Pros and Cons Of Spaying

Spaying is a surgical procedure that removes the ovaries from a female dog so that she will never "come into season," cannot be bred and will never have puppies. Needless to say if you have acquired a female Brittany you have probably done so with the firm intention of breed­ing her sometime in the future. In that case the question of spaying will never enter your mind. On the other hand for some reason you may want a spayed (not "spaded") fe­male. Remember that if she is spayed and you change your mind about puppies there's nothing you can do about it. Furthermore you may decide to enter your bitch in a dog show. You can enter a spayed bitch in obedience competi­tion but not in conformation classes or in a field trial. You have time to consider the question. Although it has been customary to spay females before they have their first sea­son, it is now being advocated widely in the veterinary profession that it is best to have it done about four months after the female's first season. The reason for this is that the development of the ovaries plays a part in the physical and mental development of the animal. When spayed very young, there is a glandular disharmony. Thepuppy is more apt to become sluggish and later incline to obesity. If it is done when the pup is more mature and has developed ma­ture interests it has no effect upon her natural characteris­tics and she never loses them. Spaying is often done quite late in a bitch's life to correct and prevent mammary tu­mors.

Some people have a horror of the care involved in pro­tecting a bitch in season. It is not at all difficult. Her season will only occur twice a year for a period of about three weeks, six months apart, and once you get the hang of it there's very little trouble. She cannot, and will not, be mated at any other time.

Your female will begin to show a swelling in the vulva at about seven or eight months of age. She may act a little differently, becoming restless or overly affectionate. There will be a discharge that gradually changes to bleeding. This may be very slight or, in some individuals, profuse. About the tenth day the discharge changes to a lighter color and the vulva is conspicuously enlarged. She is most receptive during this stage and extreme care must be taken to avoid an accidental mating. When the vulva shrinks to normal size and the discharge disappears she is out of season. Give her a bath and let her resume her regular social life.

It is the odor of the discharge that attracts male dogs. As soon as your bitch shows signs of coming into season, keep her in the house, preferably locked upstairs or in the base­ment as dogs have a way of slipping out of opened doors. When you take her out for her daily duties, carry her from your door to your car and drive to some area away from your home before you let her put a foot on the ground. A bitch in season leaves her telltale odor as soon as she uri­nates which she l:vill have an urge to do often at this time. If there is no odor around your yard, male dogs will just think she's away visiting her grandmother. If you put her down in your yard, she will squat. The next door dog is alerted. He carries the odor on his feet where other dogs detect it and soon you will have a rousing multitude on your doorstep day and night.