ovaries left untouched when neutering?

[Holga]

Hello everyone.

I would like to have my female neutered. I have heard that it is better when the ovaries are left untouched in the operation so that she doesn't get too much weight later on her future life...

Thanks for any advice and recomendations.

[gmacleod]

Leaving the ovaries in place would have significant downsides ;) Your dog would still have heat cycles (albeit with the lack of womb meaning she couldn't carry a litter). With those heat cycles would come the increasing (and very significant) risk of mammary cancer. The only benefit at all from the spay would be inability to have puppies, and elimination of the risj of pyometra. All other disadvantages remain.

As for the weight thing - spaying/neutering does not make dogs fat. Overfeeding and insufficient exercise makes dogs fat ;)

What is true is that spayed/neutered animals may have slightly lower metabolisms, so need more exercise/less food. But this is something that happens anyway as part of the normal ageing process. Just as it does for humans! Few of us are as active in our 40s as we were in our 20s - and our bodies require less fuel for maintenance also. Those of us who fail to address this by eating less and exercising get fat ;) Well, it's the same for the dog - except that it is the owner managing the food and exercise regime, not the dog. So if you feed and exercise appropriately for the dog's needs, you will not have a fat dog. If you overfeed and/or under-exercise, you *will* have a fat dog (and probably would irrespective of whether you spayed her or not).

[Holga]

Thanks a lot for your advice!
now it seems more reasonable to neuter my dog the usual way!

:)