Fixing A Pet: Is It Really Permanent?

Is it totally impossible to reverse a spaying? I spayed my Bichon due to plans to move to another country, but that has fallen through, and I would like to breed her. Thanks.

Candis

Spay and neuter surgeries are completely irreversible. So, if the vet who spayed your dog did the job correctly, you will not be able to breed her.

Sterilization surgeries in animals are different from those in people. Humans typically undergo tubal ligations or vasectomies. In these surgeries, the gonads (ovaries or testicles) are left in the body. Because of this, in some circumstances people who have undergone these procedures can still conceive children.

In cats and dogs, more aggressive surgeries are performed. Males undergo castration (also known as neutering), in which both testicles are removed. Females undergo ovariohysterectomies (known as spaying), in which the ovaries and uterus are removed. Removal of the gonads makes pets irreversibly sterile.

We remove the ovaries and testicles in animals because they produce hormones that lead to undesirable behaviors such as escaping, roaming, spraying urine, aggression, and sexual activity. As well, removal of the gonads greatly reduces the risk for a number of diseases including breast cancer, prostate problems, and many others.

However, once performed, the surgeries cannot be undone.