Munchkin
Is it harmful to spay a dog if she is in season? How can you tell if she has started a heat cycle?
One Response to “Spaying Dogs”:
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Experienced Advisor Deepa Gopinath says:
February 10th, 2008 at 06:12 AM
Thanks for the question. Spaying a dog when she is in season can pose a greater surgical risk as the blood vessels in the uterus are quite large and can bleed profusely during surgery. Ideally it is better to have a dog spayed 2 1/2-3 weeks after the end of her season OR 3 months after, in order to avoid pseudopregnancy (when the dog's body thinks it is pregnant and starts producing milk, etc). Unless there is a good medical reason why she should be spayed on heat, I would wait and have it done at the times I have mentioned.
When a dog is on heat she will usually be responsive to males and will have a swollen vulva with or without mucous or bloody discharge. Your vet can also do a swab of her vulva and look at the cells under a microscope and this may help determine the stage of her cycle. Female dogs will have a cycle usualy every 6mths to a year but they can be closer together. Hope this helps!
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