How to feed a castrated or sterilized dog?
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Overweight
Castration or sterilization greatly influences your dog’s hormonal balance. Castrated and sterilized dogs are 4 times more likely to become overweight or obese. Although the hormonal changes play a big part in weight gain, it is not the only reason why dogs after sterilisation or castration can put on a few additional kilograms.
Why sterilized dogs gain weight?
Both sterilization and castration influence a dog’s daily energy demand. The key to maintaining a healthy weight after the procedure is changing your dog’s diet. It is advised that diet for a sterilised or castrated dog should be around 30% lower in calories than what was previously fed. Proper diet can greatly reduce the risk of a weight gain. Remember that there are some dog breeds with a significant appetite, which can make them prone to obesity. With breeds such as labrador, golden retriever, beagle, pug and french bulldog it is particularly important to monitor the dog’s daily food intake.
Change eating habits
If you’ve been feeding your dog ad libitum, stop and teach your dog to eat meals at set hours. House pet with unlimited access to food tend to snack a lot and it’s hard to monitor your dog’s daily food intake. Always give your dog the recommended amount of food, either look at the manufacturer’s recommendations or as your vet. Remember that every dog is different and your dog’s needs may vary from the recommended amount of food for a breed or size of your dog. Monitor your dog’s weight regularly and pay attention to how much snacks you’re giving throughout the day. Snacks can quickly go over the recommended caloric intake of your dog and result in weight gain. Daily snack intake should not surpass 20% of the energy demand of your dog.
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Choose the right diet
The right diet for sterilised and castrated dogs is as important and the portion control. The right diet will make it that much easier to maintain your dog’s healthy weight. When choosing a food for sterilised or castrated dog stick with a formula with a reduced amount of fat and high level of fibre. Fibre keeps your dog feeling satiated for longer. A good ingredient to look for in formulas for sterilised and castrated dogs is l-carnitine - it helps speed up the fat-burning process. But food is not everything. Pay attention to all the snacks you give your dog. Choose snacks with natural ingredients, look for clean and simple ingredients list and low fat.
Spend time actively
Diet is not the only way to keep your sterilised or castrated dog in a good shape. Encourage your dog to move and be more active - that way you can even further reduce the risk of weigh gain.
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