# Partial Spay?



## cprcheetah (May 4, 2009)

Has anyone had this procedure done? With Ziva I am contemplating leaving her intact or having a partial spay (to eliminate risk of pyometra) done instead of spaying her. She won't be bred, but from all the research I have done/am doing I'm finding that with being minmally or not vaccinated and raw fed they have minimal risks of getting mammary cancers etc later on in life etc, and it's healthier for them to have their 'female' hormones. Still researching though...just wanted to know if anyone had ever had this done. If we do a partial spay she will still cycle once a year (as you remove 1 ovary, the cervix & uterus), but won't bleed, just will swell & attract males.


----------



## Brodysmom (Jan 8, 2009)

Very intriguing!!! I have wondered about the hormone issue as well. I will be anxious to hear what you find out from others on this issue! Keep us posted.


----------



## LostLakeLua (Sep 6, 2009)

I haven't even heard of this!! My baby is spayed.. I made the decision and I'm hoping I did the right thing. I want her to live as long as possible of course.. it scares me with all the new research saying that intact females live longer. =(


----------



## 17428 (Jul 10, 2009)

Kitty dont beat yourself up about it.I have been around long enough to tell you
that the medical world changes its opinions every 10 years or so.
Back in the 80`s they said dont give your kids pop but orange juices
and fruit juices.Well now they are obese and diabetic and they changed
their mind about that one.The doctors said use vegetable oil not butter.
Well now they say thats not good for us! In the 90`s they said use canola oil.
Well now thats not good so use peanut oil or olive oil.
Point is this is just a theory/opinion and they will most likely change their minds later.
Sorry but I am a skeptic when it comes to the medical world.


----------



## LostLakeLua (Sep 6, 2009)

I understand. =) I mean in the beginning before I had it done I was really stressed looking up information about it. If you step back and think about it; it just seems kind of odd to think that removing organs that you're naturally born with could help you live longer. I had Lua spayed right after one of the dog magazines published the article regarding the study on intact rottweilers living longer. 
Oh well, if Kahlua needs estrogen injections later on in life I'm more than happy to do it. =P


----------



## cprcheetah (May 4, 2009)

Thanks guys, I'm still researching it and I will post what I find out. It's especially a tough choice today we euthanized a 10 & 1/2 year old Labrador who had Pyometra because the owners didn't want to/couldn't afford to put her through surgery. :-(


----------



## cprcheetah (May 4, 2009)

I talked with my dad about it and he has never done ra partial spay but would be willing to. Apparently not a lot of Veterinarians will. Basically it is a Hysterectomy (Uterus) instead of a OvarioSalpingoHysterectomy (Ovaries/Fallopian Tubes/Uterus)
Okay here are a few things I have found so far:
Emails to Clients About Spaying « DogtorJ.com :: Food Intolerance in Pets & Their People :: Home of The GARD
Dogtor J compares Spaying dogs to prevent mammary cancer is like taking their legs off to prevent them from being hit by a car. This would be effective but a horribly wrong approach to the problem. There are much better ways to prevent both. He also feels that the cancers are caused by excess estrogens & a virus and excess estrogens in the diet, it is a long but excellent read.

Here is an article from the early 1970’s written by a man who was waaay ahead of his time- Dr. Wendell Belfield. http://www.belfield.com/pdfs/Partial_Spay.pdf 

www.naiaonline.org/pdfs/longtermhealtheffectsofspayneuterindogs.pdf
On balance, it appears that no compelling case can be made for neutering most male dogs, especially
immature male dogs, in order to prevent future health problems. The number of health problems associated
with neutering may exceed the associated health benefits in most cases.

On the positive side, neutering male dogs
• eliminates the small risk (probably <1%) of dying from testicular cancer
• reduces the risk of non-cancerous prostate disorders
• reduces the risk of perianal fistulas
• may possibly reduce the risk of diabetes (data inconclusive)

On the negative side, neutering male dogs
• if done before 1 year of age, significantly increases the risk of osteosarcoma (bone cancer); this is a
common cancer in medium/large and larger breeds with a poor prognosis.
• increases the risk of cardiac hemangiosarcoma by a factor of 1.6
• triples the risk of hypothyroidism
• increases the risk of progressive geriatric cognitive impairment
• triples the risk of obesity, a common health problem in dogs with many associated health problems
• quadruples the small risk (<0.6%) of prostate cancer
• doubles the small risk (<1%) of urinary tract cancers
• increases the risk of orthopedic disorders
• increases the risk of adverse reactions to vaccinations

For female dogs, the situation is more complex. The number of health benefits associated with spaying may
exceed the associated health problems in some (not all) cases. On balance, whether spaying improves the
odds of overall good health or degrades them probably depends on the age of the female dog and the
relative risk of various diseases in the different breeds.

On the positive side, spaying female dogs
• if done before 2.5 years of age, greatly reduces the risk of mammary tumors, the most common
malignant tumors in female dogs
• nearly eliminates the risk of pyometra, which otherwise would affect about 23% of intact female
dogs; pyometra kills about 1% of intact female dogs
• reduces the risk of perianal fistulas
• removes the very small risk (≤0.5%) from uterine, cervical, and ovarian tumors

On the negative side, spaying female dogs
• if done before 1 year of age, significantly increases the risk of osteosarcoma (bone cancer); this is a
common cancer in larger breeds with a poor prognosis
• increases the risk of splenic hemangiosarcoma by a factor of 2.2 and cardiac hemangiosarcoma by
a factor of >5; this is a common cancer and major cause of death in some breeds
• triples the risk of hypothyroidism
• increases the risk of obesity by a factor of 1.6-2, a common health problem in dogs with many
associated health problems
• causes urinary “spay incontinence” in 4-20% of female dogs
• increases the risk of persistent or recurring urinary tract infections by a factor of 3-4
• increases the risk of recessed vulva, vaginal dermatitis, and vaginitis, especially for female dogs
spayed before puberty
• doubles the small risk (<1%) of urinary tract tumors
• increases the risk of orthopedic disorders
• increases the risk of adverse reactions to vaccinations

One thing is clear – much of the spay/neuter information that is available to the public is unbalanced and
contains claims that are exaggerated or unsupported by evidence. Rather than helping to educate pet

owners, much of it has contributed to common misunderstandings about the health risks and benefits
associated of spay/neuter in dogs.


----------



## LDMomma (Mar 28, 2009)

I've never known anyone that had that (partial spay) done. 

Three of my girls are spayed. Roxy is not because she's still a baby. We don't really have a choice because boarding facilities require it and so does our local dog park. We don't have a yard so for them to get outdoor off-leash exercise, we must go to the dog park. 

Best luck with your decision.


----------



## woodard2009 (Aug 4, 2010)

Partial spay sounds like something I'd be willing to look into but I'm wondering if it's too late for Midgie as she is already 5 years old?


----------



## codyann (Sep 8, 2010)

im very interested in this ill keep checking this thread thanks for the info


----------

