Question: Can You Spay A Dog or Cat In Heat (Estrus)?
A viewer asked: "Can a female dog in heat be spayed?"
Answer:
(by Dr. Janet Tobiassen Crosby, DVM )
Technically the answer is yes, a dog or cat in heat (also known as
estrus)
can be spayed. Your results may vary though, as many vets prefer to
wait until the heat cycle is over. The size, age and overall health of
the pet are considered as well. If the spay is done while the animal is
in heat, the costs are usually a little higher.
Spaying While In Heat
During a heat cycle, the blood vessels that supply the ovaries and
uterus are engorged. Additionally these tissues are more "friable" (may
tear more easily than normal) and bleed more. Even tissue not associated
with the reproductive organs - skin, fat, muscle - often seep more than
normal during surgery.