The nutrition of a sterilized dog is an issue that owners should pay special attention to. After surgery, pets are prone to obesity, so food should be easily digestible and contain nutrients necessary for normal growth and development. In this article we will tell you which food is best for neutered dogs.
Features of the health of a sterilized dog
Before deciding to undergo sterilization, the owner must weigh all the pros and cons of the procedure. After the operation, the owner does not have to worry that:
- the bitch will have puppies, especially if she is walking on her own;
- you will have to fight off male dogs who are chasing a bitch in heat during a walk;
- a male will run off after a female who is in heat and will not return.
The operation reduces the risk of cancer of the reproductive system organs (testicles, prostate, uterus, breast). In bitches, the risk of pyometra (inflammation of the uterus) is reduced.
Cons of sterilization
After sterilization, hormonal levels change, which leads to a slowdown in metabolism. Instead of the sexual instinct, the desire to feed comes to the fore, and the pet’s appetite increases. If he moves little, he begins to gain weight, even if his diet has not changed. Obesity negatively affects the functioning of many organs and systems and can provoke their dysfunction.
There is evidence that after surgery the risk increases:
- urolithiasis;
- urinary tract infections;
- urinary incontinence in bitches;
- hypothyroidism – dysfunction of the thyroid gland;
- sarcomas in medium and large breeds;
- spleen cancer (hemangiosarcoma) in all dogs;
- orthopedic disorders.
What is sterilization: all the pros and cons
Any dog owner is faced with the issue of possible sterilization or castration of their pet. This issue does not avoid the owners of toy terriers.
The concept of sterilization is applicable to females (bitches) and is the removal of reproductive organs (ovaries, uterus, fallopian tubes).
The main purpose of sterilization of toy terriers, like any domestic dog, is the prevention of cancer, as well as the prevention of hormonal imbalances that lead to aggressive behavior of the animal, escapes and various diseases.
Another purpose of spaying a Toy Terrier is to prevent unwanted pregnancies in females. When sterilizing a toy terrier, partial removal of the genitals is possible.
For example, only the ovaries or the uterus with one ovary can be removed (to preserve sexual desire and prevent pregnancy).
How to properly feed a neutered dog
The nutrition of sterilized dogs should take into account the specifics of the operation and the risks that may arise after castration. When choosing food, not only age is important, but also size, breed, genetic predisposition to diseases, and general health.
Food should be easily digestible. If the animal is on a natural diet, reduce the amount of cereal. The diet should include meat and grated vegetables. If your dog is on a commercial diet, buy a product designed for neutered animals.
Do not overfeed your pet. Feed your pet based on how much he should weigh. To control, weigh your dog once a week. If the animal has gained weight, reduce the portions and increase physical activity.
Dog's diet immediately after surgery
Do not give water for 8 hours after sterilization. On the first day, do not feed the animal. Abdominal surgery can cause digestive problems, so it is better not to overload the gastrointestinal tract. Moreover, you cannot stuff food into your pet when he refuses to eat.
In the first week after sterilization, the diet should be light but nutritious (mashed meat, grated vegetables). It should contain useful substances necessary for rapid healing. If the dog is on a commercial diet, it is better to feed canned food at first.
Portions should be reduced, the number of feedings should be increased. After a week, the pet can be switched to regular food for sterilized medium breed dogs. Gradually begin to reduce the number of feedings by increasing the size of portions.
How to avoid weight gain after sterilization
In order for your pet to maintain the slimness and vigor that it had before the operation, you need to carefully select products or ready-made food for the dog’s nutrition. It is very important not to overfeed the dog, monitor changes in weight and appearance, and, if necessary, adjust the portion size or composition of products.
With a properly selected balanced diet, the dog will need additional supplements and vitamins only as directed by a veterinarian - during periods of illness or weakened immunity.
What to feed a sterilized dog
If you prefer natural feeding, you need to carefully consider the diet, for which you should consult a veterinarian. The diet should be balanced, not oversaturated with fats and proteins. To normalize metabolism and prevent malfunctions of the thyroid gland and genitourinary system, your pet needs to be given vitamin and mineral complexes.
A natural diet for a sterilized dog is:
- Lean meat - beef, rabbit, chicken.
- River and sea fish (remove large bones).
- By-products – uncleaned stomach (rumen), heart, liver, etc.
- Cereals – in small quantities.
- Vegetable and fruit purees. Grated foods are better digested.
- Eggs – 1-2 times a week.
What is a good food for neutered dogs?
If you prefer commercial food, buy a product designed specifically for neutered animals. Dry food for sterilized dogs takes into account the problems that a pet may encounter (urolithiasis, hypothyroidism). Therefore, it contains substances that can prevent pathology.
When choosing the best food for neutered dogs, give preference to the “premium” and “holistic” classes. Forget about the "economy" option. The diet contains low-quality products that can harm your pet.
Dry food for neutered dogs of large and other breeds is best combined with wet food. For the first time after surgery, veterinarians recommend giving canned food. When choosing a commercial diet for a sterilized dog, give preference to products from one company.
Pros and cons of the procedure for males and females
The positive aspects of castration and sterilization for toy terriers are::
- reducing the risk of cancer in both sexes;
- reducing the risk of hormonal imbalances;
- absence of unpleasant odor in the house, since the pet stops “marking the territory”, reduction in the number of cleanings;
- absence of unwanted pregnancies;
- increasing the life expectancy of a pet;
- improvement of character, behavior, suppression of aggression;
- the pet will not run away from the owner in search of a “groom” or “bride”.
However, the castration/sterilization procedure also has its negative aspects, here they are:
- possible increase in animal weight;
- individual intolerance to the procedure (for example, the presence of heart disease);
- possible complications before and after surgery.
What not to give to sterilized dogs
When thinking about the question of what to feed a neutered dog, you need to remember about prohibited foods. The diet should not contain:
- table scraps;
- fried, smoked, peppered, fatty dishes:
- milk;
- salo;
- sweets – buns, chocolates, lollipops, etc.;
- onions, garlic, boiled and raw;
- salty snacks;
- pasta, white bread;
- nuts;
- grapes, raisins;
- alcohol.
If you give your pet commercial food for sterilized dogs of small and other breeds, avoid products intended for pets of all ages. Such dog foods after sterilization can cause serious problems.
For example, young dogs need more calories than older animals of the same weight. In addition, if you include a lot of phosphorus or fat in the diet of an adult bitch, obesity and other health problems are possible.
What time can the procedure be performed?
Russian veterinarians advise castrating toy terriers after puberty, this occurs at the age of 6-12 months.
NOTE!
Surgery is not recommended for puppies under 6 months of age, as this can trigger the onset of chronic diseases.
At the same time, castration of older dogs is not prohibited by specialists, but you need to know that they will take longer to recover.
It is recommended to sterilize Toy Terrier girls before their first heat (approximately 6-7 months of age), since in this case it is easier to tolerate.
But even after offspring, the female can be sterilized to exclude further pregnancies and estrus without harm to her health.
Useful tips
Your pet will never become obese if you walk him a lot. This will solve not only the problem of excess weight, but also reduce the risk of orthopedic disorders. Select exercises and diet taking into account the dog’s characteristics:
- If you have an active animal, train it, do agility, teach it to take hurdles, carry a stick uphill. Let him run after his bike and swim.
- If your pet has a calm disposition, walk with it for 2-3 hours a day, walk long distances.
- If your pet is over 10 years old, limit the portion. Buy food for neutered older dogs. Don’t overload him too much, but take him out for walks. To protect bones and joints, give chondroprotectors.
To prevent genitourinary tract infections, do not keep your dog in cold or drafty areas. If she lives in a booth or enclosure, insulate the structure.
What is castration and why do it?
The concept of castration is applicable to males (males) and is the surgical removal of the testes. If the owner of the dog does not plan to breed the Toy Terrier breed, then it is considered necessary to neuter the male dogs.
This is done primarily for the purpose of correcting the behavior of the male. Under the influence of excess testosterone (male hormone), the dog sometimes becomes uncontrollable and refuses to follow commands during training ; a tendency to wander and aggression appears .
Castration of toy terriers is also used to prevent various diseases (prostatitis, testicular tumors).
Expert opinion
Kozhevin Semyon Kirillovich
Expert dog handler.
“If you are the owner of a female toy terrier and do not plan to breed the breed, the female definitely needs to be sterilized, and as soon as possible, before her first heat. Only with this condition do I give it to buyers. According to statistics, bitches that are spayed before their first heat are 99.5% less likely to develop cancer compared to unsterilized ones. According to statistics, the overall life expectancy of sterilized female dogs is 2 years longer. These are strong facts in favor of sterilization.”
When should you prepare your dog for surgery?
As soon as you decide to spay/neuter your toy terrier, you need to prepare for the operation in advance.
It is important to remember that this procedure is a surgical intervention and is performed only on healthy individuals . Therefore, it will not be superfluous to undergo a full examination by a veterinarian in advance.
It is further recommended not to give your pet difficult-to-digest or fatty foods 3-4 days before surgery.
Mandatory requirements are:
- do not feed the toy terrier 9-12 hours before surgery;
- do not give water for 3-4 hours.
Out of age indications for dog castration
Why do you need to neuter your dog? The hormonal levels of cables are never stable. It usually depends on the amount of hormones that the testes produce. It is for this reason that males are eager to mate at any time of the year.
Note! Unlike females, males show the greatest aggression and drive during puberty. At this time, any dog that finds itself on the street makes marks, attacks other cables, and tries to make acquaintances with female dogs.
Increased activity and sexual desire of a pet, at some point, can become a serious problem for the owner and for the dog himself. If the owner does not have the opportunity to provide his pet with regular mating with females, then the best option would be to castrate the male.
Castration will help get rid of such unpleasant phenomena that occur in male dogs during sexual exacerbation:
- desire decreases;
- the pet stops marking its territory;
- he becomes calm;
- aggression disappears;
- he does not attack other dogs and does not attack bitches on the street.
There are also a number of cases in which castration is recommended:
- if the dog shows frequent attempts to sort things out with other males. Manifestations of increased nervousness may be associated with increased testosterone production;
- strong marking behavior. It is expressed in the fact that the male tries to mark everything around, including pieces of furniture, corners;
- if the pet constantly strives to run away from home in search of a female for mating.
Sometimes castration may not be necessary; upbringing has a lot to do with it. If a pet behaves provocatively, its attempts can be stopped at the initial stage. But it is worth considering that unsatisfied sexual need can lead to increased aggression and disobedience of the animal.
In some situations, castration may be prescribed according to indications. The most important ones include:
- the presence of an inflammatory process in the genital organs;
- injuries;
- oncological pathologies;
- genetic diseases;
- Some veterinary experts recommend surgical intervention as a preventive therapy for serious diseases that may appear in the pet in the future.
Find out more about dog neutering.
How does the operation take place?
The procedure is carried out strictly in a medical institution by doctors of appropriate qualifications. You shouldn’t risk your dog’s health by neutering it at home. An experienced doctor who values his reputation will never agree to such experiments.
The surgical technique used in the surgery involves removing the testicles and ovaries through incisions. To castrate a male dog, a small cut of the scrotum is sufficient. Bitches are less fortunate; their suture is located on the peritoneum. Some clinics practice laparoscopy, where instead of an incision, several punctures are made.
There is an alternative option; special drugs are used for it. The effects of chemical castration wear off after six months. The duration may vary slightly depending on the substances administered. This method does not involve the use of general anesthesia; medications are injected into the subcutaneous layer of the dog.
Feeding castrated males
For a male dog, castration plays a greater role in changing hormonal levels than sterilization for female dogs. In addition to a decrease in testosterone levels, the dog experiences a gradual decrease in the level of thyroid hormones, a change in the quality of the coat (it becomes “cotton-like”, puppy-like, or symmetrical areas of baldness form on the body). The dog moves little, loses interest in walks and the world around him, and gets fat. For a male dog, it is especially important to choose a food that will make him feel energetic .
In the lines of dry food intended for neutered male dogs, there are types of food containing easily digestible proteins that promote rapid saturation. In addition, for pets over five years old there are varieties of food that speed up metabolism and contain components that protect against urolithiasis. Even if the food contains substances that prevent the formation of bladder stones, it is advisable for a male dog to additionally include liquid food in the form of fermented milk products in the diet.
Raw meat is the basis of natural nutrition.
Food in the form of natural products for a neutered male dog should also contain the maximum amount of fresh meat, dairy products, fresh vegetables and fruits. Raw meat can be mixed with liquid oatmeal, add a little vegetable oil and grated carrots.
If the owner decides to spay or neuter his pet, he must provide him with a normal, healthy diet that takes into account the dog's changing needs. In addition to high-quality food, the animal should receive vitamin supplements daily and walk a lot, as active movements speed up metabolism .
How long does it last?
On the day of surgery, the pet must be examined by a doctor and weighed to determine the dose of anesthesia.
The animal is subjected to general anesthesia, quickly falls asleep and does not experience pain..
The procedure takes about 20-40 minutes. The pet quickly recovers from anesthesia and can eat in an hour.
Suitable age for castration
It is better to send dogs for an unpleasant procedure no earlier than they reach puberty.
It is recommended to remove reproductive organs before the onset of estrus in females or the appearance of persistent sexual desire in males. In this way, you can prevent the desire to mark the territory. In dogs, such actions easily turn into a stable habit, which is not easy to get rid of.
To perform surgery for medical reasons, the age of the animal does not matter. But in order to castrate a healthy dog, you need to take into account several nuances:
- small breeds weighing up to 10 kg begin to look at the opposite sex at the age of 5 to 8 months, it is at this time that you should think about castration;
- medium-sized animals reach fertility between 8 and 12 months;
- Large dogs are taken for surgery at 2 years of age.
It is important to understand that an adult, sexually mature dog, for example, at 5 years old, has already established habits and formed a character. It will not be possible to correct behavioral characteristics using this method.
Also, do not perform the operation too early. This creates an additional risk of developing diseases of the genitourinary system in the puppy.
Methods of castration of dogs
We have figured out when it is better to castrate, now it is worth finding out what methods of castration are used for male dogs. There may be several of them; each has some features that must be considered.
Surgical
Surgical castration is a simple procedure that has been used for quite a long time. After it, dogs live much longer, do not experience severe stressful situations, and they are also less susceptible to many dangerous pathologies - oncology, transmissible sarcoma, which is accompanied by foul-smelling growths on the mucous membrane of the genital organs (it is transmitted through sexual contact).
Before the procedure, the dog is given anesthesia so that it cannot feel pain or other unpleasant sensations. The veterinarian also places her in the required position. After this, the operation begins, which can be carried out using several methods:
- open method. During it, the wall of the scrotum above the testis is grabbed, then the skin is dissected along the middle seam, the vaginal membrane is opened and the testis is removed from the vaginal sac using pressure. Next, the mesentery of the testis is divided, and the vessels and vas deferens are ligated. The second organ is removed through an incision in the same way;
- private method. During it, the skin of the scrotum is incised, then the vaginal sac is removed and the contents are removed from the cavity. The section of the spermatic cord is freed from the fascia and ligated. A clamp is placed distal from the ligature and the cord is divided. Next, the second testis is brought to the incision, and all steps are repeated.
Recovery period
The pet completely recovers from the effects of anesthesia after a few hours. The consequences of anesthesia can be nausea, dizziness, thirst and dry mouth, weakness throughout the body.
After the procedure, the veterinarian will prescribe the necessary medications and tell you how to treat the suture.
As a rule, after 3-4 days the dog is shown to the doctor to exclude possible complications, and after 7-10 days the stitches are removed, and the pet is ready for a full and active life.
Post-operative care
Important factors in rehabilitation after castration are rest and lack of stress.
The dog must be provided with a warm and comfortable place, light food and sufficient clean water. A castrated dog will recover faster if you provide him with comfortable conditions.
Changing bandages deserves special attention. Here, an option is possible with daily trips to the clinic for bandaging, but this will require money and time. Therefore, most owners cope with the task on their own.
During the procedure, the seam is treated with an antiseptic solution, and fresh bandages are applied. It is important that the bandage is not too tight, otherwise the dog will try to rip it off and may harm itself.
Expert opinion
Anna Abramenko
An avid dog lover. Experience in veterinary medicine since 2009.
Ask a Question
It is necessary to carefully monitor the postoperative suture. If pus or blood appears, you should immediately contact a specialist.
Preparing your pet for the procedure
If you are not against castration, then you need to prepare your pet for the procedure in advance. Many dog owners are interested in the question: at what age can a toy terrier be neutered? Veterinarians recommend castration at the age of 8-10 months. It is not recommended to carry out the procedure before or after this age. If a very small Toy Terrier is neutered, the individual may be developmentally delayed.
The longer you wait, and the pet's age is approaching 12 months, the more aggressive the dog will be. Before the procedure, you should follow all the veterinarian's instructions. First of all, the toy terrier is not fed 9-12 hours before the procedure. Water is not given 3-4 hours before surgery. It is best to plan castration before your weekend, so that you can be with the dog all the time and positively influence its psychological state.
