# To spade our not? 8 year's old going to 9.



## Happy808 (Aug 4, 2011)

Aloha, 

I have 8 year old Female king charles dog. She is currently not spaded. I been told that spading will help her live longer. But i really don't want my dog to suffer our go threw pain. Her age is getting higher and I am not sure if Spading is the best thing, I rather just leave her natural, but want the best for my dog. She is pretty healthy for her age, but I wish I could exercise her more often. She only goes out for walks 3-4 times a week for 40 mins. But she does still play with her toys and runs around the yard chasing birds. Some suggestions/info would be appreciated.


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

If you don't spay her, you have a huge potential for mammary tumors and cancer. I'm sure you don't want that.

Spaying is not only good for population control, it is good for your pet.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

what does your vet say out of curiousity?

do dogs go through menopause?

i'd be hesitant spaying an eight year old...you've been careful to not let her have litters, yes?


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## Happy808 (Aug 4, 2011)

Yea the chance's of here getting a litter is slim. At most times during here heat she's wearing a diaper and is separated from any male dogs. She does have a slight breathing problem and king charles are known for a weak heart. So I really don't want anything bad happening while going threw the spading process. She is close to 9 years old, I would be happy if she could go another 5 healthy years.


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

Honestly the risk of mammary cancer probably won't go down if she's spayed now. She's been intact for all of her life, changing it now may or may not make a difference. 

I would just keep an extra diligent eye on her for tumors.


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## DoglovingSenior (Jun 26, 2011)

From what i have read, after a certain age the risk of cancer does not decrease. I have used CoQ10 with older dogs for heart & also fed raw Hearts. Heard that it can help & I'll try most things <lol>. My Cardiologist just started me on CoQ10 - and my heart is in Excellent condition he said that it should last me another 35 years which would make me 100 - Is science catching up?


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## doggiedad (Jan 23, 2011)

i've never had my males neutered and
all of them have been healthy. your
dog is 8 yrs old. is it worth it at this
point to spay???


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

I read recently that female dogs never go through menopause - they will go into heat until they die. 

I had a 17 year old dog that was never neutered, and he didn't have any problems. I decided when I got him at 9 that he was old and I didn't need to. It worked out ok, but if I had it to do over again I would, because he howled at the women his whole life.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

that's what i was thinking.....she's eight years old and she's a cocker spaniel.

i don't know if she has a weak heart....unless you've had her tested....king charles spaniels are known to have heart troubles, but not all do...

and if she does have a weak heart that's been confirmed, all the more reason not to spay at this point.


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## RaisingWolves (Mar 19, 2011)

I agree with DaneMama, she is so wise!!!:biggrin1:
If this were my dog, I would not do a traditional spay. If you really want to spay, locate a lap spay surgeon.
Lap spay is less invasive, less tissue damage, less pain, easier recovery. I can't imagine putting an older dog through traditional spay. It was a tough recovery for my 6 month old boxer and she developed an infection. 

You can locate a lap spay doctor through-
lapspay-veterinary-laparascopic-spay-procedure


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## Caty M (Aug 13, 2010)

Re- apparently it's rare for an older CKCS NOT to have a heart murmur, though of course a murmur is not always harmful. I would not spay at this point. If you want to exercise her more can you not do that?..


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

Caty M said:


> Re- apparently it's rare for an older CKCS NOT to have a heart murmur, though of course a murmur is not always harmful. I would not spay at this point. If you want to exercise her more can you not do that?..


is that just the breed or is it because they've been overbred and this is a result of that?

i'm back on the right side of the pug, so i'm not being snarky LOL....i've had cavaliers who never developed a heart murmur and i'm one of the rare ones 

that is so sad....


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## Caty M (Aug 13, 2010)

Mitral valve disease is generally something that happens from simple aging- but in cavaliers it has a premature onset and is MUCH more common. If you compare the rate of death from heart problems by breed it's crazy. Purebred CKCS have an almost 1 in 2 chance of dying from heart problems, compare that to around 1 in 10 for a mutt or breed without common genetic heart disease or malformation. They were one of the breeds I was researching but to be honest it turned me off. Other than the health problems they are a gorgeous, smart, trainable, cuddly, awesome dog. 

Likely the breed was started with just a small number of dogs, and one or two of them had an inherited valve problem. If you only breed from a tiny gene pool in the first place a rare one-in-a-million problem becomes the norm for the breed.. just like the majority of CKCS have a chiari malformation that may eventually lead to syringomyelia (sp?)


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

Caty M said:


> Mitral valve disease is generally something that happens from simple aging- but in cavaliers it has a premature onset and is MUCH more common. If you compare the rate of death from heart problems by breed it's crazy. Purebred CKCS have an almost 1 in 2 chance of dying from heart problems, compare that to around 1 in 10 for a mutt or breed without common genetic heart disease or malformation. They were one of the breeds I was researching but to be honest it turned me off. Other than the health problems they are a gorgeous, smart, trainable, cuddly, awesome dog.
> 
> Likely the breed was started with just a small number of dogs, and one or two of them had an inherited valve problem. If you only breed from a tiny gene pool in the first place a rare one-in-a-million problem becomes the norm for the breed.. just like the majority of CKCS have a chiari malformation that may eventually lead to syringomyelia (sp?)


this is just wrong.

why do not breeders breed it out. 

inherent genetics can be bred out of dogs...

whyever would i ever get this dog again, knowing that at a young age, he or she could have a stage two or three murmur.


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