Does a dog’s appetite increase after being neutered? Here’s the Answer

Veterinary HPM® Spay & Neuter Diets

Spaying and neutering are more than routine procedures; the nutritional needs of spayed and neutered pets change for the rest of their lives following their procedure. VETERINARY HPM® prioritizes energy from animal protein and includes a purposeful blend of fibers. These diets are unique in that they help your pet feel full, while still delivering the right amount of calories and nutrients for spayed and neutered pets.

Neutering or spaying your pet results in a loss of certain hormones (estradiol and testosterone) and a shift in others (leptin, a hormone that influences appetite and food intake, and insulin, which controls blood sugar). These changes in hormones result in a slower metabolism for neutered pets while increasing their appetite at the same time.

NOPE! Although, without some changes in behavior, it can happen. Spaying or neutering your dog or cat doesn’t cause your pet to become overweight or obese. However, neutering is linked to an increased risk of weight gain if no change is made to what and how much you feed your pet after the surgery.

A pet-related tidbit discovered on a website or a tip from a coworker can sometimes lead you in the wrong direction — unintentionally, of course. To help you sort fact from fiction, we’ll be addressing common myths about dogs and cats as well as shining a light on “knowledge” that pet owners only think they know.

What this means is that spayed and neutered pets generally need fewer calories or more exercise to maintain a healthy weight and body condition. If a pet is fed the same number of calories after neutering or spaying as before, unhealthy weight gain can occur. The risk for weight gain after neutering is highest during the first two years after the surgery, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. Of course any time your dog or cat eats more calories than needed — whether neutered or not — he or she is at risk for becoming overweight or obese.

Is it normal for dogs to lose their appetite after being spayed?

Your pet has just been spayed or neutered which includes general anesthesia and surgery. … In general, lack of appetite, vomiting, or depression are related to anesthesia and may be normal following surgery. After 24 hours, any one of these symptoms may indicate a problem.

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Appetite may increase after spaying and neutering, and so can their weight. Owners should be counseled to expect this change and adjust feeding amounts accordingly.