Spaying too early

[Kimberly]

Hi! I have a red, shorthair mini dachshund named Abby who is now 5 and 1/2 months old. She is wonderful and so loving. We got her when she was 8 weeks old from a breeder and she is an only dog. We took her to a vet that we thought was great with lots of credentials and recommendations. She was wonderful during all of Abby's shots and visits and we really liked her and everyone in the office. We knew as soon as we got Abby that we would want to have her spayed because we did not get her to breed. Our vet knew this and told us that when she was 4 and 1/2 months old (after her last round of big girl shots) that we could schedule the surgery. We scheduled at 4 and 1/2 months because they even told us that the younger she was the faster she would heal.

I was nervous about dropping her off, but I did and when the vet called me that afternoon, she told me there had been some complications with Abby's surgery. When they went in to do the hysterectomy, one of the ovaries separated from the ovum and busted. Part of one ovary fell back into the abdominal cavity. They sent off a histopath to a lab to find out if they had gotten all of the organs and told me if they had not they would go back in and look for the other part of the ovary at no charge.

The histopath came back and said that in the sample that was sent there was one whole ovary and part of another. The vets office immediately scheduled another surgery for 2 weeks later.

I felt really strange about this because I wanted to do what was best for Abby and I felt like the vet was not being careful enough and was negligent and just wanting to fix a mistake she made.

I got a second opinion from my parent's vet (whom is 2 hours away and I trust very much.) He said that the surgery was a very simple one and that they never should have closed Abby up thinking there was part of an ovary in there. He said he would not put her through the 2nd surgery and would wait to see if she goes into heat. He said that the only danger of a persisting ovary would be her going into heat, and if she did, we could remove it then b/c it would be swollen and easy to find. He said if she never goes into heat, there is no reason to subject her to another surgery.

I decided I would not take her back to the first vet and cancelled the surgery and got her records. I felt that I could not ever trust them again to do anything to her. I hope that I made the right decision. She has had all of her shots for the year and I ma now in the process of looking for another vet.

Any suggestions about finding another vet. I am somewhat leary now. Should I tell the new vet about my problems with the last one?

Thanks so much for listening. Abby is doing great and is back to her normal lively self! Even thought he stitches are gone, she has several bumps under the skin where the stitches were. Is this scar tiisue? Does anyone else have it?

Kimberly

[Mandy]

The little bumps may be internal stitches. Henry had to have suregery for an embilical hernia when he was 4 1/2 months old and I remember the internal stitches being there for a lot longer than the external stitches. The internal stitches Henry had were the kind that eventually dissolved away aftyer everything was healed up.

From what I have heard, spaying and neutering is supposed to be done at around six months. 4 1/2 months seems really early. Our vet wanted to wait to do Henry's hernia surgey when he was neutered, but at 4 1/2 months it was only getting worse and much bigger so the vet went ahead and took care of it.

When you find your new vet (and good luck by the way), I would definitely tell them what had happened with Abby's surgery just so that he/she is aware that a problem might possibly come up. You know the saying...forewarned is forearmed.

It's great that Abby is back to her old self! You were a great dachsie mother the whole way. Did she give you the look and try to milk it? /ubb/smilies/biggrin.gif

[Penny's Aunt]

I have never heard of something like that happening. The vet I worked with did hundreds of spays while I worked there, & he never tore an ovary. It could be that there was something different about the way it was attached, or something (like a birth defect), but it does sound kind of odd.

Just one thing about finding a vet (or a human doctor, for that matter): THEY AREN'T GODS... DON'T TREAT THEM LIKE THEY ARE. They are business people providing a service. You have the right to ask all the questions you want. You have the right to make decisions for your dog. You are entitled to all the information, for & against, any procedure or medication that they suggest or you ask about.

They are not all-knowing. They make mistakes. Some of them you can live with, & some maybe you can't.

Give them the whole story. If your girl does come into heat, they will want to know about what is going on. You might also ask how a remaining ovary could affect her chances for breast cancer or any other condition.

[wireweiners]

Studies have shown that spay/neuters can be done as early as 8 weeks without any adverse effects. They do them this early in some shelters to make sure the pets are sterilized before being adopted. I prefer to wait until 5 1/2 or 6 months. I think this problem was due to some abnormality in your pups reproductive organs or the vet screwed up. Like Penny's Aunt said, they aren't Gods.

[Kimberly]

Thanks so much for all of the responses I have gotten. I do think that Abby's surgery was just something that either would have happened to anyone or the vet was being careless. She was a good vet to Abby, but when she wanted to rush her back into surgery a second time, I felt I had to get a second opinion, and am now glad I did. I think that she was wanting to operate to fix something she had done wrong, and I don't believe that is in Abby's best interest to rush her back into surgery that may be unnecessary. That is the only thing I am concerned about! I feel better just starting over with a new vet (I have had lots of other recommendations in my area.) because I have lost confidence in the old one, and I do not think it could be restored at the same clinic. Thanks again for all of the input, and I am always open to other suggestions! I enjoy reading this page very much and am glad I have had the opportunity to gain this information. You all know so much about dachshunds! Have a great day and I look forward to talking again soon!