Spaying a Shih Tzu at 6 months or not?
By adminI have a 5 month Shih Tzu, and I got her with 4 months. She went to one appointment at a vet, and I only had once encounter with this doctor and he said that she should be spayed after her first heat. I then did research online to see the pros and cons with spaying at that time or before first heat. If she does it before the first heat she has a zero chance of mammary cancer, but I’ve read a few places that incontinence can occur.
If she gets spayed after the first heat, I have concern that it will be hectic keeping her safe from male dogs during that time. She’ll also have an 8% risk of having mammary cancer, but she’ll be older which being more mature can be good.
Since I’m not sure what to do, and because I need to decide this now. I called another known vet in the area to ask what the best age is… they tell me before the first heat at 6 months.
I see that vet opinions will vary, and in the end it is my decision. But I want to do the best thing for my pet.
If you have had experience with a small breed, and spaying… I’d appreciate advice.
8 Comments
August 24th, 2011 at 9:44 AM
Do all dogs stink or just Shih Tzu’s?
August 24th, 2011 at 9:50 AM
Every dog I’ve ever had has been altered at 6 months, and has never experienced incontinence because of it. I would do it ASAP. Its just easier, and I don’t really see the benefit of letting her go into heat once first.
August 24th, 2011 at 10:41 AM
I would spay her around 6 months. Don’t wait until her first heat. Especially if you are worried about keeping an eye on her around un neutured dogs. Its better to spay early then to have an uneeded or unwanted litter of pups.
August 24th, 2011 at 10:51 AM
My dog got spayed before her first heat cycle at 5 1/2 months. The best thing for your dog is get her spayed, before or after her first heat cycle.
August 24th, 2011 at 11:43 AM
With small breeds, the earlier, the better! We did my mom’s Yorkie at 4 months and she had zero issues with incontinence, never had a heat cycle, recovered very quickly, and has had no related health issues since. All of our small dogs have always been fixed early. I would not let her have a heat cycle, there is no benefit to it at all for small dogs.
August 24th, 2011 at 11:57 AM
I’ve never had a problem spaying at 6 months (yorkies not Shih Tzu but close). If there is any chance of her coming into an intact male during her first heat, it is far better that she be spayed before. Pregnancy on the first heat is a far worse option.
August 24th, 2011 at 12:40 PM
If you want to spay her just make sure your vet does not use an injectible anesthesia.gas anesthesia is much safer because it can be stopped immediately if the dog has a reaction to it. The injected anesthesia cannot. Also make sure your vet uses an ekg during the surgery.
August 24th, 2011 at 1:34 PM
The surgery is less complicated before the first heat because the tissues are less developed. Also females who are spayed later can tend to be less social and more dominant(ie less loving, more aggressive to other females). There are lots of reasons to spay before the first heat, that is why some vets charge more after the first heat to spay.