Neutering Your Chihuahua

I hate the idea of an invasive procedure. But it's every responsible owner's duty to have their pet fixed.

But what are the things you need to consider before getting your chihuahua neutered?

I signed a non-breeding agreement when I bought Farfl from Lenni Reed in November 2008 - I have no wish to go through the stress of owning a pregnant dog and dealing with the care of puppies, especially chihuahua puppies which since they are so small can be even more difficult to rear successfully. I also don't wish to add to the numbers of unwanted puppies which end up being euthanized each year. Farfl is very small - only three pounds - and it would be cruel and dangerous to breed from her. Most responsible breeders will not breed from any female under four pounds.

I took Farfl to our vet, Hillary Butler, today to see if Farfl is ready to be spayed. She is nearly six months old, but  not all of her adult teeth are through yet, so Hillary suggested we wait another three weeks.

She explained that it is important to time the spaying of a chihuahua carefully for a couple of reasons:

1. Ideally you want to spay a female dog before she comes into heat for the first time - this reduces her risk of cancers such as mamarian cancer significantly
2. Chihuahuas often have problems losing their baby teeth when their adult teeth come in, leading to overcrowding issues, so extraction is necessary
3. Since anaesthetizing such small animals is potentially dangerous and stressful to the animal, it is always better to combine these two procedures if at all possible.

Hillary takes care of the spaying of all of the smallest animals in the practice - I'm very thankful that she will be looking after Farfl when the time comes.

If you're still unconvinced, take a look at this exclusive interview Mickey Rourke (a big chihuahua fan) gave PETA explaining the reasons why you should get your pets fixed, what it means to be a responsible owner, and why you shouldn't buy from pet shops. Please be aware that there is one "f" bomb in this video! Mickey tells it like it is.

For me although the cost of spaying Farfl is significant, the potential cost of not spaying her is astronomical.

Related posts:

1. What is a Miniature Teacup Chihuahua?
2. Farfl has been spayed!
3. Which Breeder?
4. Choosing a Vet
5. Boarding your Chihuahua

1. Farfl Has Been Neutered! | Farfl the Wonderdog says:

   July 7, 2009 at 1:46 am

   [...] pleased I made the decision to have her neutered – since she's too small to breed from and I don't want to put her life at risk with any unwanted [...]
2. natley says:

   July 9, 2009 at 7:00 am

   but what if i dont want my puppy spayed or nutered i want my sisters puppy to be breeded with one of my dogs plus my sis owes me a pup so i want it non spayed and nutered
3. Rill says:

   July 9, 2009 at 3:10 pm

   That’s fine if you have plans of how you’re going to take care of all the puppies – I just don’t want that responsibility. There are a lot of dogs out there that need homes already. Plus my dog is too small to breed from – it would be far too dangerous to let her get pregnant. It’s a personal choice and a decision to be made carefully.
4. Donna says:

   March 24, 2010 at 10:46 am

   Hi. I just got my chihuahua neutered yesterday and he is in so much pain. He has pain meds, but I will be picking up more to add to what he is taking, since he is screaming if we even touch him. He is 8 months old, and a baby in every sense!! How do I know if this is normal?
5. Rill says:

   March 24, 2010 at 3:14 pm

   Hi Donna

   Chihuahuas are very squeaky (Farfl is a big exception to the rule) generally, but if you’re really concerned I would talk to your vet. Sorry to hear your dog’s having such a rough time! Farfl acted as if almost nothing had happened, but it’s a very different procedure for girls.
6. Shirley says:

   May 21, 2010 at 1:10 am

   If we are responsible & caring owners of a chihuahua & don’t want to breed her, why must we discuss spaying or neutering? If we as adults do not wish to procreate, we take measures to prevent pregnancy but we don’t have our uterus removed. Are we more likely to get cancer or other problems if we don’t procreate or have our uterus removed? My puppy is 7-1/2 months & I am wrestling with this. I feel that I am going against nature by getting her fixed. Is there anyone out there who shares my feelings on this?
7. Rill says:

   May 21, 2010 at 11:03 am

   It all comes down to your own personal choice. As the vet explained it to me the procedure is much less invasive for a dog than a human and the recovery is swift. She was right. The health benefits (reducing the likelihood of certain cancers) outweigh the risks. I think you have to think about your dog as a dog and not an adult human. I welcome everyone’s thoughts on the matter.