Rescue Journal

does anyone know....????

Carol  ·  Sep. 22, 2011

what the origin of the word "spay" is that describes an oviohysterectomy procedure in animals? i asked the vet today, but she didn't know...i was wondering if it was an arconym for something or if it was named after a place or a vet who invented the procedure...ie the first oviohysterectomy performed on animals was in Spay Germany (yes there is such a place) or the first oviohysterectomy in domestic animals was performed by Dr. Spay...or SPAY stands for Surgical Prevention Animal Young

anyway..i couldn't find anywhere on the net why a spay really is called a spay (my guesses are pretty stupid)...so does anyone really know????

speaking of...june did ok with her spay surgery and charlie had a bit of a rough time with her mammary tumour removal (her blood pressure dropped down low) but they are both doing ok now and can come home tomorrow morning.

Comments

Helga

Just to update you on Katie. She has had a couple of walkabouts (when all the rest of the crew were safely snoozing somewhere). Katie has a tortie's feisty cranky character and, whenever one the other guys approaches her gate, a fullbodied raspy 'Get outta my face' growl. Sort of like Millie was originally. Today she ate quite a bit and even made one break for it when I was a bit slow in blocking the door. She should do fine once she can cruise around in the house without causing anyone bodily damage.

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Alexis

My 13 volume OED says - from the Old French espeier or espeer, to cut with a sword.

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Sharon

Here's what I found:


verb (used with object) Veterinary Medicine .
to remove the ovaries of (an animal).


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Origin:
1375–1425; late Middle English spayen < Anglo-French espeïer to cut with a sword ( Old French espeer ), derivative of espee sword; see épée

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Christopher Stewart

Spayen was a old english word for cut or cutting. I assume that's where it came from.

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