[fishn]

Planning on having my lab Miley spayed tomorrow. It's been a tough, slow decision to make. When I got her, I intended to let her have pups someday down the road, just as I intended to get her into hunt tests and have never done so. I lost an English Setter a few months before I got Miley after surgery to remove mammary cancer, so I always planned to get her spayed sometime to try and avoid that, but when it comes down time to get it done and knowing she won't ever have pups, it's still a hard decision to make. Her heat cycles have been very incosistent, which is ok in one way, and the vet said she might have had some reproductive issues where maybe she could not have had them anyway. But we don't know for sure.

Anyway, I would appreciate your prayers for my decision (that I have made but could change my mind before tomorrow) and for Miley's safety and recovery. She's a wonderful dog that I love dearly, and I just don't think I want to take the risk of waiting much longer and/or of any complications from a pregnancy. Still, would have been nice to have some little black and brown pups running around with her, and it would have been nice to have a pup out of her. It's kind of sad.

Thanks

 

[Miriam Wade]

I had a Newfoundland years ago that had her CH, CD, water and draft titles. She produced some very successful conformation, obedience and working (water and draft) dogs. The pup I kept out of her last litter was tragically killed just days after I had sold the rest of the litter. I lost Annie 6 months later to mammary cancer. Had all that not happened I would probably still have Newfoundlands and never owned a retriever.

I know you want a pup from your Miley, but if spaying her extends her life-you won't ever regret that. I didn't run my first Golden Retriever, Kate, in HTs until she was 6 years old and she had been spayed for years. One advantage you'll have is never dealing with heat cycles when you have entered a test or during hunting season.
You can train and run for fun instead of attaining titles because of any value it may add to puppy sales.

Good luck with the surgery. Hope it goes well!!

M

 

[CacaoandNilla]

I gotta get one of my girls fixed very soon too. I wish your girl a speedy recovery

 

[Fire Angel]

Prayers for a speedy recovery for your Miley!

 

[Bridget Bodine]

There are many blessings in spaying your dog.

 

[Guest]

Prayers sent. Make sure they send her home with something for pain. I had one spayed years ago DR didnt send any meds home said she'll be fine. I was up with her all night she was in such horrible pain she wouldn't lay down just stood all night. Boy did I give the Dr a chewing out the next day.

 

[fishn]

Thanks everyone, I appreciate your prayers, encouragement and feedback. gmhr1, I will add pain meds to my list of things to ask about. I think I am going to ask them to check her platelets before they do surgery, if they can, as the setter I lost started bleeding that evening after the surgery and the hospotal could not get it stopped, and after my boys had platelet issues when they were babies (thank God they got thru it), I have in my mind it could have been an issue with my setter. Still breaks my heart 5 1/2 years later.

May God bless you all.

 

[Billie]

Spay is a very routine surgery. There cn be complications with any surgery or anesthesia but that is nto the the norm.
Depending on the age of the dog, my vet reccomends a preop. blood panel to check liver and kidney function. And gives iv fluids with the surgery if theyre older too. He says it helps them recover quicker. Dont know- hes the only vet I've had that does that . I know my 10 yr old came home yesterday starving and ready to go for a run with the other dogs even though she has stitches and a belly wrap...( mammary tumor remved). Youd never know she had surgery.
I alwys am concerned til I get the call saying theyre "out" but surely you'll have nothing to worry about . The toughest thing is keeping them settled for 10 days...

 

[browndogbill]

prayers sent from IL.

 

[Julie R.]

I always worry anytime my dogs have to be anesthetized for anything--pay the extra to get the pre-op bloodwork done, even though chances are things will be fine, it's worth it for the peace of mind. And as for not having pups out of your girl...let that wish become a research project. Study her pedigree and see if you can locate siblings; find out all you can about her parents/grandparents. Your research will likely lead you to relatives of your dog; ask questions of those that knew her parents/grandparents and find a relative that is being bred for your next pup. Might not be a thing like her, but it will share some of her genes, and the chances are the same as if you bred her and kept a pup that it will be what you want.

 

[fishn]

Thank you all for your prayers, I appreciate them so much, and I thank God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit for hearing the prayers and for bringing Miley thru just fine. She's home and was very happy to see us, and her heartworm test came back negative too! So I am very, very thankful. If you would keep her in your prayers, especially the next 10 days, I would appreciate it. When I lost my setter, Susie, she got thru the cancer surgery but then started bleeding that evening and died from that. So any extra prayers would be a blessing.

Julie, it's funny you say that. When I got my first setter back in 1981, a guy told me who to call in NSTRA, and I did and got "Jill". She died in 1992. When I got my next setter ("Susie"), I called the same guy and basically did what you suggested, and he put me in touch with a guy that had "Susie". She was a "great grandaughter" of Jill's dad. They didn't look alot a like, as Jill was most white and a little orange ticked, while Susie was white but orange, including a big patch over one eye. But both were blesssings from God, both wonderful dogs, and both were outstanding bird dogs. And I miss them.

So if down the road (hopefully a long time from now) I decide to try to get a pup to be Miley's buddy and roommate, I will probably do exactly what you suggest.

Thanks again for all those that posted and all those that prayed, and may God bless all of you.