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WHY DOES NEUTERING INCREASE THE RISK OF OBESITY ?

First broadcast on www.provet.co.uk  


This information is provided by Provet for educational purposes only.

You should seek the advice of your veterinarian if your pet is ill as only he or she can correctly advise on the diagnosis and recommend the treatment that is most appropriate for your pet.

It has long been recognised that neutered males and neutered females are more likely to develop obesity than their entire counterparts- but why should this be the case ?

According to the published surveys a neutered dog can be up to twice as likely as an un-neutered dog to develop obesity, and neutered cats are also more likely to be overweight than entire cats. The precise mechanisms are not fully understood - but there are several likely reasons why this occurs :

  • Normal concentrations of circulating sex hormones reduce appetite
  • Following neutering sex hormone concentrations fall so appetite increases 
  • Reduced male or female sex hormone concentrations in the blood causes a decrease in the body's metabolic rate - ie the rate of tissue activity, and the rate at which metabolic processes occur in the body
  • The metabolic rate in neutered animals has been found to be up to 25% less than in un-neutered animals -  which means that they need up to 25% less energy intake. 
  • Reduced sexual behaviour results in reduced overall exercise, and so neutered animals have a lower energy requirement

So, the reason why neutered animals gain weight is a combination of :

  • decreased resting energy requirement
  • relative excess food intake, and 
  • reduced exercise

Obesity can be prevented by :

  • restricting energy (food) intake to maintain optimum body weight. 
  • in some cases specially formulated obesity-control diets may be needed
  • avoid high energy snacks and treats
  • maintain a  regular exercise regimen

 

Updated October 2013