Is it possible to sterilize a pregnant dog at different stages? An intimate question: castration and sterilization - good or bad? When should a bitch be spayed?

Neutering dogs not only helps to avoid unplanned matings and unwanted behavior, but also prevents many diseases. It also increases the pet's lifespan. Whether to sterilize or not is up to each animal owner to decide for himself; there are no common recipes for everyone.

Modern methods of sterilization

The operation can be performed in different ways. The choice depends on the condition of the animal, gender, age, and sometimes on the wishes of the owner.

The most common method is traditional castration (removal of the testicles) for males and abdominal surgery (removal of the ovaries and uterus through an incision) for females.

Sometimes male dogs may also require abdominal surgery (for example, if testicular descent has not occurred). The manipulations are performed under deep anesthesia.

Sometimes female dogs are “partially” spayed. We are talking about removing only the ovaries, leaving the uterus behind. This method is usually used for animals at a young age, so you can sterilize a girl dog that has never given birth. However, it has a minus - tumors and other serious diseases are possible in the future. Recovery is approximately the same with complete and “partial” sterilization.

Pipe occlusion is a more gentle technique. With it, no internal organs are removed, the fallopian tubes are simply ligated. Rehabilitation is faster, but problems are possible in the future, including restoration of fertility and pregnancy.

Laparoscopy is a less traumatic method than abdominal surgery, but it requires expensive equipment and the surgeon’s jewelry skills. Manipulations are carried out through several punctures that do not require suturing.

The so-called chemical castration is a temporary measure that suppresses reproductive function for a certain period of time.

Medical sterilization is done using injections. However, this technique is extremely dangerous for the health of the animal; the drugs lead to the development of serious diseases.

Veterinary surgeons usually say that, first of all, the animal must be completely healthy; age here is a secondary issue, although an important one.

How to choose the optimal age and time

Dogs over the age of seven years have a more difficult time undergoing surgery and take longer to recover. At the same time, many veterinarians consider sterilization mandatory for older dogs if they have not undergone it before. Older pets have a significantly increased risk of cancer. Therefore, it is better to sterilize your dog without delay, and not wait until aging begins.

For females in breeding, the last birth at the age of six years is optimal, followed by sterilization. If the animal is not intended for breeding, the operation should be performed earlier.

Sterilization too early (before six months) is also not the best option. At this age, surgery can lead to complications. The puppy's body is actively growing and developing, and it is not worth interfering with this process unless absolutely necessary. In addition, any error in calculating the dosage of anesthesia for a puppy is extremely dangerous.

If the dog is not planned to be bred, the optimal age for most breeds is from six months to one and a half years.

Much depends on the size: in females of small breeds, the first heat begins early, you can spay the dog earlier or have surgery immediately after it.

Procedure during estrus

It is not advisable to perform surgery during the period of estrus - this increases the risk of severe bleeding and other complications. During this period, the animal’s body is vulnerable, the dog experiences hormonal changes.

Ideally, it is not advisable to perform the operation even when the estrus is about to occur. To find out for sure, they take hormonal tests.

During pregnancy

Owners often believe that emergency sterilization during an unplanned pregnancy of a bitch is a way to avoid problems with unwanted puppies.

Alas, this measure can lead to very serious consequences for the bitch herself. During pregnancy, the uterus enlarges; therefore, during surgery, the dog loses a lot of blood. It takes longer and harder for the animal to recover. In addition, it is worth remembering about the changed hormonal background. As a result, complications may occur.

If an unplanned pregnancy has already occurred, it is safest to let the dog give birth and feed the offspring, and only sterilize it after the lactation period is completed.

In some cases, sterilization during pregnancy may be medically necessary. It is carried out if the bitch is unwell and there is a suspicion that she will not be able to bear and give birth to puppies normally. The decision on forced sterilization of a pregnant bitch is made by a veterinarian. The sooner the operation is performed, the better.

Surgery for adult dogs

There are no restrictions for sterilization of adult (over a year old) dogs if the animal is completely healthy. For any ailments, infections, or injuries, surgery should be postponed, but this is true for dogs at any age.

If we are talking about an older dog (over seven years old), the final decision should be made by a veterinarian. Full anesthesia and rehabilitation after surgery are less well tolerated at this age. It makes sense to sterilize your pet if the expected benefits to its health outweigh the possible risks.

Sooner or later, every owner of such a pet thinks about whether it is necessary to sterilize a dog. Among the advantages of the procedure is to protect the animal from unnecessary offspring. You will learn from our article what consequences or complications such medical intervention is fraught with.

Sterilization of dogs is a surgical procedure after which the animal loses the ability to produce offspring. Both girls and boys can be subject to this procedure. If you want to sterilize your four-legged friend, be sure to contact a specialist. This kind of procedure should never be carried out at home. You only need to decide on sterilization in a veterinary clinic.

It is believed that you can put your dog under the knife under the following circumstances:

sooner or later the animal begins a period of sexual activity, and it repeats regularly throughout its life. When you are not expecting puppies and do not plan to breed your dog, sterilization is the right decision. The thing is that during the mating season it is almost impossible to keep the dog in place. If the mating took place with a dog of the same breed, it’s not so bad - you can always give away puppies and even make money from it. However, unexpected incidents with mongrels also happen. Such a litter will no longer be of interest to anyone, and what to do with it falls on your shoulders;
to prevent the development of various ailments. Pyometra, transmissible sarcoma, mammary cancer - sexually transmitted diseases abound among dogs.

It is quite possible to avoid an unwanted pregnancy. There is an effective way for this - sterilization. If you want to achieve a temporary result, use a chemical method (special injections are given to the animal).

Preparing your pet

You need to find out in detail how adult dogs are sterilized. Prepare your pet thoroughly for the procedure so that no complications arise afterwards. All recommendations are usually given by a veterinarian.

Sterilization of a pet is successful if all recommendations from specialists have been taken into account.

How is the operation performed?

Immediately before the operation, the dog is given general anesthesia. The procedure itself usually takes 1-2 hours.

If we compare the features of surgical intervention in male and female dogs, the procedure in males is considered less problematic. The thing is that the entire operation is limited to the removal of the testes. Laparoscopy in bitches is abdominal in nature, that is, access to the abdominal cavity is opened. Through an incision, the surgeon removes the ovaries or ovaries with the uterus.

Advantages and disadvantages

The pros and cons of sterilizing adult dogs should be studied in advance. Only in this case will you decide for yourself whether your pet needs such a serious operation. In fact, this surgical intervention has many advantages:

walks will become much less disturbing for both you and your dog, because males will not pester females;
in turn, dog boys become much calmer and do not run after girls;
aggression is not observed, the animal stops “marking” the territory and getting involved in various gatherings with other dogs;
sterilization is the best prevention of the development of sexually transmitted diseases;
it will be much easier to train and raise such pets;
you will protect yourself from the appearance of unwanted offspring in the animal, you will not worry about the health of the pregnant female, and you will also not need to decide where to put the offspring after birth.

For an experienced surgeon, sterilizing dogs is one of the ordinary procedures, worked out to the smallest detail. But not all bitches and not all owners are suitable for the traditional method. Sometimes, due to the personal preferences of the owner, sometimes for reasons related to the health of the pet, the surgeon is forced to look for an alternative. For example, endoscopic sterilization of dogs is considered a gentle procedure compared to abdominal surgery. What sterilization methods exist and what to choose in a particular case?

After examining the dog, a competent doctor always decides on the most preferable method of surgical intervention, and can justify his decision by answering all the client’s questions. When choosing one or another method of sterilizing a dog, be sure to take into account the opinion of your doctor.

Castration, or removal of the ovaries and uterus through an incision in the abdomen, is a commonly practiced method of birth control. Veterinarians call this procedure an ovariohysterectomy, and owners call it dog sterilization surgery (although in reality it is castration). There are practically no age restrictions, suitable for all breeds and sizes of dogs. After the procedure, estrus stops completely, the dog cannot become pregnant, does not experience desire, etc.

Despite the fact that this is an ordinary procedure, we are talking about abdominal surgery and deep anesthesia. It is not difficult to understand how dogs are sterilized: an incision, removal of the ovaries and uterus, amputation, stitches. It takes a maximum of an hour to prepare for anesthesia, the procedure itself and post-operative treatment. Then a painful day of waiting until the pet fully wakes up from anesthesia, and a couple of weeks of rehabilitation. In general, this method of sterilizing dogs is considered safe and quite simple: the surgeon works with good visibility through a sufficient incision, the recovery period is quite fast. Complications are rare if the doctor is experienced and the dog is properly prepared.

The advantages of sterilizing dogs by completely removing the internal genital organs are obvious: the risk of mammary gland cancer is significantly reduced, the risk of developing pyometra, ovarian cancer, and uterine cancer is completely eliminated. No hormonal surges or diseases associated with hormonal imbalances.

"Partial" castration

In an oophorectomy, the surgeon removes only the ovaries and leaves the uterus intact. As a result, the bitch loses her ability to reproduce, estrus stops, and behavioral problems associated with sexual desire go away. Because There are no ovaries, the risk of tumors and cysts is excluded. But veterinarians are not too fond of this method of sterilizing dogs, because... the remaining uterus is a ticking time bomb. Endometritis, pyometra, tumors and other diseases, despite the removed ovaries, still pose a danger and may in the future lead to the need for emergency sterilization.

As a rule, this method is recommended for young females who have never given birth, preferably before their first heat. It is believed that removing only the ovaries during this period can reduce the likelihood of diseases associated with the uterus. If this is an adult dog, and especially one that has already given birth, it is wiser to remove both the uterus and ovaries. It is important to understand that the preparation for the procedure and how long the dog’s sterilization lasts, and how the rehabilitation period goes, does not depend on whether only the ovaries are removed or all of them are removed. Those. It is a mistake to think that dogs tolerate removal of only the ovaries more easily - there is no significant difference.

Read also: Treatment of sutures after sterilization of a dog

Tubal occlusion

The essence of the procedure is to create conditions under which sperm cannot reach the eggs. To do this, the fallopian tubes are cut or ligated without affecting the internal genital organs. Since dogs are sterilized without removing the uterus and ovaries, the bitch recovers faster and tolerates rehabilitation more easily. However, there is always a risk that the broken connection will be restored, after which the “sterile” bitch will again be able to become pregnant and bear offspring.

The main disadvantage is that tubal ligation does not affect the cycle in any way: the dog regularly leaks, experiences cravings for the opposite sex, the pet’s body suffers from hormonal changes, all “female” problems hang over the pet like a sword of Damocles.

Laparoscopic method

Endoscopic sterilization of dogs is a method of accessing internal organs, and not a method of sterilization as such. The surgeon can remove the ovaries along with the uterus or just the uterus, or perform tubal occlusion. The procedure is performed under general anesthesia, preferably mask anesthesia (with the traditional method of sterilization, mask anesthesia is also possible). All manipulations are carried out using a laparoscope - expensive equipment that is not available to every clinic.

Before laparoscopic sterilization of dogs begins, gas is injected into the peritoneum to lift the abdominal wall above the internal organs. This is necessary so that the surgeon can manipulate the instruments. If your dog has a respiratory or cardiac condition, injecting gas may cause complications during surgery. To access the internal organs, two or three (depending on the technique) punctures are enough, through which instruments and a camera are inserted. The surgeon sees how the dogs are sterilized only by looking at the monitor. The doctor’s actions must be pinpoint accurate with limited visibility, so there are still only a few experienced doctors proficient in this method.

Most veterinary clinics offer sterilization of animals. This surgical operation has long been routine for veterinarians and volunteers involved in the rescue and adoption of homeless animals. An ordinary, average amateur dog breeder often simply does not have information about indications and contraindications for sterilization, and about side effects. All the more dangerous are the assurances of some specialists that this is an absolutely safe procedure for dogs and has no health consequences.

Any practicing surgeon knows that sterilization is carried out under general anesthesia, which is potentially dangerous for animals. In addition to the effects of anesthesia, abdominal surgery itself can have a negative impact on the dog for various reasons. So, sterilizing a dog, the pros and cons of which are almost equal, has indications and contraindications.

Indications for sterilization

Pyometra - an indication for urgent sterilization

The first and main indication for sterilization is an acute inflammatory process in the dog’s uterus or ovaries, or the development of a tumor process in the reproductive organs. Purulent pyometra or inflammation in the uterine cavity is dangerous due to the development of acute intoxication and the spread of infection to the internal organs of the animal. Conservative treatment of this disease is rarely successful due to the anatomical features of the structure of the uterus in dogs.
Hormonal surges, disruption of the normal rhythm of estrus and false pregnancy that occurs regularly. The production of hormones by the ovaries may be disrupted, with the dog experiencing symptoms of false pregnancy several weeks after estrus.
Contraindications to childbirth in a bitch with various diseases, or due to the lack of normal conditions for keeping a whelping or lactating bitch. Most often, dogs that have no breeding value are sterilized. Age is not important; when to sterilize a dog most often does not matter. However, if the bitch was purchased as a pet, then it is better to schedule the operation for a period of nine months to one and a half years.

Operation process

The scar after the operation is very small

Sterilization is carried out either in the traditional way, removing the uterus and ovaries through an incision, or using laparoscopy. In all cases, the animal is given anesthesia. The operation lasts about an hour, after which the dog is allowed to recover and the owner is allowed to take it home. The seam is usually sealed with a surgical adhesive plaster, and a special bandage made of thick cotton fabric is put on top. The bandage prevents the dog from licking the seam.

Laparoscopic canine spaying is not usually done on medium or large breed dogs.

Dog after sterilization

The bandage is put on in the clinic

On the first day after sterilization, the dog is not given food, as the animal often vomits after anesthesia. For the next couple of days, the bitch is fed soft food and given unlimited amounts of water. Most often, the veterinarian recommends a course of antibiotics, even if the operation is performed on a healthy animal. If a dog diagnosed with pyometra is sterilized, then antibacterial therapy is mandatory, and care after surgery is especially thorough.

In many clinics, veterinarians suggest leaving the pet for a day after surgery to completely eliminate the possibility of bleeding or other complications.

In most cases, the bitch already feels well on the second day and can take short walks in order to recover. The owner must carefully ensure that the dog does not run or jump until the stitches are completely healed. The sutures are removed on the tenth day after surgery.

Pros and cons of sterilization

Neutering does not change a dog's behavior

Supporters of sterilization note the following positive aspects of the operation:

The dog does not cause any trouble to the owners. She does not have, therefore, no odor that attracts males, no bloody, staining discharge. There is no need to adopt unwanted puppies.
The bitch's emotional state remains stable at all times, without regular mood swings caused by hormonal surges.
Bitches spayed at an early age are much less likely to suffer from cancer in old age. They are completely protected from pyometra and ovarian inflammation.

Opponents of sterilization argue the harm of the operation with the following arguments:

The danger of anesthesia and abdominal surgery for many breeds of dogs. An animal simply may not wake up after a successful sterilization, even if the veterinarian has extensive experience. The point is the individual reactions of each dog to medications.
Urine leakage is the most common side effect of spaying female dogs. It manifests itself especially often in animals of large breeds. Urine leaks constantly, which is very unpleasant and leads to skin irritation and the formation of weeping eczema. This condition can be treated either surgically (which again requires the use of anesthesia), or with the help of the drug “Propalin”.
Sterilizing a young animal stops its physical development.

Dogs that differ in appearance and purpose, but have indomitable courage: from pocket dogs to service dogs.

Sterilization of dogs: pros and cons

Carefree life after sterilization

In fact, only the owner, having carefully studied the reviews about sterilization and its long-term consequences, can make a final decision. Many dog breeders are of the opinion that one should not interfere with nature, but this opinion is only justified in relation to pets. Birth control is entirely the responsibility of the owner, and if a bitch is bred by accident, the responsible person must place the puppies in good hands.

If the bitch goes into heat without any problems, if the dog’s behavior practically does not change, there is no false pregnancy, and accidental matings are excluded, then there is no need to resort to sterilization surgery. It is important to approach the issue wisely, because the fact that the dog may die during surgery or will have to be treated for life for complications is a real risk. And this risk is much higher than the expected, probable, but still presumed occurrence of tumor processes in old age. It's a shame to lose a pet while trying to protect it from future illnesses.

Sterilization of dogs, the price of which is quite high and starts from an amount equal to two thousand rubles, is a rather expensive operation. For many people, how much sterilization costs is a major negative factor.

As for the positive aspects of sterilization, the operation helps save the life of a dog with various inflammations of the uterus or bleeding during childbirth. The consequences of elective or emergency surgery are usually minimal. After sterilization, a dog does not change in behavior, does not become more or less aggressive, and works as before in training or hunting. This is due to the fact that the main amount of sex hormones is produced by the adrenal glands, and not by the ovaries, so the temperament and character of the animal remains the same.

A short video helps you decide whether your dog needs sterilization or not. The veterinarian gives advice and describes the rehabilitation process.

Sterilization of dogs is a surgical procedure after which the pet loses the ability to reproduce. This procedure can only be performed by a qualified veterinarian, since an unprofessional operation can lead to very disastrous consequences. Laparoscopic sterilization of dogs and endoscopic sterilization of dogs have both supporters and opponents. Dog owners are divided into these 2 camps based on their attitude towards sterilization.

Is it necessary to sterilize a dog?

The issue of sterilization is more of a purely practical nature than a moral one, so every dog owner should think about it early.

Stray dogs are sterilized to control their numbers. Homemade - primarily for the prevention of such dangerous diseases as transmissible sarcoma, pyometra, breast cancer and other types of cancer. The opinion of some owners that a dog needs to give birth to at least 1 litter to be healthy has been established and proven wrong. There's really no need for this.

Late sterilization reduces the risk of breast cancer by 4 times, early sterilization to an even greater extent. However, it makes sense to sterilize even older dogs. This will serve as an effective prevention of pyometra and other diseases.

It is also a misconception that sterilized dogs have a shorter lifespan and become fat and lethargic. In fact, such an operation significantly prolongs life, and only those dogs that get fat are fed too much and given little physical exercise.

Also, sterilized dogs do not experience stress, their appetite increases, but overfeeding them is unacceptable. Nowadays, laparoscopic sterilization of a dog can be performed both in the clinic and at home. It is no longer a complex abdominal operation. However, during the postoperative period the dog needs careful care.

Advantages and disadvantages

Arguments in favor of sterilizing dogs:

Life expectancy increases by an average of 1.5-2 years.
The dog becomes calmer, aggression disappears. The dog becomes more obedient and tries less to dominate its owner.
The dog marks the owner's house and the houses of his neighbors less.
Hormonal problems are eliminated, in particular the risk of hormone-dependent breast cancer.
The risk of pyometra, transmissible sarcoma, cysts and cancer of the ovaries, testes and uterus, as well as prostatitis, is greatly reduced.

A dog needs sexual intercourse solely for reproduction; it does not affect the pet’s health in any way. In this case, the dog will not feel remorse and will not try to reproduce again and again, since a conscious desire to have children is not typical for dogs. This procedure is indicated for dogs of all ages. However, there are some negative consequences associated with sterilizing older dogs. The sooner this procedure is performed, the easier the animal will tolerate it.

Arguments against sterilizing dogs:

Neutering dogs, although generally a fairly predictable procedure, can sometimes still go against the plan. This is mainly due to the clinic itself and the qualifications of the veterinary surgeon. Inexperienced new veterinarians can make serious mistakes that dogs later pay for.

Complications are likely, in particular, infections, bleeding, hernias, suture rupture, inflammation.
After surgery, the animal gains excess weight due to changes in metabolism in the body.
During the period 3-7 years after sterilization, urinary incontinence may occur. This, in turn, can lead to chronic and acute diseases of the urinary tract.
To sterilize a dog, anesthesia is required, which can negatively affect the pet’s body.

Before deciding whether his dog needs sterilization, the owner should consider that deaths from this procedure are extremely rare, while deaths from sarcoma and other cancers are very common.

Disadvantages of the procedure

The disadvantages of sterilizing a dog include the fact that this operation is actually performed under general anesthesia, which in any case poses a certain health risk, especially if we are talking about a puppy. Possible complications of the operation are also quite dangerous, therefore it is necessary to be extremely careful when choosing a veterinary surgeon. Before the operation, the dog must be healthy, then it will definitely tolerate sterilization normally.

Some people have a moral aversion to the idea of sterilization, attributing human feelings to animals. However, in reality, a dog does not dream of children - it is only an instinct. She will not be ashamed in front of her friends because she remains an “old maid.” Therefore, dog breeders should think not about their own feelings, but about the comfort and health of their dogs.

At what age are dogs sterilized?

Veterinarians advise sterilizing pets at the age of 5-6 months. In this case, the negative consequences for the pet’s health will be minimized.

Consequences of sterilization

Like every operation, dog sterilization has certain consequences. Sterilization can lead to obesity and urinary incontinence. To avoid this problem, veterinarians often advise removing both ovaries along with the uterus.

Before and after sterilization

Although this operation is quite simple, it is safer to perform it in a clinic. If the animal’s health condition causes any concern, it is better to postpone the operation. General anesthesia is used for this. The dog is not fed anything for 12 hours before the operation.

Dogs usually tolerate sterilization easily, so there is no need to keep them in a hospital. Males feel good on the 2nd day after castration. Standard castration does not require the removal of stitches.

The bitch can be given water 1 or 2 hours after sterilization. Feeding during the first 2 days is necessary in fractional, small portions. During the first 24 hours after surgery, you can take your dog for walks. It is unacceptable to lick and dirty the seams, so they are covered with a blanket. During the first 3 days after surgery, you must carefully monitor your pet's condition. In case of lethargy, bleeding, fever or suppuration of the sutures, you should immediately contact a veterinarian. Sutures are removed 7-10 days after surgery.

Why is sterilization necessary?

There are 2 serious reasons that can force a dog owner to perform this operation. The first is the absence of offspring from the animal after the operation. After all, the reproductive instinct is one of the most powerful. A dog that desires lovemaking can be quite difficult to contain, and regular dog weddings can be very annoying. Owners of bitches constantly experience problems with the placement of puppies. With purebred puppies there may not be any special difficulties, but with ordinary mongrels they are guaranteed. I don't want to kill them either.

The second reason is that sterilization serves as a reliable shield against various diseases. Dogs also get sick, and their various ailments can be transmitted through sexual contact. Sterilization can protect a dog for life from pyometra, mammary cancer, and transmissible sarcoma.

How the operation is performed

It is performed by a qualified veterinarian under general anesthesia. The operation takes 1-1.5 hours. The method of performing it is determined by the gender of the pet. The testes of male dogs are removed by any method that is convenient for the surgeon. In bitches, everything is much more complicated, since it is necessary to perform abdominal surgery, which opens access to the abdominal cavity. In this case, either only the ovaries, or both the ovaries and the uterus, are removed.

When to carry out

In male dogs, this procedure is not recommended until they reach the age of 6 months, as otherwise growth and development may be delayed. In females, this operation is most indicated before the first estrus in life, that is, at 4-5 months, since in this case the likelihood of genital cancer drops almost 200 times. The later this procedure is performed, the higher the risk of cancer.

How to care for your pet after surgery

Immediately after sterilization, dogs should be laid on a flat floor with bedding. After your pet recovers from anesthesia (this can happen within 24 hours), it is necessary to moisten its tongue and nose with water. Don't give too much liquid. You can feed only on the 2nd day and only with soft food (minced meat or pate). The seams should be treated with antiseptics for 10 days and protected from getting wet. Sometimes it happens that the animal licks the stitches. To avoid this situation, you should use a protective blanket or collar. Caring for your pet after sterilization involves antibiotic therapy. The duration of their use is determined by the veterinarian.

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