Feeling so bad about getting my dog spayed

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get some therapy.

-__- Well thanks for keeping it real. I realize I'm internalizing this way more than I should. But, I was honestly feeling like I was going to be doing harm to her. Reading the responses, I get that that was pretty dumb and I should've had this done long ago.

Anonymous wrote:It's a medical procedure! Did your personality change after a root canal? Give whoever will be taking care of your dog a sealed baggie with her favorite treats. She will like that person and it'll calm her down.

BTW, YOU are scared out of your mind. Dogs have high EQ. YOU are causing your dog to be scared because she's picking up on your nervousness. Calm down.

This was really helpful. I will definitely do that. And yeah, I see how I just need to get my own self together for her. Now I'm pretty embarrassed I even asked and felt this way.

Listen, I wouldn't advocate for exploratory surgery just for shits and giggles or anything, but if I were you I'd strongly consider a different vet. Your vet sounds too passive about your dog's health (unless the issue is your interpretation skills) for my comfort. I want a vet who pushes me to do what's best for my dog's health.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Let me guess. Your male dog isn't neutered.

Should I answer this? He isn't, but will be. Probably doesn't matter, but even though he isnt, he doesn't have any puppies either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I understand how you feel.

I'm a crazy cat lady, and I felt so guilty after having my girl spayed. She WAS "scared out of her mind", and when I went to pick her up, she had peed herself and actually looked dead. I am assuming the process is similar for dogs, so I wanted to let you know what advice from the vet I wish I had IGNORED (because I still feel guilty for doing this). The vet told me that my cat would want to be alone in a quiet place to recover, and that she should be on the floor so that she wouldn't hurt her stitches jumping onto or off something, so I took her home and put her on a blanket on the floor in the spare room. I quickly sponged the pee off her fur and left her there. When I went back to the room to check on her about two hours later, she had dragged herself off the blanket and collapsed in the hall. I took her BACK to the spare room, and put her back on the blanket, and--this is horrible--she dragged herself off again and I found her collapsed in front of the now-closed door. I finally put her in our bed and lay down beside her, petting her and telling her I loved her, and that was what she wanted. She didn't WANT to be alone; she wanted to be in the bed where she slept with her people, and be reassured, and I know that because she didn't try to move again. So I traumatized her by taking her home, in pain and drugged up, and putting her by herself.

Since I'm a crazy cat lady, I stayed in bed with her until the evening when she woke up, and then I gently carried her to her litter box, and then I took her back to bed and stayed with her the rest of the night. My son made her some boiled chicken and we fed it to her in bed. My husband had to sleep on the sofa because I didn't want to risk jarring my girl, who was sleeping on his side.

I know she had to be spayed, but the vet's advice to put her in a room alone to recover was terrible, and I will never forgive myself for doing that to her, or forget finding her collapsed in the hall because she had been trying to get to me. So my advice is to plan an appointment for your dog that will enable you to pick her up at a time when you can spend some hours with her, and when you will not be going out or busy in the evening.

Oh man. I'm so sorry for your baby. I will keep this in mind just in case. I think my dog would react the same and not want to be alone only because she's always a few steps behind me and prefers to sleep next to me too. She was abused and had been attacked by a larger dog when she was younger so I think she just prefers the company. I hope she just bounces right back though.

[Anonymous]

OP I saved My sisters dog from certain death when she developed a severe uterine infection and it was very expensive too. Your dog will really appreciate you spaying her now. I know it's difficult but it's better than the consequence of having many many heats and no puppies which brings on this serious infection.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I think others posters are being unnecessarily mean. Yes, you should have gotten it done earlier, but good for you for getting it done now. I've owned a lot of dogs (male and female) and while I've always gotten them spayed/neutered early, their personalities haven't changed. The scary thing is that it's an operation and yes, you do drop them off and then have to come back later. I felt so bad for my current dog when I picked him up- he kept looking at me accusingly once he was home. Just make sure you have pain meds from the vet and that you give them at appropriate times. She won't remember it a week later. And, in the long run, it will be better for her. Make sure to give her extra loving after she's home.

If your male dog isn't neutered, please get that done as well. Good luck!

THANK YOU! And he is too. His appointment is scheduled for the week after hers. He's a lot younger than she is (2), so hopefully that's a better place to be. But lesson learned.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP I saved My sisters dog from certain death when she developed a severe uterine infection and it was very expensive too. Your dog will really appreciate you spaying her now. I know it's difficult but it's better than the consequence of having many many heats and no puppies which brings on this serious infection.

Very good to know. I guess it's bad I had to hear these scary stories to convince me, but I'm glad for them because I really had no idea of just how much harm I've been potentially causing because I thought I was avoiding harm.

[Anonymous]

I'm the pp whose dh refused to have our dog spayed for several years and she developed the infection.

You haven't failed your dog, OP. You're doing the right thing now and it could very well save her life.

Fwiw, our sweet dog lived to be 13, which is pretty old for a golden retriever.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get some therapy.

-__- Well thanks for keeping it real. I realize I'm internalizing this way more than I should. But, I was honestly feeling like I was going to be doing harm to her. Reading the responses, I get that that was pretty dumb and I should've had this done long ago.

Anonymous wrote:It's a medical procedure! Did your personality change after a root canal? Give whoever will be taking care of your dog a sealed baggie with her favorite treats. She will like that person and it'll calm her down.

BTW, YOU are scared out of your mind. Dogs have high EQ. YOU are causing your dog to be scared because she's picking up on your nervousness. Calm down.

This was really helpful. I will definitely do that. And yeah, I see how I just need to get my own self together for her. Now I'm pretty embarrassed I even asked and felt this way.

Listen, I wouldn't advocate for exploratory surgery just for shits and giggles or anything, but if I were you I'd strongly consider a different vet. Your vet sounds too passive about your dog's health (unless the issue is your interpretation skills) for my comfort. I want a vet who pushes me to do what's best for my dog's health.

I agree. I'm looking into new ones now. Even when I had told her about the false pregnancy symptoms, she made it seem like it was okay. I had no idea what was going on and she just said its because she's not spayed so her body is still cycling certain hormones. Nothing else. Nothing about infection, nothing about the serious health risks, nothing asking again if I was going to have her spayed. She has mentioned it twice before though, but waaaaay back when she was younger. The first was during her first appointment with her, I think as protocol. The second when I took her in for a bad rash (which turned out to be demodex (sp?) mites. She asked, I said no, and she said don't allow her to have puppies because the mites are passed down through the mother. I looked into having her spayed because she was going through more false pregnancy symptoms so soon after the last time she went through them and it's lasting longer. And I read (googled) about cancer being more prevalent. After reading everyone's posts, I feel like it's ass backwards that a bunch of strangers have persuaded me to keep her appointment and not the vet she's been seeing for years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm the pp whose dh refused to have our dog spayed for several years and she developed the infection.

You haven't failed your dog, OP. You're doing the right thing now and it could very well save her life.

Fwiw, our sweet dog lived to be 13, which is pretty old for a golden retriever.

Thank you. I wish I had known better earlier, but I hope my dogs live long and happy too.

[Anonymous]

OP, where do you live? Do you want new vet recs bc yours does not sound good. I have had great experiences at Adams Morgan Animal Hospital and (in an emergency) Friendship Hospital

[Anonymous]

Wanna bet your dog hasn't sired any puppies?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, where do you live? Do you want new vet recs bc yours does not sound good. I have had great experiences at Adams Morgan Animal Hospital and (in an emergency) Friendship Hospital

In Brookland and that'd be really helpful. I asked a couple coworkers for recs and looked up a few online as well. Adams Morgan Animal Hospital, Atlas Vet, and Silver Spring Animal Hospital were recommended so I'll look into those. I've been to Friendship before for an emergency, I do like them.

[Anonymous]

You are a complete fucking moron.

[Anonymous]

OP-what did you do when your dog had her period? When I was a kid I remember a friend's mom putting a diaper like get-up on their dog.

I've heard that current best practice is with females to get it done after their first heat and for males in months 10-12. That is for specific large breeds. There are changes in males-less dominant behavior, less leg lifts, no more humping.

That wait period is only applicable for experienced and committed owners who know the breed, the issues etc. Shelter dogs need to be fixed asap.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, where do you live? Do you want new vet recs bc yours does not sound good. I have had great experiences at Adams Morgan Animal Hospital and (in an emergency) Friendship Hospital

In Brookland and that'd be really helpful. I asked a couple coworkers for recs and looked up a few online as well. Adams Morgan Animal Hospital, Atlas Vet, and Silver Spring Animal Hospital were recommended so I'll look into those. I've been to Friendship before for an emergency, I do like them.

Go to Atlas Vet on H St, we love them, so does our pooch!