Many pros and cons issue about sterilization.

Pros:
- No unwanted pregnancies.
- No messy heat (twice per yr)
- No worries abt her playing with other studs
- No urge to want to mate when heat comes, and not being able to (can't imagine her frustration)
- Greatly reduces mammary cancer (almost ~100%)

Cons:
- Taking away their reproductive means
- Messing with their hormones
- No baby twinkle (not that i want her to bred anyway)

More information here.

My main concern would be her well-being. I do not want to subject her to unnecessary pain. And yet, i want the pros of this operation. =/ I have long decided to go with spaying her, even before i got twinkle.

And.. Not only is there are TO / NOT TO decision to make. There's another time frame thing.
To let her go through it before her first heat / after her first heat?

Before her first heat:
- SUPER low chance of mammary cancer
- No swelling / darkening of private part (heard it doesn't go away after the first heat)
- No messy first heat experience
- Pup might be under-developed, more puppy features

After her first heat:
- Also low chance of getting mammary cancer (but not as low as before)
- Puppy is supposedly more well developed
- Better for pups well-being
- Might have swelling / darkening of private part

I've read many personal experiences of dog-owners and vets, both school of thoughts has their supporters, and it seems many state that there's not much of a diff before or after the heat. Just a note that after the 2nd heat, the window period is lowering mammary cancer is over. Even if sterilizing is done, there will not be a great decrease in possibility of getting it.

Just gonna grit my teeth and let her go through this, just this time.

My little one's gonna be going through a sterilization operation this Monday. (08th Sept) Trusting her to Dr Grace Heng, from The Joyous Vet.

Kinda worried for her.. Pray for her ya?

Labels: mommy talking, sterilizing, vet visit