Spaying

[iluvmali]

I'm taking Mali in to be spayed on Friday and I'm kind of nervous. I've only ever had male dogs so I have no idea what to expect. Are there any other female basenji owners who can tell me what to expect with the recovery process? or is everything different for each individual dog?

Thanks bunches!

-Hannah

[Sunny]

In this same section is a post on spaying...i had sandie spayed about a month ago i think its different for each ... with Sandie the first day was her worst 2nd day a lil sore by day 3 we couldnt keep her from jumping on the bed etc... a few times she yelped but forgot bout it 1 min later and was doing same thing again... by day 10 stitches come out she was normal self.

[Lenora]

You can expect her to be very sleepy for a good while when she gets home. It may take a couple of days before the effects of anesthesia wear off. You might want to wake her up before you go to bed to go potty. Abbey was so sleepy she wouldn't pee when I took her out but woke up in the middle of the night and pottied on the living room rug. Mali may be too sleepy to eat or drink until the next day but probably won't get dehydrated. My vet said give Abbey a baby aspirin if she needed it but she didn't. Usually the vet gives written instructions before you take the dog home. He said no climbing on the furniture or going up and down stairs for a week. Most dogs figure out on their own that it hurts to jump and climb. Abbey would get up on the sofa but after trying once to jump off would pace back and forth till I helped her off. Her stitches were taken out after 10 days and she was fine after that.

[iluvmali]

Thanks... we went through a rollar coaster of where to take her, to our vet or to a low cost spay clinic down the street. After hearing horrifying stories about infections and bad stitches we chose our vet. I'm sorry if there was already a post about this in the forum... didn't mean to repeat...

[jys1011]

I got both of my B's spayed a month ago today WOW! And Topaz took it much worse. The Vet gave me specific instructions as well as pain meds for both of them. She was much more difficult since she is actually having organs removed and her incision was much larger than his. So her sutures had to be watched carefully. She also warned that their hormones get wacky and so be careful for personality changes but they DO return to normal after a week.

Day1-Topaz was too sleepy to go outside & wanted no food
Day2-went outside but no potty & only a few bites of food. She only wanted to be on my lap no daddy & DEFNITELY no C3 (he's her best buddy)
Day 3-went outside still VERY moody & only a few bites of food

Food is very important for their recovery so we went back to the Vet to help us make her eat something.

Day4-finally ate a full meal of prescription diet & went potty normally. Still moody!
Day5-picky eating (only wet food no kibble at all) & was moving about very gently. Starting to get more playful now but was possessive about her food & nyla bone
Day 6-eating more & was now trying to jump around but yell when it was too much

Day7-10 was much more normal & much less moody..unless C3 accidently ran into her with his lamp shade (poor guy!) By the time the stitches were removed she was absoultely back to normal.

I think mine was the worse case scenario so I hope this will help prep you. And good job going with a private vet vs. a clinic. Make sure you know someone who's had their dog spayed with the vet too because I have heard of vets who do hack jobs with stitches.

Good luck & best wishes for Mali

[iluvmali]

we avoided a hack job by avoiding the spay clinic, we've used our vet for when our previous B was so sick with cancer, diabetes, and various other serious problems. We trust him so very much... the only reason I thought of getting her spayed elsewhere before is because I am a poor college student (haha) and my funds are limited. Thankfully my vet's clinic is so awesome they're letting me make two payments instead of one lump payment.

[JoeyQ]

With what seems a higher risk of problems at a clinic, you are probably saving money and avoiding pain (for both you and the dog) in the long run...good choice!

[JoeyQ]

Hopefully I can add this info here. Joey is being neutered in January at 13 months. I will also have him microchipped and am thinking about getting one dew claw, that grew back, removed all at the same time so he only has to go "under" once. I am a bit nervous. Anyone with words of wisdom?

[Quercus]

It is always easy to say 'neuters are no sweat'...but when it is YOUR dog, it changes everything ;) I am sure everything will go smoothly. His recovery will be incredibly speedy...it doesn't even seem to slow them down for a few hours ;)

[Duke]

Duke was neutered the very day I found out he is Basenji, in July. He was 6+ mos old. We dropped him off about 9am and picked him up after 3pm the next day. I was worried about him the whole time he was gone. I called the office and checked on him 3 times when he was there. Vet didn't think he would need a cone or pain meds! He was happy to come home. We had to keep his activity level low for two weeks - a big, tough order and to keep an eye on the wound for excessive redness and swelling. Stitches came out after 14 days. We were assured if he was picking at the stitches that they would lend us a cone, but when we spotted him licking - we'd go "UH-UH-NO-NO" and he'd stop - never used a cone. It all went very well. Glad it's over - my husband didn't want to do it to him. :eek:

I want to get a micro-chip for Duke.

Duke has his dew claws. I think they have to be removed at birth - too late for removal.

[tanza]

Curious, why they had you leave him over night? Typically unless a problem they come home same day, both for a spay or neuter.... and many practices do not have anyone there overnight.....

I believe it is less stressful for them to be at home... IMO

[Duke]

Curious, why they had you leave him over night? Typically unless a problem they come home same day, both for a spay or neuter.... and many practices do not have anyone there overnight.....

I believe it is less stressful for them to be at home... IMO
I asked the same question - The answer was because keeping the dogs over night is their regular procedure to restrict any activity after the surgery and for post surgical observation. I expected him to mope in pain - but he acted like "lets play" soon as he saw us. We of course followed orders - only let him out on leash to do his business so he would not run-run-run like I know he would have. Instead he went zipping around inside the house like nothing happened. :confused: My husband ached for him anyway. :D

[tanza]

Interesting... Thanks for the update... however, honestly, I would never leave a spay/neuter at the Vets overnight unless there was a problem during surgery.... again, just IMO....

[lvoss]

Obviously a vet who has never met a dog like Nicky. When he had the flu at around 2 years old, our vet at the time wanted to keep him overnight on IV fluids so he wouldn't get dehydrated. They called 2 1/2 hours later to say, "We gave him sub cutaneous fluids, you need to come get him now." Upon pick up we were told when no one was in the room with him he would chew through the IV and then when the put an Elizabethan collar on him he chewed that too. He went through 5 IVs and 2 E collars.

Our current vet who did his neuter last year, had him come in early for bloodwork. They called me an hour ealier than expected to say he was recovering quickly from his anesthesia and I should come and get him now. They told me, he had to spend his entire morning doing charts with the vet because he refused to be in a room by himself and would howl loud enough for the neighbors to be concerned. Once he started waking up the howling started again. My vet feels that dogs do best at home overnight. The owners are home watching them and they are more comfortable and relaxed. This is definately the case with Nicky who has been banned from the boarding kennel and in general is just miserable away from his pack.

[tanza]

Yes, I sure remember that story about Nicky... LOL... and my Vet that sees quite a few Basenjis in this area have agreements with everyone... when they call to tell you to come pick them up, you have 15 minutes to get there... (VBG).... and my Vet too considers them better off at home for recovery... even when my Kristii had a liver tumor removed last year and was "split" stem to stern, she was only in overnight, next morning as soon as they watched her eat, I was called to get her... and this surgery was done at a very large 24/7 clinic that my regular Vet refers too...
I guess my point is to really question "why" they would keep a spay/neuter overnight? I think it is pretty pointless and just adds money to the bill.

[Duke]

I do not know what the average cost of spay or neuter is - we paid $140 for Duke's. I asked how much extra I am paying for the "overnight". They said nothing extra - the fee for neutering is $140 and the overnight is a service inclusive with the neuter. They strongly advised the overnight for reasons noted in my last post. But, since this procedure isn't a yearly event, I would not be aware of normal protocol. Your suggestions make sense and is good to bring awareness on behalf of new owners of Basenjis since they are a strong feisty breed.

The story about Nicky cracked me up. He is a real noise maker at the vet. Well - thinking back to July 15th the day of his neuter and discovering he is a Basenji, I called the vet's office early next morning around 8 am to check on him. They told me he was doing very well . . . I can come pick him up. (their normal pickup time was supposed to be after 3 pm.) The gals in the office all gave me compliments about him and how cute and sweet he is. I bet they say that to ALL dog owners. I wonder now if the OK for early pick up was because of his Basenji-ism or because that was my 3rd phone call. :D

[JoeyQ]

Well after a few postponements, Joey will be entering "The World of It" next week. His neuter is scheduled for "same day take out" including his dew claw removal and microchip. The surgery is all done by lazer. I took Joey in last week for his presurgery appt/first time appt and they all commented on how he was so social and low key compared to other basenjis they knew. I learned that they have treated Bs before. Before I could open my mouth, the vet tech and vet were chatting all about Bs. I feel comfortable with leaving Joey in their hands. Oh and one thing I forgot to ask...how much? When I find out, I will post. Maybe this will shed some light on Jill's costs.

[Vanessa]

Well after a few postponements, Joey will be entering "The World of It" next week. His neuter is scheduled for "same day take out" including his dew claw removal and microchip. The surgery is all done by lazer. I took Joey in last week for his presurgery appt/first time appt and they all commented on how he was so social and low key compared to other basenjis they knew. I learned that they have treated Bs before. Before I could open my mouth, the vet tech and vet were chatting all about Bs. I feel comfortable with leaving Joey in their hands. Oh and one thing I forgot to ask...how much? When I find out, I will post. Maybe this will shed some light on Jill's costs.

Joey,
I have a question for you...Your boy is a little over a year and you are having him neutered. My breeder recommended me to wait a year before I have him neutered. Here's the question and it is going to sound strange. How do you keep them from humping things. Will they continue to even after they are neutered. I have never owned a boy dog and am concerened that I will have to deal with that. Any suggestions? Sorry if this sounds aquward.
:confused:

[Duke]

Why do you have to wait until they're a year old? I was told that the earlier the better but not until the testicles were fully desended. I'm not a vet, but that is what was recommended. Duke was neutered at 6 months. No problems. He did hump - everytime he played and greeted, people, toys and dogs - :D :D But not after the neuter. Occasionally during play, he'll do a dominant thing (atleast I think). :D

[MaxBooBooBear]

I got Max at about 3 mos old I think. I had a two yr old spayed female german shep mix at the time. When he started humping her, my vet at that time told me to take him by the scruff of the neck and shake a little and tell him no to teach him that this was inappropriate behavior (he said that's what mothers do to their puppies to stop improper behavior--well--they don't say no--but the taking by the scruff of the neck. After a few times of this--he did pretty much stop humping, and I did have him neutered at 6 mos as soon as his testicles had descended. I never had any problems with him humping anything. Does anyone have an opnion on the shaking by the scruff of the neck??--not hard mind you. This was 16 yrs ago I was told to do this. I've never been around a mom and her puppies to see how they treat the pups.

[Quercus]

A lot of breeders suggest a year old, because you can be sure the dog is done growing. There is some research out there that indicates neutering a dog prior to its growth plates closing can change the structure of the dog. And there is also some research that indicates neutering a pup before their urinary tract is fully developed can lead to problems later with urinary tract infections and blocked stones....but IMO (I'm no vet!) six months is adequate to prevent those issues in Basenjis. I feel it is important to neuter pet males before they get in the habit of urine marking everything in site. I am not an advocate of very early spay and neuter though (as in desexing at 8 weeks).

[JoeyQ]

I never had a problem with Joey humping anything nor urine marking. I got Joey when he was 10 months and he was not neutered as the breeder was showing him. The breeder did say not to neuter him until he was a year and fully grown. This is why I have waited. He may have humped at the breeder, but I have not seen him do it since we have had him. He meets other dogs, but has not played with them off leash (we don't have a fenced yard) so I don't know if that has anything to do with not humping or not. Maybe Joey was trained by the breeder not to or it's something else. Just dont't know.

[lvoss]

Here is a a link to a good article about why spay/neuter is best left until after a year old. It is from the perspective of those who do performance events with their dogs but explains the structural effects early spay/neuter has. http://www.caninesports.com/SpayNeuter.html

I have not found humping to be much of a problem niether with my male nor with my mom's two males. I also have never had a problem with urine marking. My boy was actually easier to housetrain than the girls and doesn't even like peeing in our yard.

[jys1011]

I have seen many dog moms grab their pups by the scruff with their mouth to correct or to travel :) I've also read a dog training book that also uses this method if the dog is not on lead to make the correction.

The Dog Whisperer also does this with smaller dogs.

[Duke]

OMG - Hope I didn't ruin him. He was over zealous and . . . well -embarrasing. Could have been the feisty terrier in him. Looks like from what I've read, including on other internet sites, 12 mos is the average recommendation due to growth. However, I thought no sooner than 6 mos of age and the sooner the better as it would be much easier on the dog.

What are "growth plates"?

[Vanessa]

Thank you for the advice. It is a little embarassing to ask about this. The breeder stipulated this in the contract (waiting a year before neutering) because she wants to make sure he is fully developed.
As for the marking and humping <ARGH> I guess i'll have to just see what happens. (crossing my fingers) :)

[Quercus]

My experience has been that most male basenjis just don't like to mark in the house....but other breeds often will. The humping is often age related, or play/relationship realted...but neutering does seem to take care of it at whatever age the dog is. Querk humped inappropriate things when he was around 12 weeks, maybe?...once he matured, he only humps inanimate things (namely blankets or pillows) when our girls are at the peak of estrous. And he only lifted his leg in our house once; when we were moving into a new house, he thought to give it a try...he was quickly reprimanded, and it never happened again.

[lvoss]

Growth Plates are the part of the bone where new growth takes place. These plates close as an animal reaches maturity. Growth plates are located on the ends of long bones.

[JoeyQ]

Joey was neutered yesterday. He also had his dew claw removed and was microchipped. He is moving a bit slowly today. The vet did all the surgery with laser and "sutured" with "glue" not thread. He is not on any meds. I feel so badly for him as he wimpers now and then and sometimes lets out a little yelp! I will talk to the vet today, but have any of you given pain meds for this type of surgery?

[Quercus]

I will talk to the vet today, but have any of you given pain meds for this type of surgery?

Not usually, but I have never done a dew claw removal..that might be quite painful...if the behavior continues I wouldn't hesitate to ask about it.

I hope he feels better soon!

[Basenji_Boy]

Joey was neutered yesterday. He also had his dew claw removed and was microchipped. He is moving a bit slowly today. The vet did all the surgery with laser and "sutured" with "glue" not thread. He is not on any meds. I feel so badly for him as he wimpers now and then and sometimes lets out a little yelp! I will talk to the vet today, but have any of you given pain meds for this type of surgery?


JQ, we had three done this past Summer and the Vet gave us pain pills everytime.

[Duke]

I remember asking for medication for pain when Duke had his surgery. I was told pain meds mask pain that would aid him in becoming active. So the theory is some discomfort is a good thing to help with the healing. I wasn't too happy with it. I then asked if I could give him Children's Motrin. They didn't think it would be necessary, but I got an OK. Just follow the weight based dosage on the label. I never did give him anything, because he was way too active without the Motrin.

I hope Joey will be feeling better tomorrow. I imagine the digit removal is the main cause of his pain and I do hope the vet will give him something. :(

[MaxBooBooBear]

Joey was neutered yesterday. He also had his dew claw removed and was microchipped. He is moving a bit slowly today. The vet did all the surgery with laser and "sutured" with "glue" not thread. He is not on any meds. I feel so badly for him as he wimpers now and then and sometimes lets out a little yelp! I will talk to the vet today, but have any of you given pain meds for this type of surgery?

I had Max neutered at 6 months years ago (regular stitches), and they also removed his dew claws at that same time which required stitches also. When I went into the vet's office to pick him up, I thought he would hobble out in pain. He came charging out, jumping and running around like nothing had happened! He was not given any pain meds. The only thing that bothered him was wearing the e-collar afterwards. But he soon learned that it scared my older dog (who was the alpha)--and boy did he take advantage of that--running after her and shaking his head to get maximum advantage. He would even bump it up against the walls to startle her. But she got used to it after a couple of days, so Max's advantage was very temporary.

[JoeyQ]

[QUOTE=Duke]I remember asking for medication for pain when Duke had his surgery. I was told pain meds mask pain that would aid him in becoming active. So the theory is some discomfort is a good thing to help with the healing.

Yes, Jill, I was thinking the same thing.
Joey is feeling much spunkier today though!

BooBear...Joey did the same thing coming out from the vet's, but then crashed about 2 hours later. I imagine he had something on board for the pain and it wore off. He is doing much better today!

I had to laugh when the vet tech said to keep him on leash outside for 10 days. I replied, he is always on his leash outside. I'm not sure that she knows about the B500 which Joey resumed this morning. I think what she should have said was keep him on leash in the house!:D

[MaxBooBooBear]

[QUOTE=Duke]

BooBear...Joey did the same thing coming out from the vet's, but then crashed about 2 hours later. I imagine he had something on board for the pain and it wore off. He is doing much better today!:D

Right--I'm sure they still had something on board when picked up. I also forgot to mention that Max stayed overnight back then. But he never did crash--just kept picking up speed :) Glad to hear that Joey is doing much better!

[jys1011]

[QUOTE][I had to laugh when the vet tech said to keep him on leash outside for 10 days. I replied, he is always on his leash outside. I'm not sure that she knows about the B500 which Joey resumed this morning. I think what she should have said was keep him on leash in the house!
/QUOTE]

I laughed too when my vet told me the same thing...umm don't you mean INSIDE the house...yeah you must not know about B's LOL LOL :D

[Wrobelzoo]

Hello to the most knowlegeable Basenji owners!
We are getting ready to spay little Juma, and are wondering if females experience weight gain after? Our Norwegian Elkhound "porked" up a bit after her spay.
Thanks for any advice.

[nomrbddgs]

Duke has his dew claws. I think they have to be removed at birth - too late for removal.

Duke can have them removed still is just under a different process-more like surgery. Sometimes they can cause problems and sometimes not-depends on how they hang, do they get caught often, etc.

[jys1011]

We are getting ready to spay little Juma, and are wondering if females experience weight gain after? Our Norwegian Elkhound "porked" up a bit after her spay.

Topaz did gain some weight so we cut down on her food but she still has remained a little on the round side. It shouldn't be too bad. Good luck Juma on her surgery.

[tanza]

If you keep them active and feed them correctly, there should not be weigh gain just due to a spay..... As with all of them, as they get older and slow down you have to watch the calories....

[JazzysMom]

Jazzy is set to be spayed next Tuesday morning. I'm getting as anxious, I swear as if it were ME having the surgery. I hope she does okay. *My poor baby*.

And I hope that she lets them get anywhere near her after she wakes up, LOL. I imagine she'll be in a mood!

Took me a while to figure out why I so stressed about this, my dogs have always been spayed. Then I realized that I've always gotten rescues that come pre-spayed! LOL I have never "gone through" this with my own baby!
I had a male puppy once, but neutering doesn't seem so traumatic to me, and that was about 18 yrs ago, so the memory fades.

I've had cats spayed before, but am not as "connected" with them, so it wasn't a big deal for me.

[Basenji_Boy]

If you keep them active and feed them correctly, there should not be weigh gain just due to a spay..... As with all of them, as they get older and slow down you have to watch the calories....

We spayed our three female B's within weeks of one another last summer, two got fat and one didn't. The one that didn't is very active, the others not at all.
My wife is picky about how much food they get so in our case it was definetly inactivity. Keep em active!

[JazzysMom]

Jazzy is out of surgery and in recovery. I'm eager to get her back this afternoon.

Because I'd expressed concerns about anesthesia, before she went in the hospital administrator -- who is also one of the anesthetists and the one who'd be working w/Jazz -- came in and chatted w/me about the pre-op blood work, anesthesia, their monitoring equipment {heart, oxygen, blood pressure, etc } and that whole process. She gave me her credentials {actually pretty impressive}, etc.

I feel really good about the surgery, but am still biting my nails until I get my *baby* back home. . . . just waiting, waiting, waiting for the call!

[Duke]

Duke can have them removed still is just under a different process-more like surgery. Sometimes they can cause problems and sometimes not-depends on how they hang, do they get caught often, etc.
Thanks nomrbddgs - It does bother me that he has his dew claws because they hurt when he uses them on my arm in certain play. When I tease him with a toy he wants - he can stop my arm in motion. His front legs act like vice grips squeezing tight and the dew claws dig in! So I don't like playing that game much. But it is amazing how they might be used to capture prey.

Yes - I'm sure just about anything can be removed. I couldn't bear to put him in any agony and remove them. If the toe is injured, then yes. Daisy's dews were removed at birth - it's nice.

[Duke]

I feel really good about the surgery, but am still biting my nails until I get my *baby* back home. . . . just waiting, waiting, waiting for the call!
I know how you feel. Let us know how she's doing. :)

[JazzysMom]

Well, she's home anyway. She looks good, but miserable. LOL
She is in her crate resting; Keoki is desperate to get to her. He's gonna be a pain in the butt. He seems puzzled -- not sure if it's her behavior or the odd smells she must be carrying.

Surgery went great. No stitches. I guess they suture on the inside and then glue the outside. Interesting.
She can have water in about two hours; 1/4 her usual dinner in three hours. I doubt she'll eat it though, as her appetite is always very affected by her mood.
I'm curious as to how the next few days go.

[Quercus]

Well, she's home anyway. She looks good, but miserable. LOL
She is in her crate resting; Keoki is desperate to get to her. He's gonna be a pain in the butt. He seems puzzled -- not sure if it's her behavior or the odd smells she must be carrying.

Surgery went great. No stitches. I guess they suture on the inside and then glue the outside. Interesting.
She can have water in about two hours; 1/4 her usual dinner in three hours. I doubt she'll eat it though, as her appetite is always very affected by her mood.
I'm curious as to how the next few days go.

Best of luck, and I am so happy to hear she is home safe :) It is really stressful when it is *your baby going under the knife. I hope Keoki doesn't drive you all completely insane :)

[jys1011]

It's good that she's home & resting. It's probably best to keep Keoki away from her for a few days. I know with Topaz she really didn't want C3 anywhere near her (I'm thinking b/c she was in pain) she only wanted to be with ME actually not even my husband, just ME :)

And be very careful with her, their surgery is pretty extensive. I'm surprised they used the glue closure with her. Typically they only do that for the males since their incision is much smaller than females.

Lots of prayers for a speedy recovery!

[tanza]

It's good that she's home & resting. It's probably best to keep Keoki away from her for a few days. I know with Topaz she really didn't want C3 anywhere near her (I'm thinking b/c she was in pain) she only wanted to be with ME actually not even my husband, just ME :)

And be very careful with her, their surgery is pretty extensive. I'm surprised they used the glue closure with her. Typically they only do that for the males since their incision is much smaller than females.

Lots of prayers for a speedy recovery!

That is not true any more for spay, they typically glue now days, in fact, Lisa?.. didn't they glue Rally after the C-section? I think I remember that was the case... And while extensive, I was alwasy surprised just how fast they bounced back... by the next morning you would never even know mine were spayed.....

[Quercus]

That is not true any more for spay, they typically glue now days, in fact, Lisa?.. didn't they glue Rally after the C-section? I think I remember that was the case... And while extensive, I was alwasy surprised just how fast they bounced back... by the next morning you would never even know mine were spayed.....


They still stitch every layer except the dermis. I am imagning that is because there is less likelihood of the dog bothering the area if they aren't stitches to obsess over.

Querk never even licked his incision area....I was amazed, because I have had some bad experiences with stitches becoming infected from constant licking.

[JazzysMom]

Jazzy is doing great this morning -- still resting, but eating okay and seems perky enough when I take her out to potty; she's got a nice, sassy trot on leash, etc. She wanted to be out of her crate, so she's on Gypsy's big pillow and letting Keoki curl up next to her. {she gets snarky if he gets too enthusiastic, and I've been telling him to back off.}

She's not bothering her incision area at all; I imagine that is because there are no stitches on the outside to annoy her.

So far, so good.

[lvoss]

That is not true any more for spay, they typically glue now days, in fact, Lisa?.. didn't they glue Rally after the C-section?
Yep, they glued her. And she really did recover quickly. The hardest thing was keeping her from jumping because she loves laying in the sun on the bed and when she wanted a break from the pups that is where she wanted to be.

[tanza]

They still stitch every layer except the dermis. I am imagning that is because there is less likelihood of the dog bothering the area if they aren't stitches to obsess over.

Querk never even licked his incision area....I was amazed, because I have had some bad experiences with stitches becoming infected from constant licking.

When my friend Jeff had his Joka spayed, it was still when they used stitches... she was a bear about them... it was a test of time to get her to leave them alone... in fact when she went in to have them removed, there was only "one" left... :eek: and that was with her wearing an e-collar just about 24/7. So I am glad that they now glue the outside...

[JazzysMom]

I'm also glad . . . because it saved me $20 they normally charge if you get a collar. LOL

[Duke]

A lot of breeders suggest a year old, because you can be sure the dog is done growing. There is some research out there that indicates neutering a dog prior to its growth plates closing can change the structure of the dog. And there is also some research that indicates neutering a pup before their urinary tract is fully developed can lead to problems later with urinary tract infections and blocked stones....but IMO (I'm no vet!) six months is adequate to prevent those issues in Basenjis. I feel it is important to neuter pet males before they get in the habit of urine marking everything in site. I am not an advocate of very early spay and neuter though (as in desexing at 8 weeks).
These pictures of Daisy might be proof of what happens when spayed at 8 weeks old. Her Back legs are longer than her front legs. Daisy's legs are long and lanky. Not much spring in them to a point of being uncoordinated at times. I don't know. I advocated on Daisy's behalf and get the rescue group to trust me to spay her at 6 months old - or at least give her a little more time before they spayed her at 8 weeks. Nope - rescue has their rules and responsibility to spay before adoption. Poor Daisy . . .

Also, regarding urinary tract - I wonder if the early spay is causing her to leak. My carpeted staircase and landing at the top has dribble stains all over everywhere. Daisy is now 10 months old and this morning, we headed upstairs when I noticed she was leaking as she ran ahead of me. Geez - seems I have constant clean up after her with the pee. I think that by now, she should have full control. :(

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r115/dukerspooker/Vixen%20Pup/Daisy10mosold004.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r115/dukerspooker/Vixen%20Pup/Daisy10mosold003.jpg

[tanza]

Well, I have to say that the fact that she way spayed early IMO has nothing to so with her being higher in the rear then the front.. Many Basenjis grow that way... and besides, she is a mix.. so I don't think you can really determine that... While she might have grown differently... again IMO I don't think that was the cause... or if it is maybe a little...

However, I totally agree that her leaking urine is most likely due to the early spay... also (and I am NOT saying that this was true in her case or the Vets they used) but I have seen way to many bad spay/neuter jobs from the so called "low" cost clinics.... they treat them like an assembly line and in my opinion I have seen way to many problems coming from these places...
For me, thanks, I will spend the money to make sure it is done right... Obviously things happen, but I 3 spayed bitches in the house ages 13, almost 15 and 16+, never have they have a problem with "leaking" due to them being spayed.... Granted they were done at 3 and 5yrs old... but again, from these so called low cost clinics, I have seen many a dog with problems.

[dmcarty]

As a judge I can tell you that I have seen some intact basenjis be that high in the rear. If I remember she's a mix isn't she - who knows what parts of the genetic soup are one breed and what is another.

It certainly is possible that her leaking could be due to the early spay but it also could be genetic in it's origin.

[Duke]

Yeah - I know there are variables because she's mixed, maybe beagle. Thanks for your opinion about her leg length. I've never noticed front/back height differences until my Daisy. Daisy's clumsiness or lack of coordination lead me to think maybe her growth plates haven't formed properly. But do know she can nail a squirrel or even Duke in the yard sure and quick for fun. It's when she plays with me, she seem delicate and meek on her legs. Maybe I'm just used to Dukes tough, with a purpose stance that I am comparing her with. She has a difficult time standing and balancing on her 2 rear legs (for treats or in play). It's a bit hard to describe what I think is unusual for a dog here. KWIM?

So for her dribble, I'll have to understand it may be out of her control. I had no say over who did the spay/neuters on the litter of pups. I should ask, not that it matters anymore at this point. :(

[tanza]

Can't hurt to ask, not that you would be going to that vet.. but there are meds that she can take to help.... and you should talk to your Vet as chances are that it might get worse

[Quercus]

Well, I have to say that the fact that she way spayed early IMO has nothing to so with her being higher in the rear then the front.. Many Basenjis grow that way... and besides, she is a mix.. so I don't think you can really determine that... While she might have grown differently... again IMO I don't think that was the cause... or if it is maybe a little...

However, I totally agree that her leaking urine is most likely due to the early spay... also (and I am NOT saying that this was true in her case or the Vets they used) but I have seen way to many bad spay/neuter jobs from the so called "low" cost clinics.... they treat them like an assembly line and in my opinion I have seen way to many problems coming from these places...
For me, thanks, I will spend the money to make sure it is done right... Obviously things happen, but I 3 spayed bitches in the house ages 13, almost 15 and 16+, never have they have a problem with "leaking" due to them being spayed.... Granted they were done at 3 and 5yrs old... but again, from these so called low cost clinics, I have seen many a dog with problems.

I agree with Pat here. I think the high in the rear is most likely attributed to her being half something else ;) But the dribbling...yes, probably due to a less than perfect spay...or early spay...BUT there are medications that you can give her to help with that.