To Spay or not to Spay?

G_A · Feb 5, 2023

This is surely a FAQ but I will still post because there are a few more specifics in our case.

So our Frenchie is 9 months old now and has just finished her first full heat a couple of days ago. The breeder who sold her to us recommended not to spay her as this would cause her gaining weight. So trusting her we didn't consider doing it until now.

What more, there is a not neutered male Jack Russel in the same age as our Frenchie, living next door and them two have been seeing/playing with each other ever since they were brought in.

So obviously it was a not easy 2 weeks for the Jack Russel now, feeling and smelling our girl has her heat even though they have not been in contact during this time. I also noticed our Frenchie's nipples kind of changed now that the heat is over.

Anyways, any suggestions on how we should be moving forward? Will it still be ok to spay her even though she already had her first heat? Is she suffering as well with the Jack Russel being around but not in contact with her?

Thanks ahead for your feedback!

Cbrugs · Feb 5, 2023

If spaying, you definitely want to wait until at least after their first heat. And yes, their nipples can change. My 2 boys are neutered and they still go crazy when my girl is in heat. Boys will be boys lol

Rusty’s Owner · Feb 5, 2023

I have 3 dogs, 2 retrievers and 1 Frenchie(Rusty).

The breeder we got the retrievers from, she told us to wait to spay them as well. They were ages 4 years and 5 years when we got them spayed because Rusty was a puppy and at that time he was 6 months old and we didn’t want retriever X Frenchie pups!!! So they all got fixed at the same time(my opinion I should’ve waited until Rusty was 18 months before neutering him, but we wanted the dogs to all have to keep quiet during recovery).

So i would wait to spay her until she is 1 year old. But at minimum wait until she had her first chest cycle(which you did).

G_A · Feb 6, 2023

Thanks for the feedback guys.

@Cbrugs so its pretty much either spaying the girl or neutering the boy, right? doesn't have to be both. Is that why you didn't spay her? will the nipples will go back to normal eventually or will they stay this way if there was no breeding?

Cbrugs · Feb 6, 2023

G_A said:
Thanks for the feedback guys.

@Cbrugs so its pretty much either spaying the girl or neutering the boy, right? doesn't have to be both. Is that why you didn't spay her? will the nipples will go back to normal eventually or will they stay this way if there was no breeding?

My girl is not spayed because she is a show dog and has to be "intact." We will also breed her one more time in 2024. Then she will get spayed. Not spaying increases the risk of pyometra as they get older. Pyometra is an infection of the uterus and can be life threatening.

My boys are neutered because they are just "pets" and not show dogs. It is my personal opinion that dogs should be neutered/spayed if not breeding or showing.