Border Collie Collapse (BCC) and Spay

[Baci's Mama]

My dog has BCC which from what I am reading is still in its infancy of being fully understood. One thing is for sure, when my pooch has her "episodes" her temp spikes to an unsafe high, she wobbles around like a drunk person, and can't seem to understand a word I say. Its very scary and sad to see. We have learned to adjust our ways though. She now gets a cold shower before going out to play, she wears cooling ice collars (her bling), and I make her sit and relax with an ice cold wet cloth on her head between ball throws. Since we have started this new routine, she has not had any attacks.

 

Here's the thing. She's a year and half. We know we should get her spayed. We wanted to wait until she was at least 14 months so her growth plates would fully close, since at the time we wanted her to be an agility dog (maybe one day if we move to a colder climate). We had to hold off because we couldn't afford it, but now we can but she was just diagnosed with BCC a month ago.

 

Has anyone out there heard of or read of any dogs having trouble with anesthesia if they have been diagnosed with BCC? Obviously, we want only what is best for our lil poochinator, and at the moment we are very much on the fence about whether surgery (and malignant hyperthermia a deadly side affect of anesthesia) is worth the risk.

 

We wholeheartedly appreciate anything anyone has to say on the matter. From one BC owner to the next...thank you for your words of wisdom.

[2 Devils]

My bc was spayed when she was 7 months old give or take. She most likely has BCC and had no issues. I don't think the 2 technically correlate to one another but who knows.

[Baci's Mama]

My bc was spayed when she was 7 months old give or take. She most likely has BCC and had no issues. I don't think the 2 technically correlate to one another but who knows.

 

 

I think that is exactly the scary thing...no one knows. Its so strange. She was totally fine, we'd play for hours and she would never tire and then one day it started, and she hasn't been able to play for long since. You picture looks just like Baci too

[Journey]

Who diagnosed her with BCC?

[Baci's Mama]

Who diagnosed her with BCC?

 

Our vet and us. Her doc ran a whole series of tests and all came back negative. According to blood work we have one healthy pooch. So thanks to the internet we self diagnosed her with BCC. After reading about others stories and watching videos, it is without a doubt BCC. She matches the symptoms to a T.

 

 

For those of you who have spayed your BC, do you know what anesthesia they used?

[Mark Billadeau]

A diagnosis of BCC is premature since the syndrome is not clearly defined clincally.

I would not worry about having your dog spayed due to the possible dignosis of BCC.

 

Mark

[topnotchdog]

Your vet should be able to talk with you about this. My vet said the malignant hyperthermia in that context is associated with specific anesthesia drugs (gases?) from the past that generally no longer used.

FWIW, my dog (also identified as probable BCC syndrome) has needed surgery, and had no problems with anesthesia.

 

B.

[Baci's Mama]

Thanks...we talked to the vet this morning. Yes, the anesthesia that is mostly associated with malignant hyperthermia is no longer used. But she advised us that we may be better off taking her to a Specialty Vet Hospital with 24 emergency care in case there is a problem. Basically she said they are just a general practice and therefore not really equipped to handle any unforeseen emergencies. So that being the case we will contact the vet hospital they referred and go from there.

 

We know we need to get her spayed. Those two weeks with her in her lil boy spiderman underwear are a bit much, yes she's adorable, but its such a hassle.

[njnovice]

Thanks...we talked to the vet this morning. Yes, the anesthesia that is mostly associated with malignant hyperthermia is no longer used. But she advised us that we may be better off taking her to a Specialty Vet Hospital with 24 emergency care in case there is a problem. Basically she said they are just a general practice and therefore not really equipped to handle any unforeseen emergencies. So that being the case we will contact the vet hospital they referred and go from there.

 

We know we need to get her spayed. Those two weeks with her in her lil boy spiderman underwear are a bit much, yes she's adorable, but its such a hassle.

 

Okay, now I need to ask...did you get pictures of her in lil boy spiderman underwear? Please say yes.

 

Sinead's getting done before her next heat. She kept herself clean enough that she didn't bleed anywhere, but Mick was out of his mind the whole time. I can't handle him through another heat.

 

Gotta hand it to the boy, though. No balls? No problem for him!

[Baci's Mama]

Okay, now I need to ask...did you get pictures of her in lil boy spiderman underwear? Please say yes.

 

Sinead's getting done before her next heat. She kept herself clean enough that she didn't bleed anywhere, but Mick was out of his mind the whole time. I can't handle him through another heat.

 

Gotta hand it to the boy, though. No balls? No problem for him!

 

 

Oh yeah...we absolutely have pictures. She was such a goof. So cute!

 

I don't know how to add pictures here, (still new), if you want to see them, you can click on the link in my signature which takes you to her Facebook page (yes, I know, we are those kind of people, we don't care). She's like a human, so why not let her social network. If you add her let me know and I will tag you in the picture.

[njnovice]

Oh yeah...we absolutely have pictures. She was such a goof. So cute!

 

I don't know how to add pictures here, (still new), if you want to see them, you can click on the link in my signature which takes you to her Facebook page (yes, I know, we are those kind of people, we don't care). She's like a human, so why not let her social network. If you add her let me know and I will tag you in the picture.

 

Okay, I sent her a friend request.