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Pet Forum / Miscellaneous / Animal Health / November 2006Advantages of ovariohysterectomy over ovariectomy?
In two months, I'm going to have my cat spayed. The vet intends to perform an ovariohysterectomy. I've read on a few places in the newsgroups that this prevents any eventual problem with the uterus. And I suppose, if you cut the legs, you won't have problems with legs and if you scrap the cat, you won't have any problem with a cat. When a cat is castrated, the penis is not removed, why remove the uterus? What are the real advantages of an ovariohysterectomy over ovariectomy? > When a cat is castrated, the penis is not removed, why remove the uterus? > What are the real advantages of an ovariohysterectomy over ovariectomy? Because the uterus is not the 'holder' for the urethra like the penis is. Advantage? No uterine cancer. >>When a cat is castrated, the penis is not removed, why remove the uterus? >>What are the real advantages of an ovariohysterectomy over ovariectomy? > > Because the uterus is not the 'holder' for the urethra like the penis is. > Advantage? No uterine cancer. What's the likelyhood of a spayed cat developing a uterine cancer? Is it more likely than if the cat is not spayed? > What's the likelyhood of a spayed cat developing a uterine cancer? 0%, since the uterine is removed. Is it more > likely than if the cat is not spayed? Well.... yeah ;-) There's also pyometra which is a nasty uterine infection. There's a saying - it's not a matter of IF an unspayed cat will have a pyometra, but WHEN she'll have it. As our cats are aging into their teens these days, an unspayed cat is very likely to have one or a combination of the following: a pyometra, unterine cancer, mammary cancer and other issues. Bottom line - Do your homework, talk to your vet and make an informed decision on whether or not you have your cat spayed. Just know that the consequences (including the heat cycles and possible pregnancies) are your responsibility. -Sharon >> What's the likelyhood of a spayed cat developing a uterine cancer? > [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > combination of the following: a pyometra, unterine cancer, mammary cancer > and other issues. I have to disagree with you about the risks of pyometra in a CAT. Dogs, absolutely. Unspayed female dogs will eventually have a pyometra. I see about 1 every 1-2 months (sometimes more frequently). Cats, on the other hand, are much less likely to develop pyometra. It's almost always associated with infection with feline leukemia. So removing the uterus in order to prevent pyometra in a cat isn't really a viable argument. My boss actually just went to a conference where they were talking about doing overiectomies vs ovariohysterectomies. What he got from the lecture was that the only real advantage is that you can make a smaller incision, since you are only removing ovaries, and don't have to get to the base of the uterus. I do know that they do ovariectomies a lot in Europe -- never seen good studies on pros/cons, though. Deborah, DVM p.s. I have to laugh about the question "is uterine cancer less likely in a spayed animal" simply because it always makes me remember this commercial for some "female" drug -- the little disclaimer at the bottom of the screen while the announcer is relaying all the many horrible side effects of the drugs is that "women without a uterus are at less risk for uterine cancer" !!!! The things lawyers make us do..... > I have to disagree with you about the risks of pyometra in a CAT. Dogs, > absolutely. Unspayed female dogs will eventually have a pyometra. I see > about 1 every 1-2 months (sometimes more frequently). Cats, on the other > hand, are much less likely to develop pyometra. It's almost always > associated with infection with feline leukemia. So removing the uterus in > order to prevent pyometra in a cat isn't really a viable argument. I disagree that it isn't really a viable argument. If you think about it... Chances of developing pyometra with no uterus == 0 Chances of developing with a uterus <> 0. Even if the second chance is really really small, it still isn't 0. If you're doing a 'cost benefit' analaysis here, it would really seem like the benefit is much higher than the cost. > My boss actually just went to a conference where they were talking about > doing overiectomies vs ovariohysterectomies. What he got from the lecture > was that the only real advantage is that you can make a smaller incision, > since you are only removing ovaries, and don't have to get to the base of > the uterus. I do know that they do ovariectomies a lot in Europe -- never > seen good studies on pros/cons, though. How big is the average incision? I know at the clinic I'm volunteering at, they are normally only a few centimetres long. Wouldn't seem like making that much smaller would be a huge issue... I've been thinking about it off and on, and about the only possibly benefit I can see is, that if the cat happend to already be pregnant... There might be some moral advantages to just taking the ovaries out, rather than the ovaries and the uterus. Dale > How big is the average incision? I know at the clinic I'm volunteering at, > they are normally only a few centimetres long. Wouldn't seem like making > that much smaller would be a huge issue... Depends on the vet, I guess. My incisions are about 3-4 cm max. I know some vets who can do them in 2 cm incisions. We also had a vet come spend a day (interviewing for a job) -- her incision went half the length of the cat! > I've been thinking about it off and on, and about the only possibly > benefit I can see is, that if the cat happend to already be pregnant... > There might be some moral advantages to just taking the ovaries out, > rather than the ovaries and the uterus. Except that if you anesthetize the cat, you'll risk serious injury to the fetuses. And I'm pretty sure that if you remove the ovaries, you'll also wind up terminating the pregnancy due to eliminating the source of hormones ;-). I think that maybe if it was close to the due date, you don't need the ovaries to sustain pregnancy, but I don't remember the exact time frame (it's late and I'm tired -- anyone else remember?). Deborah, DVM We also had a vet come spend a > day (interviewing for a job) -- her incision went half the length of the > cat! .......Holy cow! I hope she didn't get the job! buglady take out the dog before replying > We also had a vet come spend a >> day (interviewing for a job) -- her incision went half the length of the >> cat! > > .......Holy cow! I hope she didn't get the job! Probably a new grad. Cut her some slack- at least if something's bleeding she's likely to visualize it, and for that matter she could visualize any liver abnormalities. >> We also had a vet come spend a >>> day (interviewing for a job) -- her incision went half the length of the [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > she's likely to visualize it, and for that matter she could visualize any > liver abnormalities. Actually, she'd been in private practice for about 5 yrs. Not a good sign in my mind.... She actually didn't get the job, but because of other reasons. My boss seemed to think he could get her faster in surgeries quickly (which I'd believe if she had been a new grad, but not with having been out for so long). Oh well. Deborah, DVM > Actually, she'd been in private practice for about 5 yrs. Not a good sign > in my mind.... Yikes. Mine either, and I'm only a lowly new grad myself. "Deborah, DVM" <dr_deborah@hotmail.com> > Except that if you anesthetize the cat, you'll risk serious injury to the > fetuses. And I'm pretty sure that if you remove the ovaries, you'll also > wind up terminating the pregnancy due to eliminating the source of > hormones ;-). I think that maybe if it was close to the due date, you > don't need the ovaries to sustain pregnancy, but I don't remember the > exact time frame (it's late and I'm tired -- anyone else remember?). I wasn't really thinking along those lines anyway, more of a 'withholding treatment' kind of moral argument. Pretty weak argument, I agree, but as far as morality goes, it might be enough for some people. Dale > > I have to disagree with you about the risks of pyometra in a CAT. Dogs, > > absolutely. Unspayed female dogs will eventually have a pyometra. I see [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > you're doing a 'cost benefit' analaysis here, it would really seem like the > benefit is much higher than the cost. <SNIP> > I've been thinking about it off and on, and about the only possibly benefit > I can see is, that if the cat happend to already be pregnant... There might > be some moral advantages to just taking the ovaries out, rather than the > ovaries and the uterus. > > Dale Talking of pregnancy, there was a case here in Oz recently where a rescued stray female cat was opened up by the vet (to do a spay) who noted that she had had her ovaries removed (but not the uterus) so he closed again without doing anything. It was therefore assumed that this cat was sterile... however her expansion over the next few weeks soon belied this and she went on to deliver 5 healthy kittens(!!!) It turned out that there must have been some ovarian tissue left behind in the original sterilization procedure - enough to allow ovulation and subsequent pregnancy in the uterus, which hadn't been removed... (Even weirder was the fact that she was probably already a few days pregnant when she had the original exploratory surgery to check if she'd been sterilised). So there's an argument for removing the uterus - at least the cat can't still get pregnant if there is any ovarian tissue left behind! (The cat was named "Mary", BTW, and has now been spayed "ägain"!) Cheers, Catherine >(The cat was named "Mary", BTW, and has now been spayed >"ägain"!) Oh that is just too funny :). Dale > How big is the average incision? I know at the clinic I'm volunteering at, > they are normally only a few centimetres long. Wouldn't seem like making > that much smaller would be a huge issue... > > Dale Every time I see something about incision sizes I'm reminded of what my old boss used to always say. "Doesn't matter how long the incision is...they heal side to side not top to bottom" :-P >>>When a cat is castrated, the penis is not removed, why remove the uterus? >>>What are the real advantages of an ovariohysterectomy over ovariectomy? [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > What's the likelyhood of a spayed cat developing a uterine cancer? Is it > more likely than if the cat is not spayed? That made me laugh :). Think about what you wrote there for a minute.... Without a uterus, you can't get uterine cancer. That seems almost a tautology to me. Really though, can you come up with *any* good reason not to remove the uterus? I've honestly been trying all day to think of one, but haven't been able to, I'd really like to know why you don't want the uterus to be removed. Dale > >>When a cat is castrated, the penis is not removed, why remove the uterus? > >>What are the real advantages of an ovariohysterectomy over ovariectomy? [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > What's the likelyhood of a spayed cat developing a uterine cancer? Is it more > likely than if the cat is not spayed? The chance of a spayed cat developing uterine cancer is about the same chance that I have of developing uterine cancer largely due to the fact that neither of us would have a uterus. Dave > When a cat is castrated, the penis is not removed, why remove the uterus? > What are the real advantages of an ovariohysterectomy over ovariectomy? The big question, is what are the real advantages of an ovariectomy over a ovariohysterectomy? You're the one challenging the status quo, I'd expect to see arguments on your side, rather than this side. You've already given at least one reason for an ovariohysterectomy, and none for an ovariectomy. What exactly do you imagine she's going to be using her uterus for? Here is one very good reason... http://www.thepetcenter.com/sur/pyo.html Your analogy of cutting off the testicles vs removing the penis, is pretty well flawed. For starters, think of how the 'bits' are located. Testicles are easily accessible, just slice open the scrotum, and there you have them. Removing the whole penis would involve a good amount of reconstruction on that area for very little, if any benefit (and huge cost/trauma). Ovaries on the other hand are not so easy. My understanding is, to get at them, you essentially remove the uterus anyways, so the trauma involved in removing the uterus is the same or less than removing just the ovaries, and the benefit of doing so is substantial. Dale |
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