I have an appointment for Effi to be spayed this weekend but after reading an article that says if i get it done within 2 months of her last heat cycle it may cause too much of a hormone imbalance and make her more irritable and aggressive.
Anyone heard of this before? Any merit to waiting 2 months? Id really like to get it done asap but will reschedule if its in her best interest.
Never heard that reasoning. We tell people 8 weeks after heat to allow time for the uterus to contract and blood vessels to shrink. Makes it less risky surgery.
I have heard some pretty screwy stuff from people who do not care for any type of spay/neuter. But I think the best reason to wait is to get let the uterine horns, etc get back to normal.
The way the canine body works is whether the bitch is bred or not, her uterine horns under go the same progesterone blast/hormone changes. If you wait two months after the heat cycle, that would be when the puppies would be born -- they are born 9 weeks (63 days) after ovulation, which usually happens around the middle of the heat cycle. Anyhow, if you are counting from when she finished her heat cycle, the pregnancy would be completed by eight weeks.
Bitches are interesting. They blow coat twice a year. Normally at the time when the puppies would be weaning, whether or not she has been bred. So their hormones, are working and effecting them throughout the cycle.
I would wait 3 months after the heat cycle if it was me. That would put her right between, and her stuff would be back to normal.
Ok i will reschedule her appointment for a few weeks later. Now i know the heat cycle is technically not over when bleeding stops, how long after bleeding stops should i wait? Thats the only thing i have to go by.
Just for reference here is the website and excerpt describing the hormonal issues with spaying within 2 months. Not very detailed but i like to have all the info before making decisions regarding Effi's health.
The Effects of Spaying and Neutering on Canine Behavior | Association of Animal Behavior Professionals It has been found (O’Farrell and Peachey, 1990; and also discussed in Hart and Eckstein, 1997) that the only two behaviors affected by spaying of female dogs was “aggressive dominance” toward guardians and indiscriminate eating. In this case, the aggressive behavior increased after spaying. This effect was only noted in female dogs ovariohysterectomized before 12 months of age, and that already demonstrated aggression. Female dogs ovariohysteretomized after 12 months of age presented no risk of increased aggression. Hart and Eckstein (1997) point out that female dogs are in a progestational state for two months following an estrus period and spaying them during that time creates a sudden removal of the source of progestins (which tend to have a calming influence on animals). It is proposed that this removal of progesterone may promote irritability or aggression in some individuals.
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