Dog Spaying

Spaying not only prevents unwanted pregnancies, it can also reduce sexual stress and prevent various sex hormone related diseases. At PetLife, the ovaries and uterus are completely removed, and the patient is hospitalized for one night.

What diseases can be prevented?

  • Ovarian and uterine tumors
  • Pyometra (it has been reported that the incidence of pyometra in dogs aged 9 years and over who have not been spayed is over 66%.)
  • Mammary gland tumors (The preventive effect changes depending on the timing of contraceptive surgery: before the first heat cycle, before the second heat cycle, and after that, the preventive effects are 99.5%, 92%, and 74%, respectively.)

When should I spay my dog?

At PetLife, we start contraception from the age of 6 months, which is the age of sexual maturity. Surgery is not recommended during estrus when the uterus is swollen. In the case of very small puppies or large breed dogs, it may be a good idea to wait until one cycle of estrus is complete and have surgery after one year of age, considering safety of surgery and adequate growth, respectively. The first estrus can come at any time after 6 months, but it tends to be later in small breed dogs.

What is your dog’s estrus (heat) cycle?

Proestrus (about 8 days)

During this time the vulva swells and your dog begins to bleed (It may not be noticeable in some dogs.). Increased frequency of urination and loss of appetite may be seen.

Estrus (about 10 days)

Your dog is ready to mate. Behavior such as snuggling up to males, being restless, and disobedience can be observed. Bleeding may reduce or stop.

Diestrus (about 2 months)

Period of pseudopregnancy. Nest-building behavior, maternal behavior (such as cuddling stuffed animals), and lactating can be observed.

About 3 months

Anestrus (about 4 to 8 months)

Downtime before the next heat cycle. Appropriate time for contraceptive surgery.

 

Extracting deciduous teeth at the time of spaying

Deciduous teeth (or baby teeth) start to shed and permanent adult teeth emerge around 4 to 7 months of age, but in small breed dogs with small jaws and dense teeth, the deciduous teeth tend to not fall out and are doubled with permanent teeth. The canines in particular, have very deep roots and often do not fall out. Leaving deciduous teeth intact makes it easy for plaque to accumulate, so it’s best to extract deciduous teeth at the time of spaying.

What is included in the cost?

Blood test on the day of surgery, X-ray examination, intravenous drip, surgery fee, hospitalization fee, prescription of pain medication, post-operative body suit (in some cases a cone)

*Prices vary depending on weight, so please inquire.
*There will be an extra cost for baby teeth extraction.

What is the flow of surgery?

Dinner by 21:00 the day before. No snacks after this but it’s okay to drink water.

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On the day around 7:00, refrain from giving water.

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9:30 Visit the clinic without eating breakfast (check-in)

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Blood test, X-ray exam, IV drip

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Surgery

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Hospitalization

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Pick-up the next day during consultation hours

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Wound check and suture removal after 10 to 14 days

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Bathing is OK after 3 days!

After surgery…?

For the next 2-3 days, your pet may be quieter than usual, but that’s okay, please let them rest at home. Administer pain medication on the morning of the day after the operation. You can take short walks on a leash but avoid running in the park or strenuous exercise. It’s okay to feed your pet as usual. After the surgery, please keep the post operative body suit on until the stitches are removed. It’s important not to allow your pet to lick or get the affected area wet.

Is it easy to gain weight after surgery?

In addition to the fact that a dog’s growth rate begins to slow around the time they are ready for surgery, your pet may be more likely to gain weight due to the impact of spaying on your dog’s metabolism, which affects how much food they eat. Within 2 days of the procedure, your dog’s appetite may increase by up to 20%! This means your dog’s daily calorie intake must be managed carefully post surgery, and as puppy food is very high in calories, switching to adult dog food or a low calorie post-neuter product is a good idea.