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Having your Flat-Coated Retriever
Spayed or Neutered

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"Simon" Read his story

If you’re thinking about having your Flat-Coated Retriever spayed or neutered, it’s vital for you to understand that these are major surgical procedures. Thus, it’s critical for you to know enough about them to make some major decisions which involve a small amount of risk to a beloved (and loving) member of your family.

The best place to start is by spelling out a few serious definitions:

  • Responsible Flat-Coat ownership: This means making the safest decisions that will result in the longest and happiest life for your Flat-Coated Retriever. Feeding your Flat-Coated Retriever a premium diet goes a long way toward this goal.
  • Spay: This is an ovariohysterectomy – that is, an operation during which the uterus, ovaries and fallopian tubes are surgically removed.
  • Neuter: This is a castration – in other words, surgery during which the testicles and epididymis are totally removed.
  • General anesthesia: A state of unconsciousness that can be induced by various medications or drugs. Frankly, there is always some risk involved in this procedure. The goal is to minimize that risk to your Flat-Coat’s life in every way possible. This is a situation in which "uneventful" is best!

Ultimately, every FCR should be spayed or neutered for health reasons, either early in life or once their breeding life is over – usually before 8 years old. In fact, if you never want your Flat-Coated Retriever to have puppies, it’s a good idea to have the surgery done before they reach 5 months of age. This can prevent certain kinds of behavior and some medical conditions from ever developing.

  • An ovariohystrerectomy (spay) will help your female Flat-Coat avoid an infection of the uterus. This common condition poisons the body and frequently results in death.
  • Hormones can influence the development of tumors in dogs, especially mammary (breast) cancer. If spayed before the first heat cycle (6 – 10 months), it can reduce the risk by a factor of 10.
  • Castrating a male FCR reduces its chances of cancer of the prostate and will usually reduce the tendency to wander.

What Else You Should Know!

There’s another important reason to have your Flat-Coated Retriever spayed or neutered… When it comes to dogs, we simply have "too much of a good thing."

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Everyone loves puppies and kittens, but not everyone is prepared to take on the responsibility of owning an adult dog or cat. The sad result is overcrowded shelters where the all too often outcome is euthanasia. It is estimated that millions of dogs are euthanized each year simply because there aren’t enough homes to go around.

Have your Flat-Coated Retriever spayed or neutered – It’s best for your dog, your family, and the Flat-Coated Retriever population at large. If an accidental pregnancy does occur, contact your vet right away.

Updated 09/27/98