Is it ok to spay a sow

[LittleEskimo]

Well on the rabbit forum I go on there is someone asking about a rescue that routinely neuters males. I said I have heard of some rescues that do it regularly. Then someone posted a link saying that a rescue neuters males and spays females regularly. But I always thought you should only ever spay a sow if it is for medical reasons. I said just that and she replied saying her vet had performed hundreds of spays and so she felt happy to do it for her pigs

confused

 

[Amanda1801]

I think it's Rugby Rabbit & GP Welfare spay sows routinely. They wouldn't do it if they didn't have an experienced vet with a high success rate.

I had Cameo spayed - never again - even with an experienced vet, I had 5 weeks of post op complications totalling a £2000 price tag. Certainly not something to be entered into lightly.

 

[Lil-Ninnibig]

It is very risky to spay or neuter either sex guineapig due to anasthesia and infection. It is alot riskier to neuter a female as they have to literally open her up whereas a male simply has a small incision to remove the testes. Both however come with the risk of infection and anaesthesia. i would strongly advise against either operation unless for medical reasons.

 

[Midge&Panda]

Out of the 9 girls I have owned 3 have had to be spayed. This was due to cystic ovaries and that was after other treatments had been tried. Fortunatly none of them went on to have post op complications.

 

[TAN]

I was reluctant to get my lone boar Bumble nuetered as I really didnt want to take the risk,call it womans intuition but I really have an uneasy feeling about it where he is concerned,I mean a real sort of twighlight zone feeling - so instead I went on the waiting list for a spayed sow from Tracy @ Rugby Rabbit & Guinea Pig welfare - they really do have one of the top vets in the country there (Simon Maddock who treats the dental piggies from The Excellent Adventure Sanctuary ) - so he literally has done hundreds.
The reason Rugby spay all their females is because it guarantees they cannot be bred from in future - it costs £180 for them to spay a sow (one operates ,one anethetises,nurses assist etc ) so when you pay £35 for your spayed female you really are getting a "bargain" as the rescue have had to foot the other £145 for the cost of the op - I think this may also have something to do with the wait for a spayed sow as my two spayed females (a bonded pair who are very bossy wifepigs to their toyboy huspig Bumble came into rescue in June/ July last year and I picked them up in January - )the rescue can obviously only spay when they have the funds available to do so - they also do not spay (usually) at certain times of the year I think it was October - New year / march,but that may be subject to change -

 

[LittleEskimo]

I was reluctant to get my lone boar Bumble nuetered as I really didnt want to take the risk,call it womans intuition but I really have an uneasy feeling about it where he is concerned,I mean a real sort of twighlight zone feeling - so instead I went on the waiting list for a spayed sow from Tracy @ Rugby Rabbit & Guinea Pig welfare - they really do have one of the top vets in the country there (Simon Maddock who treats the dental piggies from The Excellent Adventure Sanctuary ) - so he literally has done hundreds.
The reason Rugby spay all their females is because it guarantees they cannot be bred from in future - it costs £180 for them to spay a sow (one operates ,one anethetises,nurses assist etc ) so when you pay £35 for your spayed female you really are getting a "bargain" as the rescue have had to foot the other £145 for the cost of the op - I think this may also have something to do with the wait for a spayed sow as my two spayed females (a bonded pair who are very bossy wifepigs to their toyboy huspig Bumble came into rescue in June/ July last year and I picked them up in January - )the rescue can obviously only spay when they have the funds available to do so - they also do not spay (usually) at certain times of the year I think it was October - New year / march,but that may be subject to change -

That's quite a good idea actually

 

[Wiebke]

RNGP Welfare Rugby have a neutering/spaying policy, but they use one of the best piggy vets with a top class operating team. Their (few) spayed sows come in handy for difficult to bond older and medical boars - if they have some in. Rugby only neuters during the warmer months.

In all other cases, severe ovarian cysts are usually the reason for an operation. I have lost a newly rehomed sow during her op because a second huge cyst was only found under anaesthesia - and the weight loss once both massive cysts had been taken out was too great for her to wake up again.

I would not recommend spaying unless necessary.