Desexing

Uterine Infection and Cancer

We have seen severe illness in female dogs arising from uterine infections such as pyometra. Spaying an infected uterus at this stage can be extremely risky for a female dog, and it also turns into an expansive surgical intervention.

Spaying a dog/cat/rabbit certainly reduces the chances of uterine infection/cancer and ovarian cancer down close to zero.

Pregnancy in Dogs FAQ

Is your bitch in heat?

Clues include:

• The vulva looks swollen/larger than normal
• There is bloody discharge from the vulva (this can become clear to brownish when she is ready to mate)
• Changes in behaviour such as becoming clingy or aggression towards other female dogs

Is your dog pregnant?

Pregnancy in dogs lasts roughly 9 weeks. In the early stages there are generally no obvious signs. In the last few weeks you may notice abdominal distension (may be visible earlier depending on the size of your dog/number of pups), and mammary gland enlargement. Milk will typically start being produced within a few days of birth. Dogs can also have “phantom pregnancies” where they show these signs despite there not being any pups.

Pregnancy Diagnosis

Pregnancy can be diagnosed in a number of ways, including

1. blood testing (progesterone levels),
2. ultrasound or x-rays. The method chosen depends on how far along in the pregnancy she is.

This also can give an indication of when the birth is likely to occur.
Temperature can be measured twice daily in the week leading up to birth, and is expected to drop to 37.0˚-37.8˚ C when she is roughly 12-24 hours away from giving birth.
In Stage 1 of labour there may be mild intermittent contractions, and the bitch will often show “nesting” behaviour (trying to make a bed/area she is comfortable in).

Is your dog not delivering puppies?

The following are signs of dystocia (trouble giving birth):

• No signs of birthing noted within 24-36 hrs after temperature drops
• No pups produced after 12 hours of Stage 1 labour
• No puppy produced after 30 minutes of active labour (consistent strong contractions)
• No puppy produced after 2 hours of intermittent contractions
• Dark green or smelly discharge before birthing
• Severe bleeding from the vagina
• Signs of pain (yelping during whelping; depression; hyperventilation)

If any of these are noted then veterinary attention should be sought. These can be an indication that a caesarean may be required.
At Canning Vale Veterinary Hospital, we are fully equipped to perform all of the above tests including blood progesterone, X-rays and ultrasound.

Caesarean Surgery

Our operation theatres are fully equipped to deal with caesarean surgery if needed.

Spay – cat

It is a good idea to spay a female cat after the age of 5 months. Female cats usually display estrous behaviour in very strange ways and most cat owners think that their cat is ill. As with dogs, unspayed female cats can develop pyometra.

Cat Castration

We recommend male cat castration after the age of 4 to 5 months depending on body weight. It is extremely important to have your male cat castrated to avoid them straying, fighting and the possibility of them fathering kittens.

Rabbit Castration

Rabbit can be castrated at any age after 12 weeks. Many of our clients have told us that their entire male rabbits have been humping on the legs or on the face of the clients, and that this stopped after castration.

In Western Australia it may be compulsory to spay and castrate dogs and cats. Please refer to the Department of Agriculture website for latest updates.