Signs she's going into heat?

[Pam]

In my 30+ years of having dogs I have had 4 females and have gone to two separate vets because of where we were living at the different times. Both vets encouraged us to spay before the first heat. I am just curious as to why your vet wanted to wait. Maybe you could ask him/her when you take Sylvia in just to satisfy our curiosity. I am glad you are taking Sylvia sooner rather than later. We will be thinking of your little sweetie on the 2nd!

[Twisterdog]

Waiting until after the first heat to spay has NO medical documentation behind it. It's basically an "old wive's tale" of the doggie world.

There is an argument that spaying later, after growth is complete, is better for dogs, especially large breeds. While this has never been proven, it at least has some basis in logic. Waiting until after the first heat has NO basis in logic, as the dog is still growing at six months.

I, personally, would be very, very disappointed if my vet believed this.

Ovaries and uterus are both removed in a spay. Ovaries are often left in human hysterectomies to avoid calcium loss that leads to osteporosis, as well as the onset of symptoms produced by reduced estrogen levels, such as chin hairs for example, that most human females are NOT happy to see. This isn't a problem with female dogs, however, their chins are already hairy. Hence .. out with the ovaries!

Some dogs do suffer spay incontinence, but it is a fairly rare condidtion. I have never had a dog with spay incontinence, and I've had dozens and dozens of female foster/rescue dogs spayed. If it does occur, an estrogen pill once or twice a week solves the problem in the vast majority of cases.

[micki76]

Originally posted by Twisterdog
This isn't a problem with female dogs, however, their chins are already hairy. Hence .. out with the ovaries!

Some dogs do suffer spay incontinence, but it is a fairly rare condidtion. I have never had a dog with spay incontinence, and I've had dozens and dozens of female foster/rescue dogs spayed. If it does occur, an estrogen pill once or twice a week solves the problem in the vast majority of cases.

Ha! And I have to take an estrogen pill every day to prevent those chinny chin chin hairs!

NOT fair!

[amoore]

My vet wants to spay tiny at 5 months old . she is now 5months and two weeks old . Im just dreading her having pain , and being with out her . I somtimes wonder if i would like to keep her where she can have puppys. I have no male dogs here . I mostly want her to be at no risk . I really don't know signs to look for . I do worry when i take her out she is sniffing bushes and trees . That worrys me .
I think that was a very good question to ask . Thank you because i need to know to .

[My Peanuts]

I have another question. We got Harley from a shelter when he was about one and already fully mature. When we adopted him the shelter altered him before we took him home. Are there any adverse effects from altering a male dog that is already matured?

[micki76]

Originally posted by My Peanuts
I have another question. We got Harley from a shelter when he was about one and already fully mature. When we adopted him the shelter altered him before we took him home. Are there any adverse effects from altering a male dog that is already matured?

I don’t think there are any adverse effects from a late neuter. All his plumbing is gone, so I don’t think there’s anything that could become cancerous with regards to the male reproductive organs.

[lv4dogs]

Originally posted by My Peanuts
I have another question. We got Harley from a shelter when he was about one and already fully mature. When we adopted him the shelter altered him before we took him home. Are there any adverse effects from altering a male dog that is already matured?

Isn't the colon still left? I know that it is common for un-altered dogs to get colon cancer, so if the colon is still left then yes there is still a chance they can develope colon cancer. But for altering a male dog 1 yr of age will not up the chances of cancer too much than if they were 6 months.

[lv4dogs]

Originally posted by amoore
My vet wants to spay tiny at 5 months old . she is now 5months and two weeks old . Im just dreading her having pain , and being with out her . I somtimes wonder if i would like to keep her where she can have puppys. I have no male dogs here . I mostly want her to be at no risk . I really don't know signs to look for . I do worry when i take her out she is sniffing bushes and trees . That worrys me .
I think that was a very good question to ask . Thank you because i need to know to .

You will have a lot more chances of encountering risks if whe were to be kept in-tact, cancers of a few sorts, pyometra, birthing problems (especially if timy gets loose & encounters a much bigger dog!!!).
There is ussually not much pain from being spayed, it's more like discomfort than pain. Some dogs have higher pain tollerance, my dogs were always wnating to run right after the surgery. Some may be in slight pain/discomfort for a day or two but that is ussually it. And you only have to leave your dog for the day so you won't be seperated that long.
Please do not breed unless you want to better the breed, then your tiny would have to be a perfect example of the breed w/ many tests preformed & the same w/ the male. Do you know how many unwanted animals are being put to sleep EVERYDAY? What happens if her puppys are given to home that does not properly care for them or they decide they do not want them anymore & they end up at the shelter or in line for euthanasia juice?
I am not trying to be rude just that there are way too many homeless animals out there already & way to many improperly breed animals as well.
My list can go on & on if you want more info let me know, this is just the tip of the iceburg!
Because she is so tiny (recent pic?) she PROBABLY won't go into heat until around 7 months BUT IT IS POSSIBLE anytime now. The longer you wait to spay her the greater the chances of health problems occuring!
Look at my sig.

[My Peanuts]

Originally posted by lv4dogs
Please do not breed unless you want to better the breed, then your tiny would have to be a perfect example of the breed w/ many tests preformed & the same w/ the male. Do you know how many unwanted animals are being put to sleep EVERYDAY? What happens if her puppys are given to home that does not properly care for them or they decide they do not want them anymore & they end up at the shelter or in line for euthanasia juice?
I am not trying to be rude just that there are way too many homeless animals out there already & way to many improperly breed animals as well.

I completely agree

[micki76]

Seriously amoore, please have Tiny spayed. Pyometra is very often fatal and the dog is usually in serious condition before the owners even get her to the vet. Not to mention the mess of her cycles. Most dogs won’t wear the panties and pads and it’s just gross. Imagine her menstruating on your furniture, carpets, and floors. I know she’s small so there won’t be that much blood, but yuck!

I didn’t want to be without Chester either, and I worried the whole time he was gone. But he came home safe and sound. Just verify that your vet uses the latest technology and that Tiny will be in good hands before hand.

[amoore]

Thank you for the advice ,I don't think It would be hard to find homes for her puppys since she is a small full blooded registered chihuahua , I like to have not got her ! I called every Chihuahua breeder when I decided I It was time I got one ,They were already sold . Then i went to a ladys house where my vet sent me to ,(he told me she was selling her last dog ) Tiny came running to me like she was expecting me ! I fell in love with her right there on the spot ! I had been wanting a chihuahua all my life ! dreamed of holding her . I have had several sweet little homelss dogs that people dumped in front of my house , so i agree with you about homeless dogs . I always got them fixed as soon as they could be ,because it is so hard to find homes for them . So I really don't know the signs of a dog going into heat !
People has told me not to get tiny fixed because she is a tiny unusual color chihuahua and of course they are asking for her babies !
I can't risk her getting sick . So Im going to get her spayed as soon as I get the nerve to leave her . I have not been away from her for more than 3hrs since I got her . I thank you very much for helping me with the tough decission . The last thing i want is for her to suffer . She is my baby .

[amoore]

Thanks all of you , for the advice , Im just a worrier . when I got jojo fixed the vet was ready to start hanging up on me , I was a big pest ! I appreciate all your good advice . Tiny is just so tiny ! I had no idea a chihuahua could worry me like this ! Every time she makes little sound of pain I jump to check her ! I think I been looking for an excuse to not take her to get her spayed because I don't want to leave her ! Im terrible !

[Twisterdog]

I think I been looking for an excuse to not take her to get her spayed because I don't want to leave her !

Better to leave her for less than a day, than risk her death. Pyometra is a very real, very serious disease. Ovarian/uterus cancer is common, and often deadly. And, because you can never be 100% sure, 100% careful 100% of the time ... what if she did get pregnant? What if it was a much bigger dog? What if she died having the puppies? Get her spayed, potentially save her life.

[mahayana]

Just wanted to say that Tiny will be spayed in the next few weeks. Amoore has been encouraged to breed her to another white chihuahua by many of Tiny's admirers, but has never wanted to be a dog breeder. Tiny only goes outside on a leash and there are no male dogs here.

The discussion on when to spay or neuter is interesting. I think everyone agrees that this is the responsible thing to do.

And small dogs can and do get bred by large ones. We know someone now whose Shitzu got bred by a Rottwiler. Not a pleasant circumstance to contemplate!

On the other hand, we loved our Schnauzer-Beagle mix, but Snoopy was sure funny-looking!

[amoore]

When did this change from" signs she's going into heat ?" into amoore is a irresponsible dog owner ? Did anyone read my post ?