Do Spayed Dogs Still Get Hormonal Changes?

When the female dogs in our homes reach an appropriate age, spaying often becomes a decision that many owners carefully consider. This decision carries our deep concern for the health and happiness of our dogs. And during the process of making this decision, a lingering question often lingers in our minds: Do spayed female dogs still experience hormonal changes? To solve this mystery, we need to delve deep into the microscopic world inside the female dog's body.

In an unspayed state, the hormones in a female dog's body are like a precisely choreographed symphony. Various hormones work together to maintain the normal operation of the body and the physiological cycle. Among them, estrogen and progesterone play extremely important roles. Estrogen dominates the female dog's estrus cycle. It is like a signal soldier, sending estrus information throughout the body, making the female dog exhibit corresponding behavioral characteristics at specific times, such as restlessness and attracting male dogs. Progesterone, on the other hand, plays a key role when the female dog is pregnant. It creates a suitable environment for the implantation and development of the embryo, ensuring that the new life can grow safely in the female dog's body.

When a female dog undergoes a spaying operation, that is, an ovariohysterectomy, this surgical process is like a "rest in the symphony." The ovary, an important "factory" for secreting estrogen and progesterone, is removed from the female dog's body. From the moment the operation is completed, the main sources of estrogen and progesterone in the female dog's body are cut off, which is like cutting off the production line of hormones. Theoretically speaking, without the secretion of the ovaries, the levels of estrogen and progesterone will drop sharply, even approaching zero. In the period after the operation, the behavioral and physiological characteristics related to estrus in the female dog will indeed gradually disappear. Phenomena such as frequent vulvar swelling and abnormal secretions that used to occur during estrus no longer appear, and the female dog is no longer driven by the estrus instinct as before, and its behavior becomes more docile and quiet. When we see these changes in our dogs, we feel relieved that they are no longer troubled by estrus, but we also inevitably feel a bit sorry for the series of changes their bodies have gone through.

However, things are not that simple. Although the ovaries are removed, the female dog's body still has a complex physiological regulation mechanism. In other parts of the body, some cells and tissues can still produce a small amount of hormones. For example, adipose tissue has a certain endocrine function. The fat cells in the female dog's body can convert some hormone precursor substances secreted by the adrenal cortex into estrogen. Although the amount of estrogen produced by this conversion is far less than the level when the ovaries secrete normally, it will still have an impact on the female dog's body. It's like a once surging river. Although the source has been cut off, some small tributaries are still continuously supplying trickles of water to it.

This small hormonal change will also be reflected in the daily life of the spayed female dog. Some spayed female dogs may experience weight gain. This is because in addition to participating in the estrus cycle, estrogen also plays an important role in regulating the body's metabolism. The decrease in estrogen levels will slow down the metabolic rate of the female dog, and the body's ability to consume energy will become weaker. It's like a machine that was originally running efficiently suddenly reducing its power. In this case, if we still provide food for the dog according to the previous feeding amount, the excess energy will be stored in the form of fat, causing the dog's weight to gradually rise. Watching our dog's originally slender figure gradually become rounder, we start to worry about its health and think about how to adjust its diet and exercise plan.

In addition, hormonal changes may also have a subtle impact on the behavior of the spayed female dog. Although the female dog no longer has obvious estrus behavior, its personality may undergo some imperceptible changes. Some spayed female dogs may become more dependent on their owners and like to stick to their owners all the time. This may be because hormonal changes have affected the neurotransmitter system in their brains related to emotions and behavior, making their emotional needs for their owners more intense. We feel this dependence from the dog, and a warm current surges in our hearts, making us cherish every moment we spend with it even more.

Spayed female dogs do indeed experience hormonal changes, although the degree and manner of the changes are very different from those before spaying. Understanding these hormonal changes not only helps us take better care of spayed female dogs but also enables us to have a deeper understanding of the various changes in their bodies and behaviors.