Welcome Bay Vet Clinic

A spey (ovariohysterectomy) is the complete removal of the uterus (womb) and both ovaries of a female (bitch) dog. This is done under general anaesthetic.

A young bitch will usually reach sexual maturity between 6-12 months of age. At this stage she will start cycling. She will come into heat for 118 days or more, and continue to do so every 6 months.

When a bitch is in season she will squat (urinate) frequently and spot (bleed) from the vulva, attracting male dogs from miles around. If mated she will give birth to a litter or puppies 9 weeks later. She is capable of producing two litters a year.

The main advantage of speying your dog or puppy is the prevention of unwanted pregnancies - There are a lot of unwanted dogs and puppies out there that are already struggling to find homes.

• Pregnancy is impossible.

• She will not suffer from false pregnancies.

• She will not suffer from pyometra (uterine infections).

• Her risk of developing mammary gland tumours (breast cancer) is lowered (significantly if speyed before her first heat).

• She will not attract unwanted attention from male dogs as she will not come into season.

• She will not wander looking for a mate when in season.

Ideally we would spey between 5 and 8 months old, before her first heat.

Getting your puppy speyed before her first heat will significantly reduce the risk of developing mammary tumours. Once she has started cycling, finding the right time to spey can be difficult. It is a good idea to avoid speying while she is in season as there is an increased blood supply to the ovaries and uterus, which can increase risks associated with the surgery. It can then take 2-4 monthhs for this process to resolve and for hormone levels to return to normal.