The importance of spaying your female dog
Most dog owners have heard that they should always get their female dog spayed. And, most people understand that spaying prevents a female dog from becoming pregnant. However, spaying acts as more than a mere birth control method. In truth, it is more complicated and makes a huge change to your dog’s reproductive system. To understand the procedure of “spaying” it is best to gain an understanding of your female dog’s reproductive system.
Your female dog develops the ability to mate with a male at six months of age. At this age, your female dog will begin to go into cycles of heat. When a dog is in heat, she is in her breeding period. An unfixed female dog typically goes into heat every six moths. A period of heat is also known as the estrus cycle. It usually lasts for two to three weeks. Over this time, your dog will become very attractive to unfixed male dogs. She may wander off to find a male dog, or one may wander to your home in search of her. Additionally, she may experience blood or discharge, which can become messy for the dog owner to clean.
When a female dog is spayed, she goes through what is called an ovariohysterectomy. All of her reproductive organs are removed, including the ovaries, uterus, and fallopian tubes. In order to do the procedure, a veterinarian will put your dog under anesthesia. After she is spayed, she will no longer go into heat.
While the main benefit of spaying your female dog is the prevention of unexpected puppies, the procedure has other benefits as well. A spayed female avoids going into heat, which means her owner does not have to deal with the messes of the estrus cycle. She will no longer feel the urge to leave her home in order to find a mate. Likewise, she will no longer attract unfixed males to her. Spaying also eliminates the possibility of further problems with the reproductive system that could result in serious health complications.
Unless you have specific and responsible plans to breed your female dog, it is in your best interest as well as your dog’s, to get her spayed. You will make her life easier and help to put an end to the many homeless puppies in the world.
