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Question: Dr. Richards.

We recently adopted a Chihuahua who is about five pounds and will be five
years old in October. We are considering having her spayed, but we are
worried about the risks of sedation due to her size. I recently read in Dog
Fancy that if a female isn't spayed by her second cycle that spaying will not
prevent mammary tumors. So, why would we take the risk of having her sedated?
Thanks..James

Answer: James-

There are two medical reasons to spay female dogs. The first is the
prevention of mammary tumors. Dog Fancy is right about this one. If a
female dog is spayed before the first heat period, the later risk of
mammary tumors is less than 1%. If she is spayed between the first and
second heat periods the risk is about 8% and if she is spayed after the
second heat period the risk is 25%, regardless of whether she is ever
spayed, or not. The other major benefit of spaying is prevention of
pyometra, which is the form of uterine infection most common in dogs. This
is a life threatening condition when it occurs, due to the way that dogs
have heat cycles at long intervals. About 8% of female dogs will develop
pyometra during their life time. The signs of pyometra can be very subtle.
Sometimes there is a vaginal discharge, in which case the pyometra is
considered to be an "open" pyometra and requires attention quickly. In
other cases, there is no discharge and the dog just seems ill. This is the
really dangerous form of pyometra because dogs often develop severe
infections before there is a clear sign of trouble. Most commonly there is
an increase in drinking and urinating as the infection worsens and paying
particular attention to this sign in intact female dogs is warranted.
Spaying has some risks associated with it, especially the risk of an
anesthetic problem. The rate of anesthetic related deaths in dog surgeries
is estimated to be about 0.1% and the total anesthetic complication rate is
a little over 0.2% (Journal of the American Animal Hospital
Association, Jul/Aug'98, Dyson et. al.). There is a higher incidence of
incontinence in spayed females and there is also a slightly increased
tendency towards aggression.

If you are very good at observing your pets and are pretty sure you will
recognize subtle signs of illness and act on them by having your Chihuahua
examine, then there may not be any advantage to spaying her now. If she did
develop pyometra it would be best to spay her and the risk of the procedure
would be increased but it can be done at that time.

Mike Richards, DVM
2/10/2001

Read the entire article at: www.vetinfo4dogs.com

There are pros and cons to this question that should be carefully considered before the decision is made to have a dog spayed:

Pros:
1. Behavior problems are generally reduced, including roaming, interdog aggression, and anxiety or fear-related problems.
2. Estrus (heat) behavior, attraction of male dogs, and soiling of surroundings with bloody vaginal secretions are reduced or eliminated.
3. Infections, cancer, and other diseases of the uterus and ovaries are prevented. Many of these diseases can be life threatening.
4. Spaying reduces the risk of breast cancer developing later in life. This advantage is only valid if the dog is spayed before 2 ½ years of age, and is most effective if done before her first heat cycle.
5. Spaying reduces hormonal changes which can interfere with the treatment of certain diseases such as diabetes or epilepsy.
6. A spayed dog does not contribute to the pet overpopulation problem.

Cons:
1. Many complications can and do occur in association with having an animal spayed. Some of these include abnormal reactions to anesthesia (on rare occasions even leading to death), bleeding, stitches breaking or pulling out, and infections.
2. Occasionally, animals will have long term effects to their health mainly associated with the hormonal changes after removing the reproductive organs. These may include weight gain, urinary incontinence, or decreased stamina. These problems may occur years after an animal has been spayed.


Q) What will the recovery be like for my dog after the spay surgery?

A) Spaying is a painful experience for any dog; however, one dog may act completely normal within hours after the surgery, while another may bite at the incision or cry and pace for days afterward. Many dogs do not show obvious signs of pain, therefore, the subject of pain medicine should be discussed between the owner and veterinarian BEFORE the surgery takes place. Waiting to administer pain killers until the dog actually displays pain after the surgery is a poor approach. It is believed by many that pain acts in a "wind-up" fashion. That is to say, once an animal begins to feel the pain, the pain "winds-up," or becomes a much more powerful force than it would have had the pain medications been given before the pain started. It often requires a great deal more pain medication to relieve a dog that is already in pain than it would have if the pain medications had been given immediately after the surgery or even started 2 to 3 hours before the surgery was performed. An old adage states, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."

There are other complications which may also influence a dog’s recovery that may occur during the first days to weeks after the spay surgery. Many of these complications were mentioned in the cons area of the spay discussion (see above). Bleeding, either from the incision site or from the vagina hours to days after a spay, should be reported to a veterinarian immediately. It is possible, though not common, for a dog to bleed to death after being spayed. Infections can occur either locally at the incision site, or generally, affecting the entire body. Local incision infections are much more common and are often associated with the dog licking or biting at her stitches. Local infections appear within days of the surgery as a swollen, red, and tender incision line, sometimes with a clear to cloudy discharge. Minor infections can often be treated with antibiotics and by restraining the dog from licking the incision. Severe local infections may require another surgery to repair and re-stitch. General infections appear hours to days after the surgery and may cause the dog to be listless, disinterested in food or water, and display pain upon handling. She may also have a fever, experience vomiting or diarrhea, and have generalized weakness. General infections usually require hospitalization and supportive care at the hands of a veterinarian.

Sometimes dogs may have a reaction to the stitches or sutures. These reactions appear as inflamed and sometimes infected areas along the incision line. Suture reactions can cause a small, firm lump to appear in the tissue surrounding the suture. These suture reactions can be solved by removing any remaining suture and, if necessary, reclosing part of the incision with different suture.

It is important to understand that while these complications do occur, they are the exception rather than the rule. An observant owner, however, may make the recovery much smoother by recognizing problems early.

Read the entire article at: www.infovets.com

I'm about to get my dog spayed as well, and I'm glad to see you've made that decision! Here is an article I found helpful:www.tracylanddvm.com
As deedee said, you should definitely consult your vet! The article has some very helpful information but should not take the place of talking to your vet about care following surgery, and any concerns you might have. Hope that helps!

Please consult with your vet for details.