When to spay after pseudopregnancy?

RE: When to spay after pseudopregnancy?

Carl Gorman — Fri, 05 Jan 2018 22:16:42 GMT

Its all down to hormones. Rapidly dropping progesterone induces prolactin which produces pseudopregnancy signs. So spay before the natural fall in progesterone levels and you artificially induce psudopregnancy. Wait till after 50 days or better still 60 days after oestrus and you have no effect on prolactin, so no reason to delay spaying just because a bitch is showing signs or has milk.

RE: When to spay after pseudopregnancy?

Rob Loxley — Fri, 05 Jan 2018 19:00:46 GMT

[quote user="Gillian Mostyn"]Has anyone actually ever seen a permanently lactating bitch, it is it another urban myth?? I haven't in 18 years...[/quote]

No. Are they the same patients that get GDVs if rotated the wrong way?

RE: When to spay after pseudopregnancy?

Martin Atkinson — Fri, 05 Jan 2018 17:24:54 GMT

Another one who would just get on and spay. Otherwise you're in danger of the next oestrus starting and the whole cycle over again. You may even find that there is persistant ovarian cyst/tumour that needs to come out anyway.

RE: When to spay after pseudopregnancy?

Sarah Wheadon — Fri, 05 Jan 2018 15:14:54 GMT

[quote user="Gillian Mostyn"]Has anyone actually ever seen a permanently lactating bitch, it is it another urban myth?? I haven't in 18 years...[/quote]

Yes, I have seen a couple that had regular false pregnancies/lactation over years, but never any signs of oestrous.

RE: When to spay after pseudopregnancy?

Michael Woodhouse — Thu, 04 Jan 2018 23:12:59 GMT

I just spay and send home with cabergoline if wanting it spayed. Never had one continue to lactate yet. Most are resolved or almost there by the time sutures out. The odd persistent ones I've seen have been the ones the owners didn't want spayed.

RE: When to spay after pseudopregnancy?

Gillian Mostyn — Thu, 04 Jan 2018 21:25:46 GMT

[quote user="Emily Rainbow"]How about a one off delvosterone then spay after a couple of weeks?[/quote]

That would be an expensive option!

I'd just spay.

Has anyone actually ever seen a permanently lactating bitch, it is it another urban myth?? I haven't in 18 years...

RE: When to spay after pseudopregnancy?

Emily Rainbow — Thu, 04 Jan 2018 20:27:21 GMT

How about a one off delvosterone then spay after a couple of weeks?

RE: When to spay after pseudopregnancy?

Ashlea — Thu, 04 Jan 2018 11:52:09 GMT

Thank you! That’s the way we were going too, it’s just going to go on and on if we don’t spay and it‘s getting ever closer to the risk of another season. The owner’s not keen on more galastop as she didn’t eat well while on it but the dog can afford a couple of missed meals! I suppose the main thing I’m worried about is the milk becoming a permanent thing if she doesn’t respond to galastop post-spay but I’ve never seen or heard of that.

RE: When to spay after pseudopregnancy?

Stephanie Wellings — Thu, 04 Jan 2018 10:44:49 GMT

Have had a few cases like this where it takes ages to clear up milk completely and the spay keeps getting postponed. I tend to just spay them if you're down to just a little bit of clear fluid.

I warn the owner that it might continue / need more galastop after the spay, although that hasn't actually happened to any of my patients. The problem I was having is that we routinely spay after 1st season, and I didn't want them to be delayed so long that they have a 2nd season and miss out on the mammary cancer reducing benefits, so I think it an acceptable risk.