View Full Version : Spayed dog in heat
squashynose
06-23-2009, 03:37 PM
Yeah, so Sheba went for spaying today, a month after she finished bleeding. But turns out she was already spayed. The Vet couldn't find anything in there :confused:
H said that she had a greyhound spayed whilst it was in the shelter, then it got rehomed, but then it came into heat. Apparently she had to have hormone injections every 6 months to stop it happening.
:confused: How does this happen?
devastated70
06-23-2009, 03:47 PM
wow,, never heard of that,, so will she continue to go in heat?
squashynose
06-23-2009, 04:03 PM
I have no idea. The Vet just assumes she wasn't in heat, and that I'm a moron who doesn't know what's what.
That_girl
06-23-2009, 04:04 PM
Were the ovaries removed? I would bet only the uterus was removed. I think they do some spays that way? Tiffers would know. :)
squashynose
06-23-2009, 04:12 PM
Even if that was the case, surely they bleed from the uterus?
That_girl
06-23-2009, 04:15 PM
Normally, yes. I'm interested to see what Tiffers thinks.
Hunna
06-23-2009, 08:07 PM
Were the ovaries removed? I would bet only the uterus was removed. I think they do some spays that way? Tiffers would know. :)
Maybe its the opposite. Like when a Human would get "fixed". They cut or tie the tubes to the ovaries, and we still get our periods too... kinda the bummer of the whole thing.
tiffers
06-23-2009, 09:24 PM
...we had a cat who went into heat regularly, turns out the shelter left one itty bitty piece of an ovary in her abdomen...and boy, took 1.5 hours just to find the darn thing. I mean...like 1/2 the size of a pencil eraser. We went in blindly...no idea what we were looking for.
so will she continue to go in heat?
If there is still ovary pieces left, yes. The ovary is what produces the 'heat' hormones...as long as there is ovarian tissue somewhere in there, she will continue to go into heat.
Were the ovaries removed? I would bet only the uterus was removed. I think they do some spays that way?
Yes, most animals receive ovariohysterectomies. The ovaries and uterus are removed.
Now, while you all tried to spay her...you should have 'seen' the ovaries if they were still in place...I am assuming they aren't there, which doesn't mean there isn't a tiny bit left.
Even if that was the case, surely they bleed from the uterus?
...well, not necessarily.
You can look at it this way...not every dog was made with a perfect reproductive system...the ovary may not have been where it is supposed to be, or when she was spayed...some ovarian tissue was left or separated...or dropped back into the abdomen by accident...there are so many ways this can happen...it's really hard to pinpoint.
These little pieces of tissue will attach somewhere in the body and they will start getting signals from the brain to produce the 'heat' hormones just as if the ovary was where it is 'supposed' to be.
Bleeding can come from the ******l walls. They swell and bleed just as the ovary is instructing them to do.
I know funk repro systems all too well...unfortunately, I've got one. :(
squashynose
06-24-2009, 12:06 PM
Wow, thanks Tiff. So you think we should tell the owner that Sheba is likely to carry on having heats? Or do you think she should be opened up again?
tiffers
06-25-2009, 10:41 AM
I think the owner should definitely know, and if they or someone is willing to pay for exploratory surgery...you could go in and look for the ovary piece, but it can take hours.
squashynose
06-26-2009, 02:26 PM
... There is no chance she can get pregnant is there? :o I know it's probably a stupid question...
Macawpower58
06-26-2009, 02:36 PM
Emily, it's not stupid, because I was wondering something along the same lines. Will a female like this have all the hormone stresses as would a intact female? Will she think she'd pregnant? Will she go through any pregnancy symptoms?
Very interesting, and something I've not heard of before.
squashynose
06-26-2009, 02:44 PM
The dog was collected by her new owner today, and it was my day off work, so she's not been told any of it. I need to know whether we need to make her aware of it :(
Macawpower58
06-26-2009, 02:46 PM
If the dog is going to regularly bleed, I'd say yes. Otherwise you're going to have a panicking owner, or the poor dog put through another 'spay' surgery.
squashynose
06-26-2009, 02:52 PM
The problem will be who is responsible for paying for either the exploratory surgery, or the hormone injections. Us, or the new owner?
tiffers
06-26-2009, 07:55 PM
... There is no chance she can get pregnant is there?
If she does not have a uterus, she cannot have babies. :)
Will a female like this have all the hormone stresses as would a intact female? Will she think she'd pregnant? Will she go through any pregnancy symptoms?
I honestly don't know that. I would think the pregnancy bit is out of the question, because there's no uterus. The ovary just knows to 'go into heat'. I am not sure how a false pregnancy would work either...but, perhaps that is possible.
I need to know whether we need to make her aware of it ...
They definitely need to know. How many more 'spays' does this dog need? And they need to decide if they want exploratory surgery or not.
The problem will be who is responsible for paying for either the exploratory surgery, or the hormone injections. Us, or the new owner?
I am going to say the new owner. At least, that's how our HS and SPCA work. Once you put your name on the dog, the shelter is no longer responsible unless the vet says otherwise.