My dog died unnecessarily on Nov. 30th 2021 due to her being spade while actively in heat. The vet gave us no prior knowledge that because our dog was in heat that she had a greater risk of internal bleeding and would be at a higher risk of death. We booked this procedure prior to her being in heat and would have gladly waited if it meant our angel would have stayed alive. 

After Princess died the vet released the heart breaking blow that this was not uncommon with dogs in heat. She repeatedly told me that dogs who are in heat have a much higher chance of death. So much higher that many vets will not spay a dog until 2-3 months after being in heat. We did not know any of this before hand.

 

Let me explain a bit about her, as she was a very special soul that had already suffered enough.

Princess had a hard life prior to us owning her. In 2019 my father passed away unexpectedly while we were on vacation. It left a void in me that I eventually decided to help heal by adding a new member to our family. I found Princess being rehomed on Craigslist. She was shown in numerous pictures with children dressing her up in different hats and glasses. A cat curled up on her back sleeping. Her happily smiling while being photographed. She looked to be the perfect fit for our family. 

After speaking to the owners we happily packed our children up to go meet her an hour away. But when we arrived we did not see the once healthy smiling dog in the photos. 

Princess was wearing a metal choker and her head was hung low with her tail between her legs. She was clearly malnourished with her ribs and spine showing. She had an evident case of fleas so bad that she had a rash on both hind legs. Her teets were enlarged and her belly was still stretched from being recently pregnant. I knew she must have just given birth to puppies. I had seen dogs before in the same state after having a liter. I could visibly see she had flees, that she obviously had given birth recently and something in me fell in love with her. The moment she timidly walked out of that house, I knew we needed to take her home and we did just that.

I held her on my lap all the way home with my children in the back seat. I sent my fiancé to the store immediately for flea shampoo and medicine. We cleaned her up, fed her and got her the essential vet care she needed. She had initially suffered from numerous UTIs, a vaginal infection and two reoccurring skin infections due to the over breeding and the horrible case of fleas she had. We even opted for the wellness plan and paid monthly to make sure she would have access to as many vet appointments as she needed. It was apparent that she would have a road of healing ahead of her and we were okay with that. She was worth it.

Everywhere we took her people would stop to pet her and tell us how beautiful she was. She had very special markings, she was brindle with “tiger stripes”. She had a huge smile and her docile demeanor attracted strangers everywhere. 

 

She would sun bathe in the yard and play with the kids. She never was rough or would run away. She would just happily walk by your side as long as she was with one of her humans she was happy.

 

We even got a new puppy last year for Christmas and she took him in as her own. She would give him her treats and let him tug at her ears. I had never met a dog that would sacrifice it’s own toys/treats for another. She even broke down a biscuit once with her teeth that Frankie couldn’t bite through on his one. Everyone loved her as they should because she was such an amazing little soul. 

 

She was in perfect health when we brought her into that clinic. She hadn’t suffered any infections or problems since we initially brought her home. We didn’t have to spay her that day we could have waited. She had already suffered so much and she deserved to grow old with us. 

I’m telling you this so you can understand my heart break. Because to me, she was not just another dog. She was my dog, she was my angel, that I found after my father suddenly died and I just needed someone during that time. We all needed someone, my fiancé, my children, my family we needed her just as much or more then she needed us.

We deserved a choice, we deserved the truth and Princess deserved to live.

If vets want to spay dogs in heat then so be it! But it needs to be done at the owners discretion. This was not an emergency surgery it could have waited. My angel would be here if we would have just known to wait. She already survived so much to have to die alone at that clinic.

I don’t want my beautiful girl to die in vain. I hope that her death can help spare others.

We need to be given a waiver, an acknowledgment of the severe risk you are taking by spaying your dog while she is in heat. 

 

Give owners a choice, give them the option to wait, let them choose the risk and let them be aware. Owners trust the vets, I did, I had no reason not to. But now I see we cannot blindly trust everyone to make life threatening risks known. 

 

Dogs don’t deserve to die on the vets table over a procedure that can wait. 

Please help us, our hearts are broken. She was our sweet girl, she deserved better and we can do better. 

 

Thank you