chihuahua Spaying/Neutering

Overview

A lot of chihuahuas owners underestimate the importance of having their chihuahuas spayed or neutered. They spend a lot of time looking at puppies trying to find the right one for their family, but sometimes they forget about future problems like spaying and neutering. Therefore, they end up having a lot of dogs growing up without getting fixed. You should put in mind that there are a lot of reasons why you should spay or neuter your dog.

Some people think that spaying or neutering their dogs is bad because it will be a source of pain and unneeded stress on their dogs. Also, they think that there is a possibility that their chihuahua may get infections after the surgery. However, cases like this are few. In addition, most veterinarians and professionals will agree that having your dog spayed and neutered is a safe and healthy procedure.

What Exactly is Neutering and Spaying?

Chihuahua Spaying/Neutering are two different cases. Spaying is a surgical procedure in females that involves the removal of the ovaries and the uterus. The aim of spaying a female chihuahua is to prevent the chances of pregnancy. On the other hand, neutering is a surgical procedure involving the removal of the testicles. Only the inside part is removed but the sac remains. Choosing to spay or neuter your chihuahua is probably the best decision you can make on behalf of the furry canine pet dog breed. Apart from reducing the chances of unwanted pregnancy, you increase the lifespan of the chihuahua. Pregnancy comes with a lot of complications. But thanks to spaying and neutering, you don’t have to worry about your pet anymore.

When is the best time to spay or neuter my chihuahua?

A lot of chihuahua owners don’t have a clue when it is the best time to spay or neuter their dogs. Doing it too early or too late may bring about more issues that are not what we want here. The best time to spay or neuter your chihuahua is when it is between 4 months and 6 months, prior to their first heat cycle. There are those who fear the procedure and are afraid for their pets, but it doesn’t affect their personality in any way.

Is Spaying/Neutering Really Necessary?

Having your dog spayed or neutered is a very good thing. However, there are some cases when you may want to avoid having the procedure done. Such as planning the breeding of your dog in the future. Breeding a dog is a big decision, especially for chihuahua and other toy breeds. As they will require a lot of energy, time, and money.

This article may help you: Breeding Your Chihuahua

There are also some circumstances where you might want to avoid spaying or neutering your dog. For instance, when your veterinarian advises you to avoid it. The vet may ask you to avoid based o some medical reason such as age, immune system issues, or some other underlying health condition.

Advantages of spaying/neutering

• In females, spaying decreases the chances of acquiring ovarian cancer and mammary tumors whereas, in males, neutering decreases the chances of prostate cancer and perianal fistula.
• Neutering reduces aggressive behavior by the male chihuahua as a result of reduced levels of testosterone.
• Reduced cost of medical care for the owners since neutering and spaying reduces the possibilities of your chihuahua contracting various diseases and the female chihuahua will not require C-section procedures for birth.
• Spaying puts a stop to the heat cycle in female chihuahuas and the possibility of pregnancy. Since there are no ovaries, the female chihuahua can reproduce neither can she experience heat cycles which can be messy and unpleasant.
• Neutering also reduces the roaming tendencies and running away chances in the male. Male chihuahuas that have not been spayed will have the tendency of running away. So that they can mate with their female counterparts. This is eminently reduced when the male genitals are removed since they lose the urge to mate.
• There’s an increased concentration in the male chihuahua. This is because there are not constantly distracted by the urge to engage in sexual behaviors.

Disadvantages of spaying/ neutering

• The possible occurrence of urinary incontinence (weakening of the bladder) for spayed females. This will often occur if your Dog’s bladder hadn’t fully developed.
• Spaying and neutering increase the chances of obesity in Dogs.
• Spaying increases the chances of hemangiosarcoma of the spleen and heart compared to the unsprayed female chihuahuas due to the absence of reproductive hormones.
• Increases the chances of your chihuahua developing hypothyroidism (low levels of thyroid in their body).
• There will be delays in the growth plate closure which can, later on, lead to increased chances of having fractured bones.
• If done in the early life stages of a chihuahua, spaying, and neutering can lead to;

1. Dysplasia and torn ligaments around the born muscles due to uneven development.
2. Increased chances of developing lymphoma.

• Bone cancer, which people also call osteosarcoma.

1. Distorted female private parts with regards to the size and shape of the vulva.

Myths about spaying and neutering

There are several myths out there about spaying and neutering your dog and I’m sure you’ve heard about them. Some of the common myths include;

• Neutering and spaying a dog will lead to decreased activity and make him/her feel depressed. The dogs
• Your dog will become overweight and lazy immediately. There are chances of your dog becoming obese, however, as long as you feed them right and exercise them a lot, they will remain in good shape.
• Spaying or neutering your dog will affect its personality and will not be as loving as dogs that aren’t spayed or neutered.
• Spaying and neutering are not good for dogs under the age of 12 months. According to most veterinarians, the best time is by the 6^th  

Recovery

Spay recovery

It will take 7 to days for a healthy female to recover. During the first 24 hours, you may notice that your dog may be sleepy and/or refusing to eat, don’t worry this condition is the result of anesthesia.

You may also see redness and slight swelling.

During the first week, you have to clean and check the incision at least once a day. In addition, your vet will perform a checkup after 7 days. After that, if you notice any redness around the stitches, you should take the dog to your vet as it may be the beginning of an infection

Neuter Recovery

The time that a male chihuahua will take to recover is 10 to 14 days. There are things to take into consideration during this time. Firstly, you have to avoid exercise, but you can do slow walking on a leash. Secondly, the owner should not give a bath to his chihuahua, because it may cause bacterial infection. After healing the vet will remove the stitches.

After the surgery, some dogs will be extremely well but others may show some pain and discomfort, for this reason, the vet may prescribe pain medication

Last word

Neutering and spaying your dogs have their benefits and their demerits as well. However, the advantages always outweigh the advantages. In addition to the advantages, there will be lower numbers of the dog pet population that will be homeless. Looking at the bright side, these sterilized surgical procedures will help your dogs in many ways. Not everyone will agree to these procedures as they consider them inhumane. Therefore, ensure when you go to purchase a dog from the pet store, you identify whether you will be breeding it or not.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE:

Making our chihuahuas’ health and nutrition effective

Chihuahua Territorial Marking