Incontinence.

[Lesley Bland]

Hi I have 3 Irish Setter bitches, they are sisters from the same litter and have all been spayed,unfortunately they are all incontinent and have to take Propalin daily. They were all spayed after their 1st season and became incontinent at about 2 years old, has anybody else encountered this problem?

[Lesley Bland]

Thank you, I just wondered if it happened because they have been spayed.

[Torie Lancaster]

I had three bitches spayed, all were different ages.  All three developed varying degrees of incontinence afterwards and were on Propalyn syrup for the rest of their lives. 

My vet told me around 65-70% of spayed bitches develop incontinence to some degree.

[Howard Glansfield]

Four of our bitches were spayed,three because of Pyo,of those two became incontinent.Ellie had Pyo and she is not incontinent.

[Georgina]

Curious isn't it.    I had an Irish spayed and she became incontinent, however my friend who was a vet and spayed his own bitches and they never became incontinent.   Five years ago I rescued and still have (she is 13.5) a dalmation who was spayed by the vet because she thought she would keep her because she couldn't bear the thought of destroying a perfectly nice dog because it's owners failed her.  Guess what, she isn't incontinent either.   Hmm, got me thinking, I think when the operation to spay is undertaken as a "procedure" for a paying customer they are not as careful as they should be and nick the sphyncter muscle that controls the flow of urine and thus the problem occurs.   However, when they "do" their own dogs they are much more careful.   It annoys me greatly because there are many bitches that are either destroyed or given up because their owners can't deal with the problem either financially or physically and it is preventable.      Dogs on preparations to prevent the dribbling means money  and whose pocket does that money go into????   

[Finding_Beau]

Hi Georgina, Based on my experiences with vets in Australia, I have to agree with you, not only with incontinence, with everything that vets do!!

My English Setter, Jessie was spayed at 6 months of age in 1991 based on the recommendation of my vet because she had severe hip displaysia. Even at that time I was not convinced but I trusted my vet. He was always extremely careful with surgery so fortunately Jessie did not suffer from incontinence or other gynaecological problems. Dare I say it, Jessie's coat was not adversely affected. Jessie was still going strong when she was 14 years 8 months old except a vet specialist "stuffed up" badly and killed her. Jessie died from the mismanagement of kennel cough. Jessie only contracted kennel cough after I started vaccinating her for it.

I meet responsible dog owners every day and everyone is saying the same thing about vets, and very little is positive. A competent, ethical vet is a rarity now. Unfortunately we can empower ourselves with information but we cannot perform surgery.

I dread even entering a vet practice now. My trust has been shattered.

[Georgina]

Oh, I'm so sorry.  To have got Jess to such a good age because of your care and to then lose her like that is heartbreaking.   When I came up to Scotland I brought up my Irish Setter and Vizla but I hadn't been here long and I ended up in hospital.   The dogs had to go into kennels and to facilitate this they had to be boosted because the kennels would not take them otherwise.   The setter was ok but Veni the Vizla developed a cough, not a hacking cough, just an irritable huff within 24 hours of the jab and before he went into the kennels.  He was 8 years old and fit as a fiddle I vaccinated all of my dogs as puppies but never boosted.   All of my dogs were show dogs so mixed with 1000s of dogs and I believe they built up their own immunity and really didn't need boosting.  They never had kennel cough or any infections etc when if we believe the information we are given by vets/ministry of agriculture it is vital that the dogs have to be treated thus.   When we are little we have our jabs but are we jabbed every year? NO! why? because it isn't necessary and the doctors don't get paid for it unlike the VETS WHO DO!

Veni had to have heart pills to regulate the problem and I lost him when he was 10, to this day I am sure he would have lived a longer healthier life if I hadn't boosted him.   He was a big old smelly dog with the most delightful character and Dopey the Setter was bereft as I was when Veni went, it was so so sad and unecessary.

We all want to protect our dogs as much as possible, and none of us would be reckless but the vets seem to be.  Kennel Cough!   My foot, there are 100s of strains and yes you pay to have them protected believe they are ok and then find that the dog's immunity has been jeapordised fatally and all for b....... money.

My vets realise that I am not persuaded and go along with me and the truth of the matter is that my dogs are well and happy.

The other thing that makes me see red is when a vet knows that an infected dog is being brought into the surgery they allow the owner to take it into the reception with the rest of the patients.  Totally irresponsible.   An infected dog is not only vulnerable to picking up more infection but it is likely that all the other dogs are being infected (I think it is spread by contact).  There should be a an insolation area for these patients.   I never take new puppies into a surgery, the vet comes to me in my car, if they baulk and only one has and I took the puppies to another practice, my vets comply. 

Try and restore your faith in vets they are not all bad but just ask questions and tell them what you want, don't be bullied by them.  We are paying their wages, the dogs are ours and for the sake of appearing to be "bullish" you are acting in the best interest of your dogs they are acting in the best interst of their bank accounts.

[Fran Griffin]

Having worked in a vets, I heard it said that it was often caused by clumsy surgery, Knowing what some vets are like, I would think you are right on there Georgina, Not all vets would of course, but I know darned well that there are some who would.