I know that this topic has been covered, but I have to ask for some opinions.

I have 3 dogs as you all can see from my sig. pic. Two females (GSD and St.) and one male (lab). All of which (for the time being) are intact. I do have plans on getting them all fixed.

One problem is cost (we can cover the cost for one sugery at a time-too bad we can't just do them all at the same time).

My GSD is now 3yrs old and has had a total of 5 heat cycles (currently in the fifth ask we speak) so it's going to cost more for her. While she's in heat she gets to wear a diaper while inside, and is watched like a hawk when out with Otto.

With our lab, we have to wait til his thyroid levels are leveled out. So, we have to wait for that. Which sucks since he won't stay out of my GSD's butt. So gross since he likes to lick everyone and everything!

Now there's Lily. She is now 5 months old and the vet has told me that she could be spayed at 5-6 months without worry of growth problems. It'll also cost less than when she's a year old and even bigger. This is the same vet that had wanted to give our lab, with thyroid problems, extra vaccinations. Does anyone know if there have been growth problems for a giant breed dog once spayed or neutered?

We'll most likely get the girls fixed first, then our boy.

Edited by Keleah Stull (12/12/2008 02:30 PM)
Edit reason: added

Did you save any of them, IE rescue? If you have, then if you hunt around you'll find a very discounted service you are eligible for. If not, just call around until you find someone with a decent price and a decent reputation.

Keleah, do a search for the old threads. There is tons of info there. One quick thing; Lily is the St., right? I would never spay a giant before 2 yrs of age except under the most serious of circumstances. If you neuter your male, why would Lily have to be spayed so young? You don't have any other dogs, right? IMO, and based on too much research to count, a St. Bernard could have serious growth problems if spayed so little.

Edit regarding your male:
Your thyroid troubles will likely reappear if you neuter that dog. He might be a good candidate for this elusive vasectomy so many of us are curious about!

Please go through the old threads that so many of us vehemently contributed to!

Tommy, none of them were rescues.
I live in a small town and there's only 2 local vets, one I've taken 2 of the dogs to see.

I could take them to a vet that's 70 miles from where I live, but in that there's additional price for gas and most vets take in their surgeries early, so I'd have to go down the night before (my parents live there, so not like lodging is a problem) and then wait to pick them up and then drive back. There'd be scheduling problems with this, since my husband does shift work and we have a 6 month old baby.

 Quote: Jenni Williams

Keleah, do a search for the old threads. There is tons of info there. One quick thing; Lily is the St., right? I would never spay a giant before 2 yrs of age except under the most serious of circumstances.

I kind of thought the same thing, not spaying before they've grown completely. The vet had said that there were no adverse effects attributed to spaying a giant breed dog at a young age(5-6 mo). The vet also said something about her vaginal area and that it wasn't down fully. I'll have to talk to her again and ask her.

 Quote:

If you neuter your male, why would Lily have to be spayed so young? You don't have any other dogs, right? IMO, and based on too much research to count, a St. Bernard could have serious growth problems if spayed so little.

Only dogs I have are Lily, Otto, and Shaed(GSD).

I've had a couple concerns with this vet. Otto and his thyroid pills, her wanting to give him extra vaccinations, and she wasn't too excited when I mentioned the raw diet. She wanted to make sure that I had all the info on it and how my dogs could get salmonella(I know they can, but people have a higher occurance than dogs).

 Quote:

Edit regarding your male:
Your thyroid troubles will likely reappear if you neuter that dog. He might be a good candidate for this elusive vasectomy so many of us are curious about!

I've read the post about the vasectomy. Can a dog seriously get a vasectomy? If so, then the vet in Bismarck might be the one to go to. They'd probably be able to better help me (they asked no questions when I took Shaed and Otto in for rabies and didn't get distemper).

I'd ditch the first vet for sure. Anyone who says there are no issues spaying a SAINT BERNARD at 5 mos is a bit behind the times...and their education.

If you didn't have a fertile male, you could leave the females alone, which would be by far the cheapest. Check into the vasectomy, or neuter w/thyroid pills. They shouldn't be expensive. I'm on thyroid, and it's cheap! Also, probably the safest "med" to be on for life.

I think I've posted this before, but maybe it'll help.

http://www.naiaonline.org/pdfs/LongTermHealthEffectsOfSpayNeuterInDogs.pdf

 Quote: Jenni Williams

I'd ditch the first vet for sure. Anyone who says there are no issues spaying a SAINT BERNARD at 5 mos is a bit behind the times...and their education.

Ditto, that's just crazy. I don't know about saints, but in the great dane world (similar weight class I'd assume), I think most breeders have come around and encourage their puppy buyers to wait until 12-24m before spay/neutering. Does your breeder have any thoughts on this?

If you've been through 5 heat cycles with your GSD already, with no accidents, you clearly know what's involved in preventing oops litters while you wait for your saint to mature - given your circumstances, I'd try to find that elusive vasectomy for your male ! (and then come back and tell us ALLLLL about it!! :grin Even if it's a long drive, it might be worth it, and then you could take your time (and save your pennies) to schedule spays later on. Keep in mind, that procedure won't keep him from being obnoxious when your females are in heat... but at least you won't have to worry about puppies.

Good luck - you have a very handsome crew!

~Natalya

If the lady in this video http://leerburg.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/208302/page/4#Post208302 can find somebody to do a vasectomy on her dog somebody else should be able to. It's just a simple tube snip anyway. You would think for something that uncomplicated most vets should be capable. Are they just not willing to refer to a book for the procedure or something?