Urgent: Spay with period?

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Urgent: Spay with period?
by Wes
ORIGINAL MESSAGE:
Urgent: Spay with period? MiMi is our darling 9 month Maltese. She is scheduled for spaying Monday (April 13th) and just tonight (April 11th) started her first menstrual period. We understand the vet can perform the procedure though they charge more. Can anyone tell us why and if there is any additional surgical risk in proceeding as planned? Should we wait until she is finished? One book suggests waiting until after the first heat ("to let the female characteristics develop")but before the first year of age (1983 book). Is there any current support for this timing? Circumstances kept us from scheduling this earlier. Must make a decision soon Monday AM. THANKS FOR A PRONTO REPLY! MiMi's family (Wes, Lei, Alona, Rachel, Mitchell, and MiNa)

DISCUSSION:

Wes, I would recommend waiting until at least two weeks after she finishes her heat. My vet told me this. He will not perform the procedure at all during a heat. He said some vet's will but most will not. If it was my dog I would wait. Good Luck!
Angel

I just took my Tasha, not quite 7mos.,in this A.M. to be spayed. The first thing the Vet did was to check that she was not in heat. I've always understood the did NOT spay when they were in heat. I also was always under the impression to spay a dog after the 1st. heat, but times have changed and they now want to spay early as 6 m0s. Hope this helps.
Dottie

Hope this is not too late....but wait. Double check with your vet but as far as I am aware the operation is risker when a female is in season. The majority of vets will not operate but some do and the cost is more.
CMS

It is now considered better to spay right before the first heat as it cuts down on the incidence of breast cancer in dogs, but you still get some benefit between the first and second. With smaller breeds they often opt to wait until after the first heat because they are so tiny, especially with those 1.5-2.5 pounders. Wait until her heat is fully finished, then at least a few weeks or a month more (ask your vet what his preference is). Spaying during the heat is more risky, and there is more bleeding involved. The only thing is you will have to be careful for the next three weeks that she doesn't get out, and that other dogs can't get to her. Also, you may want to limit her to a hard-floored area until after the bleeding stops, or there are pads you can get at a pet store.
Aimee