Deciding when to spay? Learn why wait until after first heat to spay dog is recommended by some veterinarians.
Okay, let's talk about this whole spaying thing. When we first got our girl, Luna, everyone, and I mean everyone, had an opinion. "Spay her early! Before the first heat!" That seemed to be the standard advice floating around, right? Less hassle, prevents puppies, all that jazz.
So, initially, I was all set to just book it in around the six-month mark. Seemed straightforward. But then I got talking to our vet, Dr. Ramirez. He's been around the block a few times, seen a lot of dogs. He brought up something I hadn't really considered – letting her go through one heat cycle first. He mentioned some newer thinking, stuff about hormones needing to do their thing for proper growth, especially with joints and ligaments. Luna's a medium-sized mutt, pretty active, so the joint thing kinda stuck in my head.
My Thinking Process
It wasn't an easy decision. I mean, the thought of dealing with a dog in heat wasn't exactly appealing. Mess, potential for unwanted attention from male dogs, having to be super careful on walks. Plus, the common wisdom was still strongly leaning towards early spaying to prevent certain health issues like mammary tumors.
I did a bit of my own reading, nothing too heavy, just trying to get a feel for it. Found lots of conflicting stuff online, as you usually do. Some people swore by early spay, others were adamant about waiting. It felt like there wasn't one perfect answer.
What tipped it for me was thinking about her development. It just felt... I don't know, maybe more natural? To let her body mature a bit more before such a big surgery. Dr. Ramirez didn't push it hard, just laid out the options and his observations. He did say if we waited, the surgery might be a tiny bit more involved because things are more developed, but it wasn't a major risk increase in his view.
Going Through the First Heat
So, we decided to wait. And yeah, the first heat cycle happened right around 8 months old. It wasn't the end of the world, but it definitely required management.
- We got some doggy diapers – lifesaver for indoors.
- Walks were strictly on leash, and we avoided the popular dog park times.
- Had to keep a close eye on her in the yard.
It lasted about three weeks, start to finish. A bit of a pain, sure, but manageable.
The Spay Surgery Post-Heat
Once the heat cycle was completely over, we waited about two months, just like Dr. Ramirez suggested. This apparently gives time for everything to settle back down hormonally and reduces blood flow to the area, making the surgery potentially a bit smoother than doing it right during or immediately after heat.
Booked the appointment, dropped her off in the morning, picked her up in the afternoon feeling a bit sorry for herself. The recovery went smoothly. Cone of shame for about 10 days, kept her quiet, no jumping. She bounced back pretty quickly.
Looking Back
Honestly, I'm glad we waited. Luna seems great. Strong, active, no weird joint issues so far (knock on wood). Was it because we waited? Impossible to say for sure, right? There are risks and benefits to both timings. Early spay definitely has its advantages, particularly convenience and potentially lower risk for mammary cancer later.
But for us, for Luna, letting her mature through that first cycle felt like the right path based on the info we had and our vet's guidance. It's just what we did. Every dog and every owner's situation is different, so you gotta weigh it up for yourself. This was just our experience with it.
