Has anyone ever had a corrective surgery done on a bitch after a failed spey?
My shiba was speyed 4 yrs ago and has always seemed to give off scent on a regular basis since.My 2 usually placid boys always become fretful at this time and we end up having the odd spat between them.Have tried kenneling,tardak,dap etc to no effect.
We are intending to add another male to the household this year so have decided this problem needs sorting.Zara is booked in for tests tomorrow (cost £100),with if the tests prove positive the op costing £200 approx.
Nikki

I have got the same problem, my bitch had an emergency spay when she had a c-section with pups and started to display symptoms/scent of being in season. When I discussed it with the vets they said they may have left some ovarian tissue in there which was causing this but it would be very hard to go back in and remove it as they may never find it. So I have decided to not go down the surgical route and live with it however it is not eas with a entire male in the house!! (I'm glad i am not the only one this happens to!)

I know a lady in the states whose bitch was badly spayed pre puberty but the rescue (she had no choice).  she had lost of problems and recently had to have her re-done and it was a right mess in there.

I have heard it is more common when bitches are spayed very young as it is easier to miss all the tissue as it is immature.

Surely if it is because the vet messed up first time there shouldn't be any charge?
Angela

The condition is called 'ovarian remnant syndrome'. In every case it is due to problem with the initial procedure carried out by the vet, a recent study has guggested that 17% of all bitches spayed have ORS, in a single dog household it may go undetected but with other dogs it can be a nightmare.

We had a lab speyed when she was 2 years old, a routine operation.
After 6 months she behaved exactly like an in season bitch would around dogs, tail to one side and peeing/marking everywhere, even her vulva was enlarged. We had 2 males labs at the time who followed her round, barking and whining all the time, but we put with it knowing that she could not possibly be 'in season'.

This behaviour was repeated every 3 months after, she was becoming intolerable, we had letters from the council about our dogs barking, whining and generally being a constant nuisance to our neighbours. Something was wrong but we didn't know what to do.

We eventually decided that our vet should examine her when she was next 'in season'. It turned out that that Alice did have something amiss and it was due to the spaying op. Apparently when a small amount amount of ovarian tissue is left in the abdomem it can attach itself to the body in Alices case to her kidney. The kidney then started emitting the hormone that triggers 'season' behaviour. The urine produced was full of hormone and attracted dogs, as does a normal in season bitch.
The vet gave 3 options for treatment
1, Do nothing - This was not a viable option
2, Repress through administering the anti season drug - This would have lasted for life requiring 4 treatments a year so that was not acceptable, Alice is now 13
3, Operate to find the ovarian tissue and remove it - That is what we opted for. It wasnt a routine operation as some abortive exploratory work had to be done, but Alice was completely cured. We were happy to get our Alice back to normal and she has lived happily every since.

I know this is an extreme example of the consequence of a routine operation going wrong, but does show that mistakes are made and that they can be diagnosed & corrected.

Thanks for all your replys.Zara has been in the vets all day for tests...results in a couple of days.
If they show she has some tissue remaining the we have no option but to have her operated on...with 3(and soon 4) entire males in the house a bitch 'in season' is a big problem.
As for costs....my OH intends to approach the vet who did the original spey although I wouldn't let him touch her again in a million years(we had several other problems with him too).When he speyed her she was cut from rib cage to pubic bone and was handed back to us before she could even stand.It took her a week before she could even walk enough to take herself out for a wee...my OH spent 24-7 babysitting her.
Nikki

Understandable you wouldn't want the original vet but surely there should be some recompense due?
Angela

OH intends to take the results down to the vet once they are back.I daren't go as I am likely to loose my temper with him.Have had other problems with him as well as the spey and have no idea how he stays in business to be honest.
Will let you know how we get on
Nikki

I had one of my Goldens spayed just before Christmas. Her cut was approx 2 - 2 !/2 inches. Cannot believe what that Vet did to your poor girl.

mmmm...Zara is only small(approx 14 inches) and he literally cut her from her pubic bone to her breast bone,he over anaesthetised(sp?) her and sent her home before she could even stand.For the first 3-4 days she screamed every time she moved and had to be carried everywhere. 
Nikki

> For the first 3-4 days she screamed every time she moved

I find that unbelievable!  No way would I want him touching her again either!  I recently had a Chi girl spayed, and the cut was less than 2" - yes she was dopey until the following day, and I did curtail her romps, but there was certainly no screaming, you must be horrified!  I really feel for you.

i dont blame you for not wanting to go back i would have lost it with im too.
i hope she heals fast and gets well soon.