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My vet says spay my dog. Is anesthesia safe? What are the risks?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Hi My dog’s breed is bichon frise, she is 7 Month old and she has not been spay yet , I'm so scared of anesthesia and her doctor told me if you don’t spay her , she may be ill in the future , What should I do?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on April 27th, 2018

While any anesthesia carries a risk, spaying is generally a very safe procedure. The risks of anesthesia increase as a dog ages (I'm specifically referencing senior dogs like 10 years and older), but there are few risks for a young and healthy puppy. Your vet is right she could be ill in the future if you don't spay her. Not spaying her leaves her at risk of developing a pyometra in the future. This is an infection of the uterus that is fatal without treatment, and spaying the dog is part of the treatment of a pyometra. That surgery is high risk due to the severity of the illness in the dog from the infection, and it costs thousands to perform. In addition, dogs who are spayed are at an increased risk of developing mammary tumors. Of these mammary tumors, 50% of them are malignant. For her health, it is best to spay her now. I would speak with your vet about getting it done. I hope this helps!

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    Answered By Ann Dion, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on March 22nd, 2017

    Hello. It is nice that Fiffy now has a home with someone so caring. Risks of spaying include risk of anaesthesia, risks of infection and wound break-down after surgery, as well as bleeding in surgery. Risks of not spaying Fiffy include increased risks of cancers, HIGH RISK of pyometra (a life-threatening infection of the uterus that requires emergency surgery to correct), and pregnancy (which in an older dog can be life-threatening). I feel that unless there are medical conditions determined on physical exam prior to surgery that would suggest that she is unstable for anaesthesia, spaying her is less risky than waiting and possibly having an emergency surgery later on. Have a veterinarian perform a complete physical examination on Fiffy, and bloodwork prior to surgery to rule out any underlying disease, and if that is all normal I would recommend having Fiffy spayed.

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Im trying to feel a bit better about getting her spayed Wednesday. But spaying really doesn’t increase the chance of hemangiosarcoma does it? Like have you seen an increase? & are there any other risks? Because Precious could easily live another 9 ye
There are the usual risks associated with any general anesthesia procedure; which includes complications from surgery like infection, irregular heart beats and apnea. Surgical complications are rare in hospitals that follow standardized protocols and constant monitoring of the patient while under. Ask your vet about the protocols and safety measures that they take for their patients, so that you have a better understanding of the care she is going to receive there. This will hopefully give you some peace of mind. Take care!
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My dog had a pollepus removed off her wome but my vet said they have roots and need to be removed so he's going to remove it and spade her at same time she's 12 and I'm worried she won't pull through
Just as in people, anesthetic procedures are not without risk. However, if she is deemed healthy and will be adequately monitored during the procedure, the risk is minimized. She should have a full blood panel performed beforehand to make sure she is healthy to undergo the procedure. Your vet should also do a good physical exam to ensure she does not have a heart murmur or other health concerns. Wishing you both the best!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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my dog has never been put under her surgury is already as dxpensive as it is, i can't afford to do the blood work but she has never had any health issue her breathing seems just fine i mean i take her to the vet often. Also she is 4 years old soon sh
Spaying your dog will contribute to her living longer and having a healthier life by eliminating the surge of hormones from when she goes into season that can lead to a uterine infection that can be life threatening, not to mention the additional stresses the hormones and the anxiety of being in season can have on a dog. Bloodwork is a good idea, to get an idea of how her organ systems are functioning and how well she will tolerate the anesthesia. Getting both procedures done at one time will eliminate the need for more than one anesthesia event, so that itself lowers her risk. Ask you vet if they are willing to work with you on getting the bloodwork done, either by running just liver and kidney function testing or if there is a discount for doing all of the work at one time.
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I want to spay Lucy.can it be dangerous for her?are there any risks?I'm so worried about her
HI, thanks for using Boop by Petco! In the US spaying cats and dogs is very common. Most Veterinary clinics place IV catheters, give IV fluids, intubate and have them on inhaled gas and oxygen. We monitor them with pulse oximetry and EKG and track blood pressure. Despite how often we do it, it is a major surgery with removal of the ovaries and entire uterus. Cats tend to be "easier" then dogs and the procedure is quicker. The biggest, be it rare, complication would be bleeding or an unpredictable reaction to anesthesia. Sadly no surgery or anesthesia is risk free but the likelihood of a complication is very very small. I feel the health benefits outweigh the small risk. I hope this helps and I wish you and Lucy the very best!
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Hi, I have a 7 yr old English Mastiff that has a uterus infection. We cleared it up about a month and a half ago with antibiotics but it had came back within a week after finishing the antibiotics. My vet and I feel the only option is a spay surgery.
Unfortunately the choice is either removal of the uterus and ovaries and survival or losing her to sepsis or kidney failure . Anesthesia is very safe nowadays and the surgery, while log and not easy, is not that dangerous. So having her spayed is the best and safest option, even at her age. Your vet will likely do gas anesthesia which is very easily turned off, ie , if there are complications, your dog can be taken our of anesthesia very quickly, which is a safety factor. Ask your vet for pain medicine for her for the days afterwards.
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Fiffy is a bit old are there any risks to spaying her ? I found her on the street so I wasn't able to spay her younger as I just met her not long ago.
Hello. It is nice that Fiffy now has a home with someone so caring. Risks of spaying include risk of anaesthesia, risks of infection and wound break-down after surgery, as well as bleeding in surgery. Risks of not spaying Fiffy include increased risks of cancers, HIGH RISK of pyometra (a life-threatening infection of the uterus that requires emergency surgery to correct), and pregnancy (which in an older dog can be life-threatening). I feel that unless there are medical conditions determined on physical exam prior to surgery that would suggest that she is unstable for anaesthesia, spaying her is less risky than waiting and possibly having an emergency surgery later on. Have a veterinarian perform a complete physical examination on Fiffy, and bloodwork prior to surgery to rule out any underlying disease, and if that is all normal I would recommend having Fiffy spayed.
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are there any major risks when putting an over weight dog under anesthesia. My yorkie silkie is 18lb she was schedule to get spay today but the vet on duty couldn’t do it bc she was a little chuncky he said, tomorrow she has to go back in and anothe
In an overweight dog, there is more fat tissue to get through, and within the abdomen there is fat covering everything making it more difficult to see, and slippery to handle the tissues. It is a little more challenging than a spay in a thin dog. If they rescheduled the procedure with a different veterinarian, it is possible that the veterinarian on duty today wanted to make sure she was in more experienced hands. A spay is a very routine procedure, although no surgery is without risk. You should be thankful that the veterinarian today did what was best for Aubree, and I hope everything goes well tomorrow. Thanks for using Boop by Petco.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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Precious is suppose to get spayed next week & im literally already having an anxiety attack. I dont want abything to happen to her. I know it will prevent pyometra but what about what it can cause? I know she wont gain weight because shes very active
Hello. I can understand your anxiety, & there are some studies to suggest that some breeds are better off being neutered after a year or so of age, but for the most part, there is no danger & there is no greater likelihood of advanced disease in these animals. I always remind people that many women need to have hysterectomies for various medical reasons, & while the vast majority of these surgeries happen after puberty, there is no known significant increase in cancer, Alzheimer's, endocrine disease, etc. in these women. You will be hard-pressed to find any veterinarian who has been in practice longer than 20 years who will say there has been an uptick in medical problems in neutered animals. Pets are living longer & healthier lives because of this, & while we are still not making a huge dent in the pet overpopulation program & the number of puppies & kittens euthanized each year, we are trying. Thanks for using Boop by Petco.
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We will probably spay her in summer next year. But Dog trust BIH is giving free procedures for shelter dogs and for owner dogs. And I'm not sure if it's safe for her? I'm kind of scared for her.
As long as a physical exam and bloodwork is done prior to confirm Bella can undergo anesthesia, she should be fine. Every anesthetic procedure has risks but it is much safer these days. It would be preferable to spay her now as a healthy dog than to have to do emergency pyometra surgery on an older, sick dog.
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Should I consider spaying for my 2 year old female pug or Should we let her lead her life naturally? As pug's are very delicate for any surgery. I am not sure what to do. Please guide me. Will spaying my dog is good for her health?
It is always best to spay your dog when they are young if you are not planning to breed. Yes, brachycephalic need special care with anesthesia but vets know this and take special precautions. If you don't spay her you are risking her gettting mammary (breast) cancer and/or pyometra (life threatening uterine infection). It is much worse to have to put her under anesthesia later when she is sick rather than now when she is young and healthy. https://www.petcoach.co/article/spaying-ovariohysterectomy-the-benefits-in-dogs/
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