Pyometra Or Mammary Cancer

[Shelby]

I have had two bitches - one with mammary tumour and one with a pyometra. The mammary tumour was removed when she was 8 years old and she was desexed at the time. I was told the tumour she had was a very aggresive type but she lived until she was 14.5 years. Last year I had my 13 year old girl not looking good - rather flat. Took her to the vet & she had a very high temp, had a bit of loose bowel motion but nothing dramatic. Vet thought it was a tummy bug so gave antibiotics and we came home. She was drinking (not excessive) but wouldn't eat, next morning flat as a tack so back to the vet, they took her straight in & placed her on fluids. Following day, vet called to say he thought it might be pyo although she wasn't really showing any symptons. I made the decision for them to operate & yep, pyo was the culprit. They took it all out and four days later she was home. She celebrated her 14th birthday in January and doesn't look to be going anywhere just yet. They told me she was very lucky.

[cowanbree]

I have had many bitchs over the years, all desexed by 6ish and never had any pyo , mammary cancer or spay incontinence. I have had some start to have some odd seasons which has hastened me to desex but never had one actually develop pyo. That said I have many friends who have experienced it and it seems to happen in bitchs that aren't cycling normally. They may have missed getting in whelp. start to have shorter seasons or seasons that don't progress normally or have an odd discharge, that type of thing. I am also very careful to time my desexing mid way between seasons to prevent spay incontinence which seems to have worked for me - so far touch wood.

Personally the main reason I desex is for an easier life. When you have dogs and bitch all living in the house, you really do want as few entire ones as possible

[Roguedog]

pyo is very common in older unspeyed bitches, see it all the time at work sadly... plus my girl got pyo AND mammery cancer... please desex, not worth the risk of putting your girl through either condition!

[_PL_]

Far too many pyo, mammary cancers and the occasional testicular cancer just for variety.

One year we got on such a roll it was just assumed before pickup that there would be one of the above.

Clearly stats are going to be skewed when working with pound dogs. The worse they are, the chance of being reclaimed drops to zero.

[Rebanne]

One entire bitch, GSD, spayed at around 3, after 4 or 5 seasons. Found a tiny pea size lump near a nipple at around 6, never tested.

One entire bitch, Greyhound, spayed at 5, so far zilch

All other bitches, 5, spayed at around 6 months, one became incontinent at around 8 years after a UTI

[german_shep_fan]

First female not desexed lived to 15 and died of old age. Second female spayed at 5, died of hamengioscarcoma at 9. Third female desexed at 6 months, died of hamengioscaroma at 12. Fourth female 17mnths not desexed, perhaps being naive but no intention of desexing due to research being done into desexing and increased rates of hamengiosacorma. None with mammary cancer or pyo

Edited March 2, 2013 by german_shep_fan

[Diva]

People say they won't take risks so automatically desex, but they are taking risks, those of increased risk of other diseases that are just less well reported or understood as higher occurrence in desexed animals. It is a case of knowing as much s you can and choosing the risks you think you can best manage. Neither option is risk free as research is starting to show us. For most people the convenience of desexing is compelling, and that is fair enough, but when it isnt the risk based decision isn't as clear cut as the average suburban vet would assert.

[OSoSwift]

Yes Diva, exactly what I was thinking but put much more eloquently :)

[PRADA68]

I have had one bitch pyometra she had to have an emergency desexing or she would have died, this happened after she was mated. I had another have a breast off as a three year old and lost her to cancer at 10, with mammary cancer. Her daughter also died at 10 with mammary cancer just like her mum. The first bitch I lost to cancer her father also died of cancer. They were linebred on a particular bloodline that was known for high cancer deaths. I don't know if desexing them would of helped but what happened is history and so heartbreaking.

[YOLO]

People say they won't take risks so automatically desex, but they are taking risks, those of increased risk of other diseases that are just less well reported or understood as higher occurrence in desexed animals. It is a case of knowing as much s you can and choosing the risks you think you can best manage. Neither option is risk free as research is starting to show us. For most people the convenience of desexing is compelling, and that is fair enough, but when it isnt the risk based decision isn't as clear cut as the average suburban vet would assert.

Yes well put. There are many potential problems with desexing, and as best as I can tell Pyo & Mammary cancer are the two BIG risks with not.

We have flip-flopped again, and are seriously considering a little bitch.

[cowanbree]

People say they won't take risks so automatically desex, but they are taking risks, those of increased risk of other diseases that are just less well reported or understood as higher occurrence in desexed animals. It is a case of knowing as much s you can and choosing the risks you think you can best manage. Neither option is risk free as research is starting to show us. For most people the convenience of desexing is compelling, and that is fair enough, but when it isnt the risk based decision isn't as clear cut as the average suburban vet would assert.

Yes well put. There are many potential problems with desexing, and as best as I can tell Pyo & Mammary cancer are the two BIG risks with not.

We have flip-flopped again, and are seriously considering a little bitch.

Mammary cancer is not just a risk for a bitch. I currently have a male cat with it, just had the lumps removed

[*kirty*]

I've had lots of girls, mostly desexed. I have never had pyo before desexing, or any incontinence problems since desexing.

Had one foster girl rescued from a puppy farm at approx 6yrs with multiple mammory tumours. Had a mammory strip (what an awful surgery that is ) and still going strong now at approx 12yrs ols.

[sandgrubber]

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1362087273[/url]' post='6137594']

There's no point in a bitch having any seasons if you aren't going to breed her. Each time she has a cycle there is the possibility that she will have a pyo. It also increases the chances of mammary tumors.

There is if you want it to grow and develop properly

Or if you want to show her. Of course you can simply lie and say she's entire.

[OSoSwift]

Depends on the breed wouldn't be hard to figure it out if it was a coated breed :)

[YOLO]

Have taken the plunge and put a deposit on a little black girl...

[Salukifan]

Yes, this is another "desexing" thread. When we get another dog or puppy I am contemplating a bitch, and am in two minds.

Please, I don't want another thread on the pros or cons of desexing. These two diseases are the most forceful arguments for early desexing of a bitch and I would like to know just how prevalent they really are.

One study I read said Pyometra occurs in 25% of entire bitches, which seems extraordinary??

I don't think they are arguments for EARLY desexing at all, if you're talking about desexing before age 6 months.

I don't think there is any good argument for baby puppy desexing other than ensuring sterility but there are other ways to achieve that.

[Diva]

Have taken the plunge and put a deposit on a little black girl...

How exciting, we look forward to photos!

[WExtremeG]

People say they won't take risks so automatically desex, but they are taking risks, those of increased risk of other diseases that are just less well reported or understood as higher occurrence in desexed animals. It is a case of knowing as much s you can and choosing the risks you think you can best manage. Neither option is risk free as research is starting to show us. For most people the convenience of desexing is compelling, and that is fair enough, but when it isnt the risk based decision isn't as clear cut as the average suburban vet would assert.

Yes well put. There are many potential problems with desexing, and as best as I can tell Pyo & Mammary cancer are the two BIG risks with not.

We have flip-flopped again, and are seriously considering a little bitch.

for us, the biggest risk was an accidental pregnancy- not because I keep other entire dogs (I don't) or couldn't keep my dog in (she's never escaped), but because I couldn't keep other dogs out (6ft fence) and there was no way I wanted to raise a litter of "mutt puppies" for more pound fodder :/. It was a very hard decision- and one I am still coming to terms with- but at the end of the day I am happier knowing that it will never happen to her.

To anyone that hasn't had this happen- never assume it won't-

To keep an entire bitch you must make sure they are never alone during their heat- which can last a month or more-

[german_shep_fan]

People say they won't take risks so automatically desex, but they are taking risks, those of increased risk of other diseases that are just less well reported or understood as higher occurrence in desexed animals. It is a case of knowing as much s you can and choosing the risks you think you can best manage. Neither option is risk free as research is starting to show us. For most people the convenience of desexing is compelling, and that is fair enough, but when it isnt the risk based decision isn't as clear cut as the average suburban vet would assert.

Yes well put. There are many potential problems with desexing, and as best as I can tell Pyo & Mammary cancer are the two BIG risks with not.

We have flip-flopped again, and are seriously considering a little bitch.

It's good to see arguments both for and against instead of the usual stuff on fb of desex or you are a bad dog owner who will contribute to the number of pound dogs ect. For me the risk of pyo is worth it as I truly believe in the research that is being done overseas on spayed vs entire in relation to hamengiosacorma. My girl will be 18mnths nxt week and vet just recently did an implant for her. I guess at the end of the day it is up to each individual dog owner to decide what is best for them.

Edited March 6, 2013 by german_shep_fan

[YOLO]

Yes, this is another "desexing" thread. When we get another dog or puppy I am contemplating a bitch, and am in two minds.

Please, I don't want another thread on the pros or cons of desexing. These two diseases are the most forceful arguments for early desexing of a bitch and I would like to know just how prevalent they really are.

One study I read said Pyometra occurs in 25% of entire bitches, which seems extraordinary??

I don't think they are arguments for EARLY desexing at all, if you're talking about desexing before age 6 months.

I mean early, as in before their first season.