With a female Yorkie, spaying refers to when the dog’s uterus and the ovaries are surgically removed. For the male Yorkie, neutering means that the testicles are surgically removed.
Why is This Done (Beyond the Obvious Reason) ?
It is a common mistaken belief that this is only done to stop dogs from mating. While this is one of the end results, there are also other important ways in which this will help your Yorkshire Terrier live a healthier and longer life.
When a female Yorkie is spayed, the benefits to the dog include:
• Eliminating her chances of developing ovarian and greatly reducing her chances for developing mammary cancer. This will also decrease her odds of developing ovarian infections.
• Stopping the chance of an older female from having a litter of puppies. Past the age of 8, the strain of carrying pups is extreme and very unhealthy for the female dog.
When a male Yorkie is neutered, the benefits to the dog include:
• Eliminating the possibility of testicular tumors
• Greatly reducing the possibility of infections
• Reducing the risk of prostate disease – This is a very common and serious health issue for the male Yorkshire Terrier. Roughly 60% of male dogs, who are older than 5 years old and not neutered, show symptoms of an enlarged prostate.
Sorting out the Facts
Will neutering a dog will make him depressed, lose strength and decrease his activity level? No. Studies have shown that male dogs do not act out any mating behavior unless they are moved by their own hormones in reaction to a female dog who is in heat. When neutered, it does not trouble a dog that he cannot mate. When a male dog is neutered, his body can then use its energy for other things besides mating, including endurance and strength. A male dog will be just as good of a "watch dog" and behave normally in all regards of activity and strength to exercise.
Will a female dog will become overweight and/or lazy? No. When given the appropriate amount of food and exercised properly, a female dog will not become overweight or lazy. This does not affect the activity level of a dog.
What Age is This Done?
The younger a dog is when this is done, the better it is for their health. Studies show that a female’s best chance of good health is to be spayed before her first heat. There is no benefit for a female dog to go through even 1 heat cycle.
The odds of developing mammary cancer increase even if the dog goes through 1 heat and increases as each heat cycle is allowed to happen. To offer her the best chance, a female Yorkie should be spayed at the age of 4 to 5 months old. However, even if an owner waits, having this done at any age will help to increase the life span of the dogs.
How is the Procedure Done?
Spaying female dogs is done by giving the dog general anesthesia. A small incision is made in the dog's abdomen. The uterus is then removed from that small incision. The ovarian ligaments and blood vessels are securely tied. The abdominal tissues are stitched back together in layers internally. Outside (external) stitches are not always needed.
Neutering a male dog is performed by making an incision in front of the dog's scrotum. The testicles are then removed through this small incision. The blood vessels are tied off and cut. The incision will have either have stitches that dissolve or ones which will need to be removed 10 days after the surgery.
What is the Recovery Time?
For both female and male dogs, water should not be given for 1 hour after the procedure.
For the male Yorkie, there is usually swelling for about 3 days. There may be some light bruising. Discomfort is usually low and most dogs do not need pain medication. The majority of male dogs are ready to play, exercise and run around as normal every just days later; however to make sure that the incision heals correctly, it is recommended to limit these activities for 2 weeks.
For the female Yorkie, it is important that she be allowed to completely rest for 10 days. If she shows any signs of vomiting, tremors, pale gum or bleeding, this indicates a complications and the dog should be brought to the veterinarian immediately. This is, however, rare. A female dog may try to lick her stitches and this can cause infection; therefore steps may be taken to prevent her from doing so. In about 2 weeks, she will have a checkup to make sure all is well and stitches will be removed at that time.
Spaying/ Neutering Senior Dogs
Some owners to not see the point of spaying or neutering an older, senior dog. However, doing so greatly helps to extend the life of the dog. There are several reasons why:
• A female may have heat cycles for her entire life. With most dogs, this does not stop as it does with humans. Having puppies in the senior years can be very dangerous for both female dog and impending puppies.
• Spaying significantly reduces the possibility of developing mammary cancer and eliminates the chances of ovarian cancer as well as uterine infections. Infections are very common in older dogs and can often be life-threatening. Therefore, having this done, even to a senior dog, can be very helpful in allowing them to live as long as possible.
• When a female dog is spayed, this reduces hormone changes in her body. These changes can affect other health conditions a dog may have including diabetes and epilepsy. .
• For the male Yorkshire Terrier, neutering a senior dog eliminates the possibility of developing testicular tumors, infections and reduces the risk of canine prostate disease. These are all canine health issues in which the chances of developing them increase as time go by.
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