After a check up with my two sows, my vet suggested I get them spayed. I am aware an unspayed pig is at a higher risk for cysts. However, the surgery would be $200 for each pig and the vet mentioned there is no guarantee that they will survive. So now I have a choice: don't spay, and risk cysts, or spay, and risk death! Am I a bad owner for deciding to opt out of the surgery and keep them in tact?
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To Spay Or Not To Spay?
- Thread starter Tinka
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Kerrie74
Adult Guinea Pig
Hi @Tinka
No your not a bad owner at all, I have never heard of anyone being advised to get their sows spayed as a "just in case", I have three sows and I'm considering two of them having ovariectomies because one does have cysts (tried hormone injections) and the other looks like she has them, they are going to the vets tomorrow. It's a lot of money as well.
I wouldn't have mine spayed if they didn't have cysts.
No your not a bad owner at all, I have never heard of anyone being advised to get their sows spayed as a "just in case", I have three sows and I'm considering two of them having ovariectomies because one does have cysts (tried hormone injections) and the other looks like she has them, they are going to the vets tomorrow. It's a lot of money as well.
I wouldn't have mine spayed if they didn't have cysts.
madguinealady
Senior Guinea Pig
I wouldn't put mine through unnecessary surgery either.Seems strange for him to suggest it for purely precautionary reasons.They are high risk animals anyway.Only got my boy neutered so he could go in with the girls.
Lauren83
Junior Guinea Pig
I would not spay unless there was a specific reason that you had to. There are risks with any surgery, so for the vets to say to do it 'just in case' makes no sense. Might be a higher risk of cysts, but then they would need surgery anyway, so basically the vet is saying to have the risky surgery now in case you might need it later?! Makes no sense as there is also a good chance they will have no problems and never need surgery. Needless in my opinion and if my piggy-vet suggested that to me I would look elsewhere for a vet. Not being a bad owner at all, being a very good owner IMO.
Many sows develop cysts as they get older, but the majority of them is not causing problems. There are also now alternative hormone treatments available to a spay (chorulon). The number of forum sows that actually require a spay because they develop a womb or or ovarian cyst problems is much less than 1 in 10. The forum has been going for 10 years and thousands of piggies have passed through this forum in that time.
Weigh that up against the cost and the operation risk, especially in the hands of a vet who is not very experienced in guinea pig/small furries operations, and you will understand why most piggy owners decide against spaying their sows preventatively unless they have access to a very experienced operating vet. The situation is not comparable to rabbits where the cancer risk in unspayed does is indeed extremely high.
You are not a bad owner at all - or we are all bad owners on this forum here...
Many sows develop cysts as they get older, but the majority of them is not causing problems. There are also now alternative hormone treatments available to a spay (chorulon). The number of forum sows that actually require a spay because they develop a womb or or ovarian cyst problems is much less than 1 in 10. The forum has been going for 10 years and thousands of piggies have passed through this forum in that time.
Weigh that up against the cost and the operation risk, especially in the hands of a vet who is not very experienced in guinea pig/small furries operations, and you will understand why most piggy owners decide against spaying their sows preventatively unless they have access to a very experienced operating vet. The situation is not comparable to rabbits where the cancer risk in unspayed does is indeed extremely high.
You are not a bad owner at all - or we are all bad owners on this forum here...
This makes me feel a lot better. Everyone who commented seems to be from the UK, so as a general rule, vet care for exotic animals in the US is a lot more expensive and is also really hard to come by. When I had my hamster Tinka, I dropped $350 to get her looked at by the vet and prescribed some medication to rid her of parasites. Tove's ringworm ordeal cost me about $150. I feel like she overcharges people because she's the only vet who can work with small animals. So maybe the pressure to spay my girls is more of her trying to guilt money out of me!
Kerrie74
Adult Guinea Pig
Wow :/
D
DM030819
I've only ever had boars so have never had to make the decision. Everyone I know bar one person doesn't spay their pigs as a precaution.
The one lady I know who does has only ever had sows, and has been quite unlucky to have a few that have had problems in later life. She works for a zoo and has very good access to an excellent vet so she is happy to take on the risk.
The one lady I know who does has only ever had sows, and has been quite unlucky to have a few that have had problems in later life. She works for a zoo and has very good access to an excellent vet so she is happy to take on the risk.
Vet cost in the US are much higher although we are seemingly trying to catch up fast now, especially with the exotic vets.
I've just had 2 older sows spayed for health reasons. It's a major operation. I've had many other sows who've not needed spaying and 2 others who I don't intend to spay unless it's indicated. It's not the money. It's the risks of the surgery, the length of recovery and the stress to the piggies and to me.
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