Should I get Abby spayed?

[abby_basenji]

My husband and I have pondered this question for quite sometime now. Abby is a good dog, she does have some behavioral issues that we constantly have to work on. As of late when she is in heat she is just nasty. I mean really nasty, like my poor hubby can not even sleep in the same room with me. One night we were sleeping and he got up at about 4:30 to go to the bathroom and when he came back to bed she was growling and showing her teeth and would not let him back in bed. Ever since then (he does not wish to be eaten by our basenji) he has been sleeping in our spare room. Then in the morning like this morning, I did not have to work and he did, so he came in the room to kiss me good bye and she was growling at him everytime he got close to me. Now keep in mind she only gets like this when she is in heat and sleeping. Now rarely, very very rarely, she will give me a little growl or grrr when I get her up to go to bed. With all of this being said, will it make a noticable difference if we get her fixed? She is Fanconi clear however I do not beleive that we are going to breed her. I can not possible imagine if she acts like this during her heat cycle what she would do if she had pups. Even though we do not intend to breed her, we also believe that if it's not broke don't fix it. Meaning why put her through unnecessary surgery if we don't have to. We do take great measures to make sure that during her cycles she does not end up in the wrong yard, we have a fenced in yard that is very big and her walks are minimized during this time to make sure she does not get attacked by a male. Any information or opinions that you guys have on this issue please let me know.

[khanis]

I would say spay her.
I had a bitch that was always always ALWAYS sweet as pie....
unless she was in season.
then she was a PMS Queen.
Crabby as all get but, but never snarly and growly at humans,
just as her cousin [housemate female basenji, also intact].
Spaying her has alleviated her coming in season,
and gotten rid of her b*tchiness!

[JazzysMom]

I'd spay her. If you are not planning to breed her, what would be the point of keeping her intact?

And, I gotta tell ya, the day one of my dogs growled at my husband over the bed.. or couch or whatever, that'd be the day the DOG was in the other room, NOT my husband. {of course, my dogs sleep in their kennel, but ....}

[EskiLovr]

I agree with JazzysMom. No WAY would a human being be banished to another room!! Of course, this is why humans sleep in the bed, and B's sleep in their crate, or on their doggy bed at our house.

[Quercus]

Originally Posted by JazzysMom

I'd spay her. If you are not planning to breed her, what would be the point of keeping her intact?

And, I gotta tell ya, the day one of my dogs growled at my husband over the bed.. or couch or whatever, that'd be the day the DOG was in the other room, NOT my husband. {of course, my dogs sleep in their kennel, but ....}

Ditto! Getting her spayed is a start, but it may not fix this problem. You may need to seek a behaviorst. She is resource guarding you..which can be worse during heat, or it may just be a coincidence that she tried it to this extent during heat..and guess what? It worked for her, she got to keep you and her spot in the bed all to herself, while he went somewhere else. I wouldn't let that happen one more night...she is forming a habit that may not change when she is out of heat.

Does she have a crate, or another room she can sleep in? She will be P!$$ED!! for quite a while, but IMO, you have got to change this behavior.

The other question is, did you contact her breeder? I don't remember what her story is...but if there is a reason the breeder wants to keep her intact, you at least need to contact her before you spay. If not, I would make an appointment for a spay today!!!

[sharronhurlbut]

Do let us know what you decide.

[lvoss]

If I remember correctly, you said Abby did not come from a responsible breeder and you do not have contact with the breeder anymore?

I would get her spayed, removing the hormones from the equation since they seem to be a major trigger will help. Also, intact bitches, especially as they get older, are at risk of contracting pyometra. This is an infection in the uterus and can be fatal. The more heat cycles she goes through, the more her risk of mammary cancer increases also.

[tanza]

I fully agree that the best course would be to spay her.... there is no reason to keep her intact if you are not breeding...

[tanza]

And as far as "if it is not broke" as you have seen from the few messages on here lately, accidents regardless how careful you are happen... why take that chance?

And really having her spayed would make her a happier girl... without going through "giant" PMS

[EskiLovr]

Originally Posted by tanza

And as far as "if it is not broke" as you have seen from the few messages on here lately, accidents regardless how careful you are happen... why take that chance?

And really having her spayed would make her a happier girl... without going through "giant" PMS

Heck yeah, I'd get "spayed" if it worked that way for us!