What is Spaying?
Spay surgery sterilizes a female dog and prevents her from getting pregnant. Usually, both the ovaries and the uterus are removed. Another option is to remove only the ovaries or only the uterus.
Unspayed female dogs go into heat about once every six to eight months and it lasts for as long as three weeks each time. During this time, a female dog is receptive to mating with males. She may appear nervous, easily distracted, and more alert than usual. She may also urinate more often than she normally does and produces a vaginal discharge. Unless they’re spayed, female dogs regularly go into heat for their entire lives. In addition to eliminating the odor and behaviors associated with being in heat, spaying is thought to have several additional benefits.
The spay procedure has its equivalent in human healthcare and is known as a complete hysterectomy (ovaries and uterus removed) or an oophorectomy (removal of the ovaries). This procedure is sometimes referred to as “surgical menopause.” As with a human hysterectomy, spay surgery leaves a dog without her full complement of sex hormones, such as estrogen.
Since spaying is done when pets are quite young, they will experience a lifetime of essentially being in menopause. Some veterinarians are starting to question this practice and are looking at the long term health consequences of a lifetime without sex hormones. Bone cancer, ligament tears, and incontinence tend to be more common in spayed dogs.
Some veterinarians suggest removing only the ovaries because this surgery is simpler and reduces the risk of damage to a pet’s lower back. While the immediate risk to the pet may be less, sex hormone production is not preserved when the ovaries are removed. Dr. Michelle Kutzler, who specializes in animal reproductive health, recommends removing only the uterus. Leaving the ovaries intact allows them to continue to produce sex hormones. The pet will still go into heat, but will be sterile, and will not produce uterine spotting and other secretions.
One problem that may be associated with spaying is urinary incontinence or the unintentional leaking of urine. Veterinarians recommend that pets with urinary incontinence be evaluated by a professional, as urinary incontinence has a number of potential causes. One common cause is hormone imbalance following spay surgery. The proper function of urinary tract tissue is dependent upon adequate exposure to estrogen and after a pet’s ovaries are removed, her estrogen levels are low. Lack of estrogen may cause the urethral sphincter (a muscle used to control the exit of urine) to relax and release urine involuntarily. Incontinence is most common during rest as muscles are relaxed and urine tends to seep out.
The following are some commonly used treatments for incontinence in dogs:
Why Is My Dog Peeing So Much After Being Spayed or Neutered
There can be various reasons why your dog might be peeing after being neutered or spayed; in most cases, a dog starts frequently peeing after the neutering or spaying because of the surgery itself, causing them pain in the genital area.
If your dog is peeing immediately after the surgery, chances are they may have received fluids such as from IV, which may result in the dog peeing more than usual for the remainder of 24-48 hours. This should generally stop after the period has passed.
For female dogs, changes in the hormone system may result in some urinary incontinence and cause them to pee frequently or have leakage, courtesy of the incontinence.
For male dogs, it is usually the pain in the genital area from which they were neutered, which may give them to urge to pee more frequently and try to get rid of the pain.
Why is my dog peeing so much after being spayed or neutered? Usually, the frequency of your dog peeing should lessen throughout the two weeks. Still, if your dog keeps frequently peeing without stopping, it would be a good idea to get them checked for UTI (Urinary Tract Infection), as this condition could come up in some cases of neutering or spaying surgery.
When Can I Bathe My Dog After Neutering or Spay? Check this article for more information.
Your Dog Is Groggy or in Pain
If your dog just came home from a spay surgery, she may still be groggy if she was spayed the same day. Many vets keep spayed dogs overnight, so when the owner picks the dog up the morning after, the dog is more awake and alert.
On the other hand, some vets send dogs home the same day as the surgery. This results in a dog that is often groggy, and at times, they may even have difficulty walking. If so, your dog may soil the home because she is too groggy to get around on her own.
On the other hand, your dog may be in pain and not feel too well to attend to her bladder and bowel needs as she would normally do. Many vets will send spayed dogs home with a bottle of pain medications to expedite recovery.
A little post-surgery rest can go a long way.