1

My dog is being neutered as I'm writing.

He is a Brittany, 21 months old and is quite light weight (15.5kg). He's having quite a lot of exercice, a least 3 hours off leash per day in a dog park or in the woods.

What should I expect in term of weight gain? Should I pay close attention in the coming weeks/months?

Improve this question
2
  • Hopefully you will ask the vet before you leave the office....
    – James Jenkins
    Commented Jun 6, 2015 at 9:30
  • 1
    Your vets advise will likely be for a "pet" type weight. For performance dogs such as an agility or herding dog (or any dog that puts more than normal wear on their bodies) you should always keep a close eye on weight. Most vets I know don't address weight issues unless the dogs health is either already suffering or if it is an extreme case. I'm not being critical of vets... it is just their reality, everyone has a different opinion of what "over weight" or "under weight" is so you have to think about the specific situation not the general guidance. For performance dogs either extreme is bad.
    – Beth Lang
    Commented Jun 9, 2015 at 20:23

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
1

Neutering may affect a dog's metabolism and appetite and may cause weight gain. If you notice your dog looks overweight, you should take action and limit food intake and increase exercise.

Improve this answer
1

Neutering effects hormones so it can obviously change metabolism but in my experience very few change much.

Your dog is just coming up on an age where you should expect to see him fill out a bit. You might also need to adjust how much you are feeding as he is no longer a growing puppy. When I say he should fill out I mean muscle wise, you should notice his chest fill out a little over the next year. But he should not start to feel different/thick in his ribs and hips. If you have a hard time monitoring weight by the feeling then you can do it by actually weighing him.

A dog that size (30 to 45 lbs) shouldn't very his weight by more than a pound or two if you are being consistent with diet and exercise. If he does then you should cut back on food or increase exercise.

Improve this answer
0

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.