Pets in Costa Rica – Ovaries – To Have, or to Have not – Not all spays are created equal.

So, you are the happy new dog owner of a sweet little girl dog. When she is old enough to learn about the “birds and the bees” you give her that parent — doggy talk.

The loving responsible pet owner will be telling her something like “in your case, you will remain a virgin and have a career”. So, you prepare her for the big trip to the doc and for what you feel is a routine spay to avoid unplanned pregnancies.

Ah, but what you really don’t know is that not all spays are the same. In a very frustrating way, I have learned more about the technicalities of spaying dogs here than I ever set out to learn. Without going in to a dry detailed lesson in canine reproductive anatomy, I can simply state that a dog uterus is shaped like the letter “Y”.

The lower “leg” of the “Y” would be the vaginal canal and part of the uterus. The upper “arms” of the “y” are called “horns” of the uterus because the canine uterus can accommodate “multiple occupancy” within the horns of the uterus.

At the very top of each of the two horns would hover an ovary attached to fallopian tubes. A good complete spay to give the animal the best quality of life involves removal of as much of the uterus (complete with both horns) and ovaries and tubes as possible. All of the doctors I work with here do complete spays. But unless you inquire, that may not be what you get.

My friends and colleagues in the U.S. tell me that any veterinarian that does less than a complete spay is guilty of negligence and possible loss of license to practice if caught. But in many countries around the world and common here in Costa Rica some veterinarians may just remove a section from each horn of the uterus, which will sterilize the animal, but leaving the ovaries in.

Other than being just lazy, I am not sure why some docs have the philosophy that leaving ovaries in a dog is beneficial.

I can only stretch my imagination and assume they are using the rationale that women do better after a hysterectomy especially when they are young, by leaving their ovaries in for sources of female hormones.

Even though we women are some times referred to as “bitches”, we have nothing in common with canine reproductive physiology. Women cycle into estrus and not in to heat. Keeping it simple, an animal that has regular heat periods, has the ovaries working together with the uterus to send hormonal messages back and forth allowing the heat cycle to come to an end.

Therefore, if a dog has the uterus removed — or portions of it, there is a disruption in the chemical signals leaving the ovaries constantly in an “on” position putting the animal in danger of ovarian cysts or cancer and increasing the risk of breast cancer.

In other words, a cruel joke on the animal in that they may not be burdened by lots of puppies, but their life could be cut short ending in an agonizing death.

My little street puppy, Tinker Bell was spayed seven years ago before I began working with veterinarians doing spay and neuter clinics. She was spayed by some veterinarians visiting Costa Rica from Europe. I assumed she would receive the “typical” complete spay at 7 months old. Imagine my surprise some months later (no doubt her first heat) when her nipples and vulva began to enlarge.

She has “cycled” in and out for a good seven years. However, trying to clean up a botched spay is a high risk surgery. Now, having to search for fragments in the body cavity requires a bigger than normal incision and is an extended surgery putting the dog at higher risk of death on the table.

I fretted over having to put her under again to go in and take out what I was sure was ovaries left behind. I knew with each time passing her risk of ovarian cysts or cancer was mounting and yet she could die on the table looking for those fragments.

I ended that agonizing conflict the other day when I took Tinker Bell to San Carlos and experienced Dr. Jorge Rodriguez S. and his amazing skill at removing what he referred to as an “enormous” inflamed and infected uterus which had seven years previously been snipped of the “horns” leaving behind one enormous cyst filled ovary and a very tiny grape seed sized ovary on the other side.

What he removed was so spectacular that I asked him to let me photograph them and now have them preserved in alcohol as a “poster child” to campaign to remove ovaries in any spay! I could include those photos, but not everyone has an appreciation for remnants of post surgical “arte”.

My point in writing this article is this: When you go in with what is sure to be a beloved family member and request a spay, please inquire as to the exact type of spay that will be performed. And, make it clear that you expect it to be a complete spay including the entire uterus and both ovaries. If you have any fears or doubts, you can do what I did: Ask for those “spare parts” in a jar of alcohol.

As one of my good friends from the states, a doctor of veterinary medicine tells me “Gloria, there is absolutely no medical reason to leave those ovaries in…” and further, there is concrete evidence that it is a health risk. It seems it isn’t enough here for us to be responsible pet owners and have our dogs spayed, we have to be knowledgeable about the different techniques for their own welfare.

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Written by Gloria Dempsey. Zoologist in Arenal, Costa Rica. April 2008

If you would to contribute to the rescue and care of wildlife in Costa Rica, please send US cashier’s cheques to our Zoologist friend in Arenal Gloria Dempsey:

Gloria Dempsey
5717-28 Nuevo Arenal – Tilaran
Guanacaste, Costa Rica.

Or you can email Gloria Dempsey here.

Andrew Makarik

to@welovecostarica.com

Andrew Makarik is the main editor of WeLoveCostaRica, a fan of this sunny country. He is also a loving husband and a has a lovely daughter. By being a devoted family man and the biggest Costa Rica fan, he wants to make more people feel at home there. WeLoveCostaRica unites people and helps them find new home or a new travel destination. This website is a friendly community where everyone can find not only information, but also new friends and travel pals. Andrew is also passionate about IT and programming, so he himself maintains a friendly atmosphere in this cozy environment of WeLoveCostaRica.com.