Every year, millions of adoptable animals are euthanized in the United States. It’s a sad state of affairs and it continues to happen, due to a serious overpopulation problem. The number one way to decrease the number of animals who end up in shelters is to neuter or spay your pet. If you’re reading this, hopefully you have already decided to spay your beagle. Not only will you help decrease the population of animals who need to find homes, you will also be doing something great for your pet’s health and general well-being.
What Is the Best Age to Spay Your Beagle?
Not every veterinarian agrees about the best age to spay your female beagle. There are advantages and disadvantages to spaying at different ages, so you will want to do your own research to make the best decision for you and your pet.
The first thing to keep in mind is that earlier spaying will greatly decrease the odds of an unplanned litter. If your dog has any access to other intact dogs, you should consider spaying as soon as possible.
Beyond that, there are essentially two schools of thought on when to spay. The first option is a pediatric spay, which is done when a puppy reaches a certain weight that is deemed safe. This weight varies by doctor or clinic but can include puppies as young as eight weeks old. The advantages of early spaying include avoiding a heat cycle, and no chance of unintended pregnancies.
On the flip side, puppies that are small can have a slightly increased risk of complications from anesthesia. It’s important to go to a clinic that regularly deals with pediatric spays as many vets do not. You will find low-cost spay and neuter clinics in most cities; they are often affiliated with animal shelters. In fact, some shelters and rescues will require you to fix your animal before he or she comes home.
If your beagle is not operated on at this young age, most vets advise spaying between around four and six months old.
Benefits of Spaying Beagles
Even if we put aside the serious pet overpopulation problems, there are many, many other great reasons to get your animal spayed. In fact, all major animal welfare organizations, including the ASPCA, recommend that all household animals be fixed.
To put the problem of pet overpopulation in perspective, The Human Society reports that on average six to eight million animals enter shelters for homeless animals every year. Of those who enter, less than half will be adopted. Some will experience illness in the shelter setting, and others will be euthanized to make room for more homeless animals. It’s a heartbreaking cycle and the way to end it is simply to have animals spayed or neutered.
But as I said – this is not the only reason! Getting your beagle spayed will generally make her happier and healthier and she will enjoy, on average, a longer lifespan than her unfixed counterparts. The Humane Society reported stats from a USA Today article which found that the states that have the highest number of neutered or spayed animals also enjoy the longest lifespans for their pets. This is no coincidence! There are several reasons.
The first is behavioral. When dogs are in heat, their behavior changes drastically. If you’ve ever been around a beagle going through it, you know how loud and irritating it can be! Your dog will growl, cry and possibly urinate in the wrong places. This is bad enough, but being in heat also opens your dog up to lots of danger. Unfixed dogs are far more tempted to escape or to get away from their owners to seek out adventure (and opposite sex dogs!) This means an increased chance of being struck by a car or injured by another animal or person.
Cleaning up after a dog in heat is a lot of work and not something that most people want to deal with. If you get your beagle spayed before her first heat, you’ll never have to deal with any of this!
Additionally, if you consider the cost of raising a litter, or dealing with pregnancy-related health issues, spaying is the more cost-effective choice by far.
Health Benefits of Spaying Beagles
As previously mentioned, spaying your beagle eliminates the possibility of your beagle going into heat. This means she will not have to experience that discomfort, which can be not only psychologically distressing but also very physically uncomfortable.
Spaying your beagle also means that, as the operation involves removing the uterus, you completely eliminate the possibility of several types of cancer that are related to the uterus and ovaries. Uterine cancer is not uncommon in unsprayed dogs, but once your dog is spayed, you’ll never have to worry about the risk again!
Additionally, because of hormonal changes that accompany spaying, the risk for other types of cancers is also significantly reduced. For example, the risk of mammary (breast) cancer in spayed dogs is significantly lower than in their un-fixed counterparts.
Of course, by avoiding heat and pregnancy, you also avoid all risk of birth-related trauma or pregnancy-induced medical conditions and injuries. Giving birth to an entire litter can be difficult for many dogs and definitely takes a toll on them. By preventing pregnancy, you can avoid all of these potential complications.
Health Risks and Side Effects of Spaying Beagles
Of course, spaying is surgery and you’d be remiss not to carefully consider any risks associated with this procedure. You’ll be glad to hear, that spay surgery is extremely, overwhelmingly safe and odds are that your beagle will come out of it with flying colors.
According to the ASPCA, the most common side effects of spay surgery are very mild – and many can be avoided by following proper aftercare instructions and promptly reporting any problems post-surgery. These common side effects, which are experienced in somewhere between 1 and 4 percent of spay surgeries, include things like minor infections and chewed-out (open) stitches.
The risk of death during a spaying procedure is extremely low – less than .1 percent! These overwhelmingly rare deaths are often attributed to a problem with breathing and/or anesthesia, which can be exacerbated by certain existing health conditions. Your vet should perform a thorough exam prior to any type of surgery to decrease these types of risks and contraindications.
Weighed against the health benefits of spaying and the health risks of not spaying, the choice is obvious! A spayed beagle has a good shot at a longer and healthier life.
How to Care for Your Beagle After She is Spayed
In order to keep your newly-spayed dog safe and healthy, you’ll have to keep an eye on her for the first few days. In the initial hours after your dog returns home, odds are that she will still be feeling residual effects of anesthesia. She will need help getting in and out of the car. Keep a careful eye on her to make sure that she doesn’t fall. Some dogs also experience nausea as a side effect of anesthesia. If your dog is one of them, it is not cause for alarm. You can consult with your vet if he or she has not prescribed something to treat this.
Make sure to follow your vet’s instructions carefully. You’ll need to ensure that your beagle is not able to bite or lick her stitches. You can have her wear a cone or a “donut”. Many dogs aren’t too excited about this but it’s vital for their well-being. Keep an eye on the incision area to ensure that it looks clean and seems to be healing well. Your vet will give you specific instructions on what to look for and schedule a follow-up appointment to check on healing.
You will need to keep your beagle calm per your vet’s specific instructions. Most commonly, it’s recommended that your dog not jump or participate in heavy exercise for a period of a week or two. This includes jumping up on furniture so watch out for that!
Final Thoughts
As you can see, the benefits of spaying your beagle far outweigh any potential risks. By spaying your beagle, you are not only doing your part to address the pet overpopulation epidemic, you are also giving your dog a chance at a healthier and longer life. Spayed and neutered dogs make amazing pets; they are calmer and enjoy being at home more than non-spayed dogs.
Additionally, you will eliminate the possibility of your beagle going through heat, which is a very uncomfortable experience for all involved. If you need assistance getting your dog spayed, you can check with your local shelter to find out about low cost spay and neuter clinics in your area or check in with your vet. In most communities, there are numerous options for discounted spay and neuter services – many of these also offer vaccinations and other health services, too. Spaying your dog is one of the number one things that you can do for her!