Is there any way to tell if my dog has been spayed?

I adopted her from the pound and they said she wasn't. I have taken her to the vet and made an spca appointment for her to get the operation. However my vet is not very attentive and didnt mention anything about her being spayed or not when I took her. She has a long vertical scar on her abdomen but has also had puppies. I don't want to put her through all the stress of operation just to find out she has already been spayed.

They wont operate on her if she has already been spayed. Go ask your vet directly.

Does she go into season every 6 months? If she doesnt then she is spayed

Did you specifically ask your vet if she had already been spayed? If not get another appointment and ask. If you did and he just didn't answer, get a second opinion.

First of all, stop using that pound. They are supposed to spay/neuter ALL animals before adopting them out. Take her back to the vet and ask to speak to like a vet tech or someone, or just ask if it is in her records at the desk. It should say if she is or not.

Rescues and shelters DO NOT adopt out dogs that are NOT spayed/neutered.

The vertical scar is most likely from a spay operation, but could also be from a caesarian section. In a spay operation, the entire uterus and other female apparatus is removed. A good vet can tell if the uterus is present just by feeling the abdomen with his or her hands....usually tests or an ultrasound is unnecessary.Take the dog to the vet and ask.Most dog pounds and the SPCA spay or neuter the pet prior to adoption. It is included in the adoption fees.

By law in most states, dogs adopted from pounds must be spayed or neutered before being released for adoption. So something is not right here.There's no way to tell if the scar is from a spay or a C-section just by looking at it. The only way to tell is if she gets a heat cycle in the next 6-9 months.

Do you know how long ago she had the pups? If its very recent, the scar could be from a c-section.Or it could be from a spay. Ask your vet directly, and if he does not know then get a second opinion. They may be able to take an x-ray and find out.Unfortunatley, there is no way to tell for sure on females unless you have previous owner vet records, unlike males where you can just look and tell.

One would hope the pound has their animals checked by a vet and their answer has some credence. That being said, you should ask your not so attentive vet the question again and expect an answer of yes, no, or I can't tell. Wonder what the scar is? If this is a large breed, the long vertical scar may be indicative of spay surgery or an accident or? and would have nothing to do with having had puppies. If she is an inside dog, you could wait a few months and see if she comes into season. That would certainly be a definitive answer!Make sure to check for a spay tattoo on her abdomen which would have been done at a spay surgery; it is sometimes difficult to see.

Ok to all the people that keep saying shelters don't adopt out dogs that have not been spayed or neutered you are so wrong. I adopted a dog and they give you a certificate to get the dog spayed within 30 days. I would ask the vet, I'm sure they can do some sort of test that will tell you if she is spayed. Tell them your concerns and they will look at her.

Some shelters do not have sufficient space to allow a recovery area to permit routine sterilization and must rely on a contract and then police enforcement if necessary. I've had two dogs from places like this. Yes, there should be a manual examination prior to starting anything. Call and explain your concern and ask what their policy is to ease your mind. Sometimes the scars fade and you won't see one, sometimes there's a scar but it was for a C-section, not a spay (and perhaps the pound vet checked and felt a uterus). Your dog could have had a litter and then been spayed, too. Double-check what her actual adoption paperwork says; there are so many dogs coming through so fast that sometimes an honest error is made when people ask about certain dogs because they may be confusing yours with another, but the paperwork is generally correct.I had a dog from a rescue that was kenneled at a vet's office (she was too gentle and sweet to live safely with the other rambunctious bullies in the foster home) and due to her abdominal scar every shelter and rescue and even vet assumed she was spayed. But when she went into heat the week I was supposed to pick her up they figured out it was for a C-section and then spayed her. If she were already mine I'd have waited to spay until a month after her last signs so her body could return to normal first. They recover so much faster and easier that way.Enjoy your new girl and thank you for giving her a loving and responsible home!

There is a blood test your vet can do to check for estrogen levels in the dog. There should not be any if the dog was spayed. My vet charges about $80 for this test.

First, some of these answerers are a bit confused. The terms pound and shelter mean different things in different places, but in almost all of them, the pound doesn't pay attention to health, nor do they spay. They're just a holding facility.To be honest, I don't get why you didn't ask the vet this, or why you can't call and ask now. Most vets examining a dog wouldn't think to announce to the owner that it had been spayed unless the owner specifically asked. Spaying doesn't leave a long vertical scar, so it's possible she hasn't been.Good job on your adoption!

The scar on her abdomen could be the scar from a C-section, none of my b1tches ever had a scar after they were spayed. I think that all vets should have a b1tch tattooed after it is spayed, to ensure that there is no risk of opening a b1tch up to investigate if they are re-homed.I don't think that a vet can tell if a b1tch has been spayed until she is anaesthetised and opened up. If she was my dog I would wait to see if she comes into season, if she does not you will know that she is already spayed.

It does not matter if you go to the best vet in the world. In a healthy,non pregnant dog--the vet can not tell just by palpation if she has a uterus or not. Again, if they take radiographs, unless it is enlarged by disease or pregnancy--it will not be very obvious. If you ask a vet if the dog is spayed they will look for a scar. If spayed as a puppy, the scar may be very tiny. Just because a scar is there is no guarantee it is from a spay. Ask the shelter why they list her as spayed when she has a scar.