Is hemangiosarcoma risk from spaying only for large breed dogs?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Precious. Spaying removes the risk of uterine cancer or a uterine infection. It decreases the risk of mammary cancer up until the fourth heat cycle. Females rottweilers that are spayed before 1 year of age have an increased risk of osteosarcoma, but that is the only associated that seems credible. I have not seen an increase in hemangiosarcoma in spayed dogs. I hope this information helps!

Hello. I can understand your anxiety, & there are some studies to suggest that some breeds are better off being neutered after a year or so of age, but for the most part, there is no danger & there is no greater likelihood of advanced disease in these animals. I always remind people that many women need to have hysterectomies for various medical reasons, & while the vast majority of these surgeries happen after puberty, there is no known significant increase in cancer, Alzheimer's, endocrine disease, etc. in these women. You will be hard-pressed to find any veterinarian who has been in practice longer than 20 years who will say there has been an uptick in medical problems in neutered animals. Pets are living longer & healthier lives because of this, & while we are still not making a huge dent in the pet overpopulation program & the number of puppies & kittens euthanized each year, we are trying. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello. It is nice that you are looking into the risks for Chiquita so you can make sure to decrease the risk chances as much as possible. Size itself is not a reason to not spay an animal. There is no increased risk due to her size, as the drugs and medications and equipment that vet clinics have can easily handle a Great Dane. In terms of carrying her head when they move her, this is a precaution that should be taken in EVERY breed, and one that I would expect most clinics to adhere by. When animals are under anaesthetic they do not have the muscle tone to protect their necks. It is unlikely that even if the head were to 'dangle' it would cause a problem, but the precaution is taken in every animal, more to ensure the tube that she will have to breathe doesn't get misplaced than for her neck. Some Great Danes can have "Wobbler's Disease" which is an instability in the vertebrae in their neck, so for this reason extra care is taken to not exacerbate this. To decrease her risk further I would discuss with your vet about pre-operative bloodwork, ensure she has IV fluids during surgery, and good monitoring (heart rate, blood pressure, SPO2, etc.). I would recommend spaying her as the risks of not-spaying her out-weigh the risks of anaesthetic complications.

Hi there. You're right that the question of when to spay a large breed dog isn't as simple as we might like! It sounds like you've done some research on the pros and cons of spaying at different ages, which is great. In general, for my large breed patients, I recommend spaying at around 10-12 months of age (as long as the owner doesn't mind dealing with a heat cycle, since most dogs will go into heat for the first time prior to this). This still gives us an extremely low risk of mammary cancer, but also minimizes the risk of orthopedic issues since she should be finished growing by then.

Being spayed doesn't make a dog dependent. In addition, not being spayed doesn't guarantee a long life. Dogs who haven't been spayed are prone to cancer just like dogs who are spayed. In facts, dogs who are spayed before their first heat are at a significant less risk over developing mammary cancer than dogs who are spayed after the first heat (0.8% vs 8%) and after their second heat (0.8% vs 25%). In Bella's case, however, she would still have a 25% chance of developing mammary cancer because if she is spayed, she will have had at least two heats. In my professional opinion, it's best to have a dog spayed if you aren't going to breed her. It prevents her from developing a pyometra, it keeps her from accidentally getting pregnant, it eliminates the often annoying behaviors that occur when a dog's in heat, it saves you from dealing with male dogs who want to mate with Bella, and it eliminates the mess and small from a dog in heat.

While any anesthesia carries a risk, spaying is generally a very safe procedure. The risks of anesthesia increase as a dog ages (I'm specifically referencing senior dogs like 10 years and older), but there are few risks for a young and healthy puppy. Your vet is right she could be ill in the future if you don't spay her. Not spaying her leaves her at risk of developing a pyometra in the future. This is an infection of the uterus that is fatal without treatment, and spaying the dog is part of the treatment of a pyometra. That surgery is high risk due to the severity of the illness in the dog from the infection, and it costs thousands to perform. In addition, dogs who are spayed are at an increased risk of developing mammary tumors. Of these mammary tumors, 50% of them are malignant. For her health, it is best to spay her now. I would speak with your vet about getting it done. I hope this helps!

Poor Stella! Unfortunately one of the potential risks of a bitch spay is that they may have a haemorrhage. It is rare nowadays but can still happen. There is a blood supply straight off the aorta to the ovaries being removed. Often underlying conditions such as bleeding disorders make this more likely, or in Stella's case the fact that she reacted to the sutures could have contributed. I'm really sorry this happened and I'm sure your vet did everything they could. From what you say I doubt she felt any pain.