Thank you. Longer than I expected. I wonder if they can do it without shaving the fur? We do not shave humans pre-operatively these days, but then again, they have less fur (usually).

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They will have to shave at least some fur to minimize the risk of infection, how much or how little depends on the skill of your vet. Most vets also shave for blood tests etc, the one of ours who did the spay on Tiffany that I posted the picture of, can take blood wthout shaving so I doubt that many, if any, vets could spay with less shaving than she did.

Carol

In human medicine we have found this not to be the case.

Preoperative hair removal to reduce surgical site infection
Source: J Tanner, D Woodings, K Moncaster - Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2006

I may send the paper to my vet. Maybe Willow can be the first cat speyed without being shaven?

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Judges will take into account lack of hair due to neutering in young adult cats in neuter or kitten classes. I really wouldn't worry about it affecting showing. Only concern would be to make sure she is healed before being taken as there can be some nasty bugs about at shows.

Thank you. Well the last show I have entered them into is in October and they will not be 6 months old until the end of October. I am certaily willing to wait longer if the breeders agree, so I shall discuss it with them when i see them.

As neutering seems to affect the appearance of the males more than the females from what people have said, I shall get my girl speyed first and allow my boy to mature on a bit. He is turning into a chunky lad already and has put on quite a bit of weight in the last couple of weeks.

Thanks for your comments & advice everyone

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My breeder has advised me to tell the vet I need her (my female BSH) to have a midline (I presume this means shave and cut). She said it is slightly more work operarting but any good vet will agree to do it but may charge slightly more as it's a bit more work. She also said to ask them not to shave her paw (is that to take blood?) as they should be able to do it without shaving it.

Midline is when they lie the cat on their back & cut them down their abdomen/tummy. Flank is when they lie them on their side & cut in on their side.

Vets should be able to draw blood by wetting the fur instead of shaving. I didn't know any of this & my vet did a midline & minimal shaving for her spay (none on her legs). She had an operation a month ago & this time the vet took blood from two places & shaved nearly all her underside & it is really struggling to grow back! Though she is a semi-long hair & a mature one at that.

Thanks for clarifying that messyhearts

Hello,
In the US, each judge has a separate ring with cages. The cats are brought up to the judge, who removes each cat in turn and then replaces them when they are done. Spectators, including the owners of the cats are present and in the audience. The cats' owners are given a number for each cat and are responsible for getting them to the ring when they are called.


thanks!!

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I found the following advice from Ursula Graves (Sargenta British Shorthairs) who is a top breeder of Silver BSHs, on her website home_frame

This would back up what has already been said on this thread

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