Spayed puppy going on to adult food?

staffiecat

Hi guys,

I dropped my 6month old puppy off to the vets this morning to get spayed - I did cry as I left her there! Such a wimp. She is doing fine, op went well but the vet suggested that I should stop feeding her puppy food now as she would be prone to weight gain. He said to slowly introduce adult food but I am concerned about this and wondered whether anyone else had same experience ?

I should also say that my pup, Layla, has very sensitive tummy so I am anxious about changing her to adult food before she is ready.

thanks
S

sarabe

6 months is fine to go on to adult food.

Mine, as pups have always eaten the same as the adults just more often.

Spaying doesn't = weight gain, lack of exercise and over feeding do.

Never had a fat dog in my life and mine are all neutered except the three youngest.

Have to say though that I would never neuter a puppy. Our youngest girlie is being spayed next week and she is coming up to 2 years old. She seemed to grow up and get sensible after her second season. Not that I don't love puppies, I just don't want them to be puppies all of their life.

staffiecat

sarabe wrote: »

6 months is fine to go on to adult food.

Mine, as pups have always eaten the same as the adults just more often.

Spaying doesn't = weight gain, lack of exercise and over feeding do.

Never had a fat dog in my life and mine are all neutered except the three youngest.

Have to say though that I would never neuter a puppy. Our youngest girlie is being spayed next week and she is coming up to 2 years old. She seemed to grow up and get sensible after her second season. Not that I don't love puppies, I just don't want them to be puppies all of their life.

Funny you say that as I thought it was too young to neuter her too. I have a 1.5 year old pup who i haven't neutered yet - mainly because she might need a leg operation and I would rather keep her ops to a minimum. The vet was adamant that we should neuter Layla now, I was reluctant but OH felt it was the right thing.

Neither pups are overweight and I agree with your fomula above I have never had overweight dogs or cats and don't intend to either. I will gradually change her to adult food - thanks for the help !

EmptyPockets

When we switched our two dogs, 9 months and 7 months (at the time) onto Burns dry food, we were immediately using the adult variety (on the bag it said 6 months+). Our reason for putting them on Burns was trying to deal with a super-hyperactive terrier with behaviour issues which were driving us up the wall.

Our veterinary nurse (a rather snooty one I might add) told us to put them on the PUPPY variety as 'they should be on puppy food until they are 18 months old'! We switched them on to the puppy one but, after only half a bag, decided to take them off it. Their behaviour went right downhill and the terrier was right back to his belligerent, ignorant, naughty self again.

Since we put them BACK on to the adult one, he has been fantastic behaviour-wise again, so, so much for her expert advice...

Anyway, my point is: 6 months is fine for switching them to adult food. Ours have been so much better now they're on it, and the bags specifically state 6 months+...

staffiecat

EmptyPockets wrote: »

Anyway, my point is: 6 months is fine for switching them to adult food. Ours have been so much better now they're on it, and the bags specifically state 6 months+...

Hi, thanks for that - I think its because she is so young that I am concerned. I didn't switch my older one to adult food until 12 months but I definately noticed a vast improvement in her behaviour when I did !

I feed both of mine Wainwrights and that does say to feed the puppies until 18 months. I will check again over the weekend.

S

Jessw0

Depends what breed and how your dog is doing on the food it's on. My 8 month old Doberman will be on puppy food until he's at least 18 months, but the Pro Plan food he's on says up to 24 months for athletic breeds. Do whatever you feel is right for your dog, it's not going to harm them either way.

sarabe

In most cases the puppy food is more expensive than the adult food so it makes sense for the manufacturer to recommend that the dogs stay on it for longer.

The recommended amounts to feed are often over the top, another way to get you to buy more and then when you have a fat dog and decide it needs to be on the diet food - hey ho that costs more as well!!

S - I am hearing more and more about people being pressured by their vets into neutering before 6 months. I know my vet is totally against it but I might ask her why she thinks there is this trend.

staffiecat

I've got Layla home now, she looks worse than I had expected and hasn't touched any food or water - I feel terrible now that I did this too soon. I wish I followed my instincts and waited.

Sarabe, she is precisely 6 months this week. When I rescued Lilly from RSPCA they wanted to spay her at 5 months old ! I eventually cancelled this though because of her leg - thankfully !

S

Moosk

Puppy food tends to be a lot higher in fats and protein than the adult equivalent, which I would guess is why they recommeded swapping, as nutered dogs can be more prone to weight gain.

However I totally agree with Sarabe that "Spaying doesn't = weight gain, lack of exercise and over feeding do".

Hope puppy is feeling better soon!

albacookie

What breed is she - small dogs fully grown at 6 months so switching is fine, bigger breeds grow more slowly. Giant breeds won't be fully mature until 24 months.

staffiecat

Layla is much brighter today. I slept with her all night on a mattress in the living room and she cuddled up and didn't move - she had her first sip of water and food this morning and I got a lovely kiss and tail waggle. So relieved.

Albacookie - Layla is a cross between an Alsation and Staffie, we rescued her about 4 months ago. She currently weighs in at 20.2kg - she looks like an alsation but has short legs and brindle colouring like a staffie. I checked the wainwrights food again and it suggests feeding large breed dogs the puppy feed until 18 months old.

I still have quite a large bag of this which will easily last another 8 weeks.

S