Dog - To Spay or Not to Spay?

[SarahMy]

1. Name: Gracie
2. Age: 1 yr, 10 mths
3. Sex: Female
4. Neutering status: Intact
5. Breed: English Lab
6. Approximate weight: 73 pounds
7. What's their BEAM (behavior, energy, appetite, mood): Very good
8. Diet: Primal, frozen raw, 4 day rotation b/w different proteins, green beans, coconut oil, Vetri Mega Probiotic (Vetri Science), bully sticks
9. Vaccination history / exposure to toxins, other medication: Rabies-10/20/22, 10/5/23; Distemper/Parvo-7/29/23, 9/22/23

I have read through the material and watched a video or two regarding the decision to spay or not on this site. I'm still torn. The reason I'm thinking about having her spayed is that when she's in heat, she is very uncomfortable and restless. She has an abundant amount of energy but she won't do her normal play activities like running after the frisbee or a large branch that I will carry around and she tries to catch it. She's hot all the time (except winter) but it's worse during her heat cycle. I'm guessing it's b/c her estrogen levels are high. She has also had a false pregnancy and she was very stressed during that as well. I understand these are normal symptoms but it stressful to see her in that state not to mention the stress she is under. During this time, I have tried the Bach Flower Rescue Remedy for pets and the T-Relief Pet Pain drops but I don't feel that it helped much like it has in the past for other health issues. Are there other homeopathic remedies that could work better? And based on Chinese medicine, I only feed her the proteins that won't make her hot like duck, turkey, & rabbit. I still feed her beef though.

Thanks,
Sarah

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Hey Sarah!

I'm glad that sweet Gracie has a high BEAM and am sorry to hear about her stress when she is in heat.

when she's in heat, she is very uncomfortable and restless.

She has also had a false pregnancy and she was very stressed during that as well

Ah. Whereas spaying is not typically a problem, there's one other thing to know.

It sounds like she's expressing symptoms through her reproductive organs. As you said, those symptoms will typically stop when she gets spayed.

That will then make it harder to address the underlying energetic imbalance that is causing the symptoms.

On the other hand, spaying will quickly relieve her of the stress.

Are there other homeopathic remedies that could work better?

Yes! That's exactly what I was going to suggest. Start working with a trained vet homeopath before you get her spayed.

S/he will select remedies based on all of Gracie's symptoms (I bet there are other early warning sign common but abnormal symptoms).

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If the homeopath does not resolve the imbalances before her next heat, you can always then get her spayed. And she will already have had the energetic stimulation of the remedies so will be better prepared for surgery (if needed).