Feeding after spaying.

[Nugg]

Hi All

Nugget (show cocker spaniel) was spayed a month ago and after a couple of picky weeks she is now eating me out of house and home - well she wishes!

I give her a mix of wet and dry food, as I always have, with a small amount of fresh home cooked meat mixed in.

So for example she should have 300g of dry food or 2-2.5 cans of wet food per day at her weight/activity level. I give her half of each amount over two meals - she used to pick around, not be that interested then eat 3/4 of it - now she INHLAES it and is scrapping around for this bits she has flicked out of the bowl and crying for treats non-stop all day! A total change!

I was warned female dogs can gain weight after spaying and assumed this was due to over eating, but have never looked it up - so I don't want to increase her food, if it will have this effect. I give her tiny treats and not that many, but was thinking of offering carrots/cooked chicken as well/instead.

Any thoughts please :) this is all new to me after a fussy, non-food orientated dog for so long!

Our male beagle gained loads of weight after neutering - a combination of us not reducing his food and lockdown meaning he didn't get anywhere near the same level of exercise as he had done previously.

I would say if she's hungry then vegetables are a great way to fill her up. I'd also try feeding her meals out of slow feeders etc. so that she has to work for it and lasts longer.

My pup was spayed in May. Her appetite has definitely increased since her spay, she did go through a fussy phase between 5-7 months, then she came into season at 7 months and started eating better when her season ended but she was spayed at 11 months and a few weeks after that she started getting really excited at meal times and wolfing her food down so I had to get her a slow feeder.

My understanding is they can mostly gain weight due to their hormones? A bit like us when we go through the menopause, easier to gain weight and harder to shift it so it's recommended you feed them a little less than the RDA until you figure out the amount they need to maintain.

My previous spayed girl never gained weight she she stayed slim all her life but I've always been careful with portions and apart from one gravy bone at bedtime all of her treats were natural treats like sprats, fish skins, carrots.

I'm feeding this pup exactly the same treat wise and I've been feeding her a little under her RDA due to her spay (she's on Canagan Dental Small Breed and only needs 110g a day) but her weight has dropped slightly so I'm going to have to up her food again.

If I were you I'd just keep track of her weight, I nip into my vets waiting room every few weeks and stick mine on the scales so I know whether I need to adjust her food. If your dog is maintaining then you know that you are feeding her enough and just give her a carrot a day chopped up so she gets a few pieces throughout the day.

Brilliant thanks to you both - I get her weighed every month for her wormer, and going tonight as it happens so will tracklike that and add in healthier treats as you suggest :)