Change Their Body, Change Their Diet: Specialized Spay Neuter Nutrition

Veterinarians know that spaying and neutering is an important part of maintaining a pet’s individual health and plays a critical role in preventing pet overpopulation. The problem is the S/N patient is now at an increased risk of becoming overweight and obese. Removal of sex hormones has major physiological impacts on the patient’s nutritional requirements. Their metabolic rate is decreased meaning their daily caloric requirement needs to be decreased. Sex hormones have a moderating effect on appetite, such that the loss of these hormones especially estrogen, is believed to underly the increased appetite effect seen in the spay or neutered dog and cat. To address these physiological changes and increased risk for overweight/obesity, veterinarians need to institute proactive weight management programs for their S/N patients.