Spaying and Neutering of Chinese Shar-Pei
The term “neutering” generally refers to surgical sterilization of either sex. “Spaying” refers to neutering the bitch, and “castration” refers to neutering the male dog. Unless you plan to breed your bitch (and this is a very big decision), spaying the female dog is preferred for a number of reasons. First and foremost is to prevent pregnancy and subsequent unwanted litters. The recent increase in the number of Shar-Pei in animal shelters points out an emerging problem, unwanted Shar-Pei. Can you be sure to provide loving homes for any puppies your Shar-Pei may have? Do you really want to go through a heat cycle every six months? Unless you can accept all the responsibility involved in breeding your Shar-Pei, it is probably better to have her spayed.
The decision may be taken out of your hands if your female develops any one of several conditions that require she be spayed. These diseases include pyometra (severe uterine infection), uterine torsion (twisted uterus), uterine prolapse or tumors. Spaying is also recommended in the treatment of ovarian cysts. This surgery also helps in the control of some diseases such as diabetes or epilepsy and is good preventive medicine. If it is done before the first heat cycle, the incidence of breast tumors later in life decreases to less than .5 percent. Bear in mind that about 50 percent of breast tumors in female dogs are malignant. Finally, it is widely observed and documented that there is a higher incidence of immune-mediated diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus, and autoimmune hemolytic anemia, in intact female dogs.
Many veterinarians prefer to spay bitches prior to their first heat cycle. In the Shar-Pei, this usually means sometime between six and eight months of age. Early spaying of bitches apparently has no effect on the growth or health of the bitch and, as discussed, does reduce the incidence of breast tumors. Talk to your vet to decide the best time for your dog.
The surgery itself is relatively simple, and post-operative pain seems to be minimal, with most Shar-Pei up and around the day after. Aftercare is also minimal, and usually involves cleaning the incision for the first few days with hydrogen peroxide and keeping the dog from bothering the incision line.
Castration of the male dog is likewise valuable from a health standpoint. Castration helps in the prevention of testicular disease such as tumors, infection and trauma. It is also useful in eliminating or at least reducing some sexually related behaviors such as masking behavior, some forms of aggression, roaming, and so forth. The procedure involves a pre-scrotal incision through which both testicles are removed. Many veterinarians close the skin using sutures that require no post-operative follow-up visit; they are simply absorbed by the body. Aftercare involves restricting activity for several days to prevent the scrotum from filling up with fluid. Most veterinarians recommend castration be done early in the dog’s life, usually at eight to ten months of age when the dog is sexually mature, both for the prevention of disease and because of the fact that the young dog is a much better surgical risk.
Early spay/neuter, also known as “early-age neutering,” has recently been endorsed by both the American Kennel Club and the American Veterinary Medical Association. The AKC recommends that breeders encourage puppy purchasers to have their pets spayed or neutered to prevent accidental breeding and to avoid breeding merely to produce puppies.