Spaying a Irish Setter Bitch??

[Charlotte Hood]

Hello,

I have a wonderful Irish Setter, Rosie, she is just over a year old. I am wondering whether to get her spaying to avoid health problems but really don't won't to loose her perfect coat.

HELP!

If anyone has any advice that would be great.

Also Before and After pictures of spayed Irish Setters would be great!

Thanks.

[Angela Roberts]

The girl that became incontient was 6 1/2 years old when she had to be spayed (I did state that in my original post).  So she was fully mature but I wouldn't agree with your statement 'because that's a very small risk then spaying a dog after the age of about 1 as the main reason for incontinence problems after spaying is with young girls that havent had a chance to grow fully and mature resulting in the urinary system not being fully developed.' 

In Irish Setters I would say it's a major risk and the earlier you spay the worse it seems to be.  The reason behind incontience of a spayed bitch is due to the lack of estrogen hormone after the ovaries have been removed.  Estrogen is responsible for providing tone to the bladder sphincter muscle.  When spayed, this hormone is no longer being produced in the amount it was prior to the removal of the ovaries so when the dog relaxes, so does the sphincter muscle of the bladder, which controls urination itself.  When this muscle relaxes too much, urine is then allowed to leak out of the bladder.  Seriously affected dogs dribble urine while awake and walking around.

I have had quite a few people who have bought puppies from me that have been previous owners of the breed or buying a puppy for a companion for another Irish Setter.  They have said they would never have another bitch spayed unless necessary for health reasons as they couldn't cope with the incontinence.  Once those ovaries are gone you can't put them back.

 

[Charlotte Hood]

Oh i dont know all the facts or probability of this, thanks for making me aware :) i've just researched into and putting them on hormones seem to help and some a designed to strenghten the sphincter.

i did learn that if you spay to young the sphincter wont grow fully, thata what i was going for with the risk being higher when younger.

I'll defo look into before i get rose spayed :)

[Charlotte Hood]

Sue, that makes me feel so much better that the coat changes arent always bad with flat coats like mine :)

also that im not the only owner that wants their dogs neutered :) was the problem with inconteience really bad?