dc spaying... need help (shepherd, vet, surgery, rescued)

[vikkirules]

about a month ago i rescued a german shepherd from a place in dc. in exchange for agreeing to fix her and get her shots i got the puppy for free. about a week into having her i realized she was really sick and when i took her to the vet i found out she had parvo. in case anyone isn't familiar with this virus, its pretty deadly, only a 50% chance of survival. well $3000 in vet bills later she did survive and is doing great. well she just finished her first round of puppy shots ($200) and has to go back next month for round two. and on top of that i still have to get her spayed! the cost is just too overwhelming for me right now and i'm considering not having her fixed. does anyone know of a free or cheap place in dc that doesn't require a low income to qualify? any help would be great, thanks.

vikki

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

You could try going back to the place you got her, with your bills, b/c normally they should have screened for parvo. They might pay some or all of it.

[yukiko11]

Call pet finders. They have hookups with no kill shelters in every state and they can tell you where to take her.

[zugor]

Here's a link to low cost spay/neuter all over the country.

Low cost or free spay-neuter programs in U.S. for pet and feral cats listed by state and area code . Love That Cat Store

I see one in Arlington, one in Alexandria in VA some in MD.

[StarlaJane]

Depending on how old she is, you do not have to spay her right away. I know that the people that you got her from insisted that you spay her but as long as you don't breed her, spaying is not a necessity. In fact, for some GSD's, it is beneficial not to spay. Also, considering what she (and you) has been through with the vet and the parvo, etc., it might not hurt to wait. Spaying is major surgery and, therefore, stressful so waiting in this case might be a good idea.

That said, I will warn you that having an unspayed female is a huge responsibility. The reason that a lot of people spay their females--besides in order to avoid unwanted pregnancies--is b/c a female in heat is high maintenance. They bleed for three+ weeks (you can buy a diaper) and need to be in a secure location where unaltered males will not have access to them. And believe me, that is easier said than done. The urge to mate is very strong in the female as well as the male and they will do just about anything to get to one another.

When my female is in heat, I usually just keep her secure. If I leave the house, I make sure all doors are secured and I put her in a separate room (don't lock the door, in case of fire, etc.) The diaper is a good idea as well. It avoids a mess and can prevent pregnancy if she *gasp* were to get out, as it prevents penetration (provided it stays on.) You can also buy a spray that masks the odor (females in heat give off an apparently intoxicating smell; and males can smell it from--literally--a mile away.) There is also [a very expensive] shot that can be given within 48-hours of uninteneded coitus to prevent the pregnancy.

If you do decide to wait, it will not hurt her. You should be aware that spaying too early can also cause problems later on in life. I believe that the optimal age is a year...? I really am not sure about the optimal age but you can consult a vet re: a good age to spay (and I would consult more than one.)
Also, have you asked vets about a payment plan? If you are unable to find a low-cost spay program, you might be able to arrange a very low-cost payment plan where you just pay the vet a little each month.

[ShelbyGirl1]

Originally Posted by zugor

Here's a link to low cost spay/neuter all over the country.

Low cost or free spay-neuter programs in U.S. for pet and feral cats listed by state and area code . Love That Cat Store

I see one in Arlington, one in Alexandria in VA some in MD.

Hmmm...this appears to be only cats. Will not help with her GS.