My goldie bitch is 2yrs old. She first came into season last may and was spayed 3 months afterwards. Before and after her season last year she was very hormonal and started growling at people and snapping, but since being spayed she was fine for a while. However about a month ago her behaviour deteriorated so much that once again she growled and snapped at someone for no particular reason, but in exactly the same way as she did when she was having a phantom pregnancy. She seems to have put on a lot of weight in the last month, despite no changes to her exercise or diet, although she was on restricted exercise for 10 days following a lump removal, but seems to have put more weight on since starting the exercise again. Her recall has suddely gone down hill, whereas it used to be excellent, and her behaviour has become very erratic. It wasn't until someone mentioned about their dog having mood swings that would have coincided with seasons despite being spayed that i even thought about it, but is it likly that she would still become hormonal despite being spayed? I have heard about a small amount of tissue being left that can give the bitch the effects of a season, but wouldn't it have shown by now if this was the case? We also have an entire male in the house, but he hasn't changed his bechaviour towards her. Of course it could all just be a strange coincidence.

hiya
how long after she was in season did you spay her? it could have been to soon as like if its a month or even more after they can still keep that not so good temprement for the rest of there lives, they will put on alot of weight if not watched, they also can just think they are coming in season for another few times as thats how its always been.
fiona 

We spayed her exactly 3 months afterwards, and made sure that her false pregnancy was over first. THe weight thing is funny because she has always been very skinny and difficult to put weight on, but suddenly in the last couple of weeks she is really looking bigger despite no change in food. If it is hormones is there anything homeopathic that we can give her to help her?

HI, you mentioned a "lump removal" was this a cancerous lump? ( blonde moment, I cant remember the opposite of benign). If it was, perhaps it might be an idea for the vets to re-test for another one that may have popped up somewhere? If she is unwell it may account for her short temper. If she had not been spayed, when would she have been in season - about the time she got snappy?
Spayed bitches in most breeds do tend to put on weight and with coated breeds their coat often becomes more profuse and fluffy.

The reason she has put on weight is probably because you have made no changes to her exercise and diet.

There is no reason why any neutered animal  should put on weight post operation because after all you control the food bowl.

However it does slow down metabolism therefore your neutered pet will probably require less food post spaying/castration than before.  I suggest you cut down her intake by circa 10% and monitor and cut down further if required.

One of the many reasons farm animals are neutered is because it encourages weight gain.

>One of the many reasons farm animals are neutered is because it encourages weight gain.

That's very true - unfortunately it encourages fat gain rather than muscle bulk, so ram lambs are more likely to be left uncastrated nowadays, because, as we were taught at agricultural college, 'the housewife' likes to buy lean meat, not fat meat.
:)

I understand that, but she was spayed in August last year and her food intake was reduced then but has not been changed since then, it seems a long time. If anything her exercise has increased since the evenings have got lighter, so i find it really strange that she has put on weight in the last month.  She would've been in season in may had she had seasons every 6 months, which is when her behaviour become a little odd. THe lump was just a harmless histiocytoma, luckily.