My dog just got spayed. Should I change her diet or food amount?

What an adorable pair of dogs!! No, I would not look into a weight management food just yet. As long as you give her a healthy diet, exercise her daily, and do not give her too many treats or any human food, she can maintain her weight. I have a 10 year old spayed Chow Chow, and I have never had to use a weight management food on her. Just keeping healthy eating habits and daily exercise is enough. I hope this helps!

Occasionally after spaying, dogs will have no appetite for the first 12-24 hours. This may be due to the lingering effects of [anesthesia](https://www.petcoach.co/article/pets-and-anesthesia-everything-you-need-to-know) and/or some post operative discomfort. If she still has no appetite two days after spaying, I would be concerned that she may be in [pain](https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-measure-your-dogs-pain) or there may be another underlying concern affecting her[ recovery](https://www.petcoach.co/article/6-ways-to-rest-your-pet-after-surgery-or-injury). Call your veterinarian to discuss your concerns. He or she may recommend a recheck, and some more [pain medication](https://www.petcoach.co/article/7-pain-relief-solutions-for-dogs). In the meantime, take a look at her incision site. If it is red, swollen and hot to the touch, she needs to see your veterinarian right away as these symptoms may indicate infection. You can also try offering her a bland diet of boiled chicken and white rice or some treats to stimulate her appetite.

I recommend to wait 6-8 hours after the time of the procedure. Also only feed half the amount. If she eats it all and acts like she's still hungry, wait an hour to feed the rest. Also, don't worry if Lexi doesn't eat tonight. Many times they are too tired and out of it. Hope you have a good evening.

Thanks for the question. No, it isn't normal to have an increased appetite after being spayed. It is possible they are eating more due to stress, but I can't say for sure. As long as their weight is stable, I do not recommend increasing the food. It may only be a temporary increase in appetite, but you will want to monitor for any other changes. I hope this helps.

She has a lot of fur but her weight looks good. She will continue to grow at a slower rate until she’s about one year old. I gradually switch to adult food now that she’s been spayed. I like for dogs to have a nice tuck at the waist and to be able to feel their ribs but not see them. After spaying some dogs are less active and gain weight so now is the time to keep a watch so she doesn’t get fat. As far as the training it will take many months of training to get her to be reliable at the heel and learn commands. A six month old dog is very energetic and has a short attention span. Keep with the training and you’ll have a wonderful, well trained dog when she’s an adult. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Sienna.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Do no worry about the weight gain. If you feed your Mini good quality food and make sure that gets daily exercises she will not be overweight. Overweight in neutered dogs is usually caused by too rich, inexpensive diet from supermarkets. Removing one ovary is completely pointless from medical perspective. Now, after the surgery you should not allowed Mini to run, jump or go up and down the stairs. She will be ok to walk on a leash. You need to do that for about 10 days. You can feed her as normal. Please, make sure she does not lick the surgical wound. You can put a head cone on her, but if she doesn't like it you can use a baby t-shirt or buy a special recovery suit. In 10-12 days the wounds should be fully healed and you vet will probably remove her stitches.

The onesies may be uncomfortable or stressful for her. Try taking them off at feeding time. Watch her closely though so she doesn't get to her incision. You can also warm her food slightly or mix in a teaspoon of plain baby food to stimulate the appetite.