I have just taken Bonnie to the vet's to be spayed. (felt like taking a lamb to slaughter !!!) Anyway while i was filling in the consent form the vet nurse advised me about cutting down her calorie intake after surgery because of the risk of gaining weight (she is beautifully slim at the moment)
I feed her JWB junior or adult, 200g x 2 meals daily with a bit of fish or mince added for a bit of variety. Do you think it would be wise to put her on a 'light ' version or just cut down the amount I feed her or wait and see?
She is 19 months old by the way

Hi Hamster,

Bet you're feeling ill right now with nerves - have a cuppa and a choccy biscuit  (works for me! ) ;)

At her age and in her excellent condition she'll be dry and sinewy by your description and doubtless well exercised so gaining weight post op will not be a foregone conclusion :)  You may in time to come have to either slightly decrease her diet or increase her exercise but in a fit young healthy and well exercised animal you will probably find she doesn't gain anyway - except perhaps around middle age onwards.  My spayed bitch didn't gain weight until about 6 years after her op and that was only because she gradually used less energy in her outings :)

If you should need to address her diet, personally I'd stick with the food she enjoys but take a little off the amount and if she seems hungry then give her some raw carrots for eg to gnaw on :)

HTH, Teri

how long is a piece of string??? It's all dependant on a lot of factors...what breed Bonnie is...how active she is....I would just keep to usual routine and see if she puts weight on, if she does alter the food amount accordingly or increase the exercise....

My girl was spayed after c-section last summer - she has put weight on, but she was always very slender, and I will maintain her at the weight she is now...she will be 5 in april which is another factor

Hope she comes thru the op well :)

She's a golden retriever and weighs 29 kgs. She has 1 hour off -lead exercise in the morning and another 30- 40 minutes off-lead in the afternoon. She also has a large garden to run around in.
I've just made myself have something to eat and a cuppa but still feel rotten about taking her. I just can't settle to do any work so I'm going to take myself into the garden and plant a few seeds!
I have to phone about 3 pm to see how she is.

My two are both spayed and are both on a light diet. The Bernese is prone to putting on weight anyway so would probably be on it even if she wasn't spayed but the setter has kept beautifully slim.

I would see how it goes and if she seems to be gaining weight and doesn't take kindly to less food then the light food option or adding extra veg to her meals may be worth a try.

BTW: I sobbed my heart out when we got our Bernese home after spaying, I felt so sorry for her although she was fine next day, with the setter, I had to stop her jumping in and out of the car on the way home from the vets!! :-D
I'm sure she will be fine

it's always nerve-wrackin isn't it....I'm sure she'll be fine, but I always worry no matter what any of the dogs are in the vets for....

enjoy your gardening, it's lovely weather here, and I'm itching to get out and start in my garden...

let us know how she gets on :)

With my breed I would immediately cut the food down by about 25% and then see how she goes, but then none of mien are spayed until after five years of age. 

As a breed they need little food for their size and gain weight easily (unless you have the occasional picky one, and even then by middle age the weight will start to come on).

I prefer to keep them on their normal diet and cut back, as my experience with the lite diets has been a reduction in muscle and coat quality.

With my breed I would immediately cut the food down by about 25% and then see how she goes, but then none of mine are spayed until after five years of age. 

As a breed they need little food for their size and gain weight easily (unless you have the occasional picky one, and even then by middle age the weight will start to come on).

I prefer to keep them on their normal diet and cut back, as my experience with the lite diets has been a reduction in muscle and coat quality.

Hi Hamster did you ring the vets?? How's your girl???

hi everyone im new here, ive always found this website fantastic and i have learned sooo much thanks everyone......anyway i had my dog spayed 12 months ago and also was told to watch her diet as she is now prone to weight gain but i must say she eats regually and had plenty of excersie she shes not gained any weight at all,, i suppose its the treats and nibbles you have to watch like us humans really we only gain weight if we eat to much rubbish,  good luck with her she will be fine, but i no what your going through me and my husband took a week of work to look after her post op!!!!

Hi! Yes I rang just after 3 and they said she was fine and would be happier at home. Picked her up at 3.30 and could hear her crying from reception !!!
Anyway she's fine -a bit dazed looking but then that's to be expected. She keeps getting up and walking around. I'm trying to keep everything I do very quiet so she will hopefully settle down soon. She doesn't seem uncomfortable but then she was dosed up to come home. I asked about painkillers but was told that they find that if they're kept too comfy they end up overdoing it in the first few days!!!
Thanks to all who've replied

glad she's ok :)

keep her on lead exercise now until she can have her stitches removed, here's hoping she recovers well

Thanks, yes I won't overdo it. Luckily she has dissolving sutures so only need to go back if the wound is oozing.
She starting to moan a bit now, but is lying down. Think we'll have to take it in turns to stroke her cos she stops then !

oh bless her. just watch her as my dog had a phampton pregnancy a week after being spayed which the vet did say was very unsuall.