# Should I have her spayed? How old is too old?



## SadieJ (Feb 2, 2007)

I just adopted a 7 year old Pekingese dog who is not spayed. From what the previous owner told me, she has had two litters in the past. She has not been in heat for over a year.

Do dogs go through menopause? 

I know there are health benefits to having a dog spayed but at this point would it still be beneficial?


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## chul3l3ies1126 (Aug 13, 2007)

SadieJ said:


> I just adopted a 7 year old Pekingese dog who is not spayed. From what the previous owner told me, she has had two litters in the past. She has not been in heat for over a year.
> 
> Do dogs go through menopause?
> 
> I know there are health benefits to having a dog spayed but at this point would it still be beneficial?


Talk to your vet about it and make sure she is in a healthy condition. I've never seen a dog that is TOO old to be spayed or nuetered. From what my Vet and others have always told me, every year that goes by and a female dog does not get spayed, it increases the risk of cancer (Pyrometra- cancer of the uterus) in females.
Nessa


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## chucky (Mar 5, 2007)

my friend has a female pit, she id now about 10 years old, few years ago she had a swelling on her belly, took the dog to a vet, vet did sergery removed tumor, and spayed her, vet also said the tumor was developing for years, and was bleeding inside, if she was spayed, it wouldn,t have happened, now the dog is happyer than ever before, she lost weight, became more active. in fact she is more active than when she was a puppy.


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## lovemygreys (Jan 20, 2007)

Better to spay a healthy dog than do emergeny surgery on a sick one.

I've seen lots of seniors a lot older than 7 spayed with no problems. I'd definitely opt for pre-surgery bloodwork (I do that regardless of age).


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## Ginny01OT (Dec 3, 2006)

A friend of mines 8 year old dog was just spayed because she developed pylometria/pyometria?? (something like that and I am sure one of the more knowledgeable dog breeders out there will know the exact term)--it is a condition in which the uterus retains water I believe. Additionally the dog developed (as a result of the -metria) mammory tumors that also had to be removed and biopsied--thank goodness the tumors were benign--This is a purebred dog that had one litter about 4 years ago.


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

Sorry, I just had to pipe up here, because it sounds like there's a lot of confusion on Pyometra----it's not cancer or retaining water. It's a very serious infection, in which the uterus fills up with pus. Nasty. It's hard to treat, because, even if the vet goes in for an emergency spay, the pus can spill into the body cavity and cause a systemic infection. Yes, I'd have her spayed at this point. She's not too old---small dogs can live to be 15 easily---and it will prevent an emergency spay, which she may not survive. Better to have a routine spay done than to wait for the emergency.


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## briteday (Feb 10, 2007)

We recently adopted an 8 year old, retired show dog that had had 4 litters. She is a small breed and could live well into her teens. She was spayed in Dec. without problems and recovered very quickly. $200.

My neighbor just had her 4 year old poodle spayed because of pyometra. The dog almost died and it cost them over $1000.


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## Ginny01OT (Dec 3, 2006)

Willowy said:


> Sorry, I just had to pipe up here, because it sounds like there's a lot of confusion on Pyometra----it's not cancer or retaining water. It's a very serious infection, in which the uterus fills up with pus. Nasty. It's hard to treat, because, even if the vet goes in for an emergency spay, the pus can spill into the body cavity and cause a systemic infection. Yes, I'd have her spayed at this point. She's not too old---small dogs can live to be 15 easily---and it will prevent an emergency spay, which she may not survive. Better to have a routine spay done than to wait for the emergency.


As I said, I wasn't too familiar with the terminology of Pyometria although I knew it was some kind of life-threatening fluid build up in the uterus--had the dog been spayed after her first (and last) litter this risk would have been eliminated-as would the subsequent mammory tumors which also had to be surgically removed (ouch). A dog with pyometria probably would not survive as I would think they would get septic (septecimia--may not be spelled right)--So agree with Willowy, better to have the dog spayed now before any life-threatening issues evolve!


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## Love's_Sophie (Sep 23, 2007)

I would have her spayed, yes. Just get a blood panel done, to rule out any health issues. 

The benefits far outweigh the risk, when it comes to spaying or neutering, in my book!


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