"spay" is pronounced "spade", as in, "They had the dog spaded last week."

Too true and it annoys the hell out of me, or I could say, it gives me agita! One must strive to maintain standards! (sigh)
To spay means to remove the ovaries of an animal therefore if I say "I had my dog spayed" you may deduce the dog is a female (bitch).
OTOH, if I had a male dog I would have had him neutered. (Made neither male or female)
A spay is not a spade
Or have I been haging out with "Dog People" too long?
wow