia is unpredictable.

However, many veterinarians believe that surgery to remove the genitals a must for any dog(regardless of whether she gave birth or not) when she reaches the age of six to prevent a number of serious diseases that can lead to death.

Indications to sterilization:

incessant vaginal discharge from the female;
tumors or pathological changes in the ovaries or uterus.

As a rule, sterilization is a remedy that can solve the above problems, preventing the appearance of more serious abnormalities in the body.

Should not be operated on during pregnancy, because the body of the bitch will experience tremendous stress. Termination of pregnancy and sterilization at the same time will serve as a real blow to the hormonal system of the pet, which, ultimately, will lead to a number of complications.

The operation is performed only on a clinically healthy animal.

You can only spay a dog if it has:

Attention! Before sterilization, a 12-hour fasting pause is necessary and 4 hours before the operation, the exclusion of drinking.

Is it possible to sterilize on time? According to most veterinarians, ovariohysterectomy is best done a couple of weeks before the first estrus of the animal (8 - 9 months).

In addition to the main purpose, this operation serves as an excellent prophylactic for breast tumors. The neoplasm in this organ is estrogen-reactive, and if the hormone is absent in the body, then the tumor will not develop.

Sterilization can be done at any time, but it is better if there is no estrus at this moment. The situation is different with pathological processes in the animal's body (for example, incessant estrus), in which the operation will act as a means of first necessity.

Advantages and disadvantages

Positive aspects of female sterilization:

Safety and relative painlessness of the operation.
Prevention of diseases of the female genital organs(polycystic ovaries) without the use of hormonal drugs.
Prevention emergence and development malignant neoplasms(mammary cancer).
Getting rid of unwanted behavioral deviations during the bitch's sexual activity (unmotivated barking, outbursts of aggression, territory marking).
Changes in female behavior for the better ( the animal asks for more affection, attention, loves to sleep).
Reducing the risk of injury or death from an accident ( the bitch does not seek to run away from home at any opportunity).
No unwanted offspring.

Negative points:

Possible weight gain due to a slowdown in metabolic processes after surgery.
Sometimes after the operation there is a side effect - weakening of the sphincter of the bladder, and as a consequence -
Since the operation is performed under general anesthesia, it is more difficult for an animal to recover from anesthesia than for humans.

Care after surgery

After the operation, the animal needs rest. In a secluded place without drafts is placed bedding with disposable diaper(possibly spontaneous excretion of urine, ichor).

Recovery from anesthesia lasts an average of 2-12 hours.

When the dog comes out of anesthesia, the owner should be around: every 30 minutes, the female should be turned over to the other side and control her behavior(the animal may try to jump up, jump high, which is fraught with complications).

The owner should monitor the condition of the wound. The first time it should be protected by a blanket and treated with an antiseptic.

Also, usually the veterinarian prescribes antibiotic therapy or other drugs, depending on the health of the animal.

If after 5 days the seam is wet and reddened, then you will need to consult a doctor - the development of an inflammatory process is possible. A veterinarian should also be contacted if the animal is within 5 days of surgery.

Important! In no case should a sterilized bitch be overfed, otherwise the likelihood of developing obesity is high. During walks, physical activity should be increased.

How much does it cost to spay a dog? The average cost of an ovariohysterectomy ranges from from 2000 to 10000 rubles depending on the method of sterilization, the level of the clinic, the qualifications of the veterinarian and the drugs used.

To do or not to do the operation? It is up to the owner of the bitch to decide, but at the same time he should be guided by common sense and, of course, love for his pet.

Additionally, check out a short video about spaying dogs:

Spaying dogs has both its supporters and opponents.. Dog owners can be divided into two camps in regard to spaying. Some are strongly against, others are for.

But, this is a purely practical question rather than a moral one, and therefore every dog breeder should think about it as early as possible.

Sterilized to control their numbers. And at home - primarily for the prevention of very dangerous diseases, such as: pyometra, transmissible sarcoma, breast tumors and other oncological diseases.

In addition, hormonal disruptions often occur in an animal that is not sterilized and is not used for breeding. And they lead to behavioral disorders: a tendency to aggression, “escapes”, and as a result, to injuries, venereal and infectious diseases. And no one is safe from accidental matings, and then the question arises before the dog breeder: what to do with unwanted puppies.

A sterilized dog becomes more obedient and therefore, if it is not planned to use it for breeding, it is better to have an operation.

The most suitable age for sterilization is 4-5 months for small breeds of dogs and 6 months for large ones, that is, before the first estrus. It is at this age that sterilization performed can reduce the risk of oncological diseases of the genital organs by two hundred times!

It has already been proven that it is a myth that some owners believe that a dog needs at least one litter of puppies to be healthy. In fact, there is no need for this. With later sterilization, this risk is only reduced by a factor of four. Although it makes sense to sterilize an aging animal. This is a good prevention of pyometra and other diseases.

Also from the field of mythology, the opinion that sterilized dogs live less, become lethargic and fat. In fact, this operation prolongs life by 20%, and animals get fat, which are overfed and exercised little.

In addition, spayed dogs are stress-free and their appetite improves, but there is no need to overfeed them. Today, you can sterilize a dog not only in the clinic, but at home. This is not a complicated abdominal operation, in which the ovaries and uterus are removed. But the postoperative period requires careful care.

Cons of spaying dogs

The disadvantages of sterilizing dogs include the fact that the operation is performed under general anesthesia, and in any case, this is a health risk, especially for a puppy. Possible complications of the operation are also dangerous, so you should carefully consider the choice of a surgeon. The main thing is that before the operation the animal is healthy and then it will tolerate sterilization well.

Many people have a moral distaste for the very idea of spaying a dog, "humanizing" the animal's feelings. But in fact, the dog does not dream of becoming a mother - this is just an instinct. And she will not be ashamed in front of her friends for being an "old" maid. In this case, it is better for the dog breeder to take care not of his feelings, but of the comfort and health of the pet.

The optimal age for spaying a dog

Spay the dog at 5-6 months of age. In this case, the negative consequences for the health of the dog will be minimized.

Dog sterilization: consequences

Any surgical operation has its consequences and sterilization of a dog is no exception. The consequences of spaying a dog can be expressed as follows: Tendency to obesity, urinary incontinence. To avoid such a problem, veterinarians often recommend removing both ovaries, and with favorable indications, the uterus.

Dog before and after sterilization

Despite the fact that the operation is quite simple, it is safer to do it in the clinic. If the dog's health condition causes concern, it is better to postpone the operation. It is preferable to use general anesthesia. Feeding is stopped 12 hours before surgery.

Usually, and hospitalization is not required. Males already feel good on the second day, removal of sutures with standard castration is not required.

Bitches can be offered water 1-2 hours after the operation. Feed the first two days should be fractional, in small portions. Already in the first day after the operation, the dog can be taken for a walk. It is impossible to allow licking and contamination of the surgical seam, for which it is closed with a bandage. The first days after the operation, you need to carefully monitor the condition of the dog. In case of lethargy, fever, bleeding or swelling of the seams, you should immediately contact your veterinarian. Stitches are removed 7-10 days after surgery.