If your dog recently was neutered or spayed, and your dog has been peeing more often, this post will show you why and what to do about it.
Do dogs pee more after being neutered or spayed?
Yes, dogs can pee more after being neutered or spayed, depending on the situation. Female dogs are more susceptible to this than males, but it can happen to both. In most cases, this issue goes away as they heal from the surgical procedure.
Why might my dog be peeing more after being neutered or spayed?
Sex hormones in a dog’s body help regulate several bodily functions. With lower levels or no levels of the sex hormones estrogen and testosterone, sometimes the muscle that holds urine in the body relaxes when the dog does. The over-relaxation of the muscle causes the liquid to leak out.
Additionally, shortly after the surgical procedure, the dog can have the urge to urinate more often because of the increased pain in the area. After about a week or so, as the pet heals, this desire to pee more often should go away.
Why is my dog peeing in the house after being neutered or spayed?
If this is happening within the week or so after the procedure, in most cases, this is not being done on purpose. After the surgery, the dog will be in more pain in the area near their genitals, and it will cause them to want to pee more often. Also, if the muscle that holds the urine in the body is involuntarily relaxing at that time, then urine will come out. If your dog is housetrained, then we assure you, the involuntary need to eliminate makes the dog feel bad. The inconvenience and mishaps should be temporary.
What to do about my dog peeing more after being neutered or spayed?
While this should be an issue that resolves independently, it won’t be in some cases. If it’s been more than 10-14 days since the surgical procedure, you’ll want to follow up with your veterinarian. Some medications can be given that will help them. Your veterinarian can also check for other conditions or diseases that may have developed.
Is it normal for a dog to pee a lot after being neutered or spayed?
The dog might pee more often, especially for the females, but again, this is temporary. If it doesn’t stop within 10-14 days after the procedure, the vet should be consulted for evaluation. The dog might appear to be peeing more often, but unless they are consuming far more water than usual during this time, they aren’t eliminating too much extra urine. It just looks like a lot more because they are going more often.
What are the common side effects of neutering or spayed?
Immediately after the procedure, you’ll notice marked changes in your dog’s personality. They just had their body’s ability to create sex hormones removed from their body. Removing the ability to make these hormones will cause your dog to feel extreme anger, irritability, nervousness, depression, clinginess, or other noticeable emotions. Each dog may react differently.
A likeness can be drawn to a human mother that has just given birth to a child. The woman’s body goes through several immediate hormonal changes, which can cause similar mood swings and steep emotions. Likewise, this may happen to a woman after she experiences menopause later in life.
The dog will also have some residual pain near its groins. There might be stitches that you’ll need to monitor for infection. Depending on the dog, your dog may need to wear a cone until the stitches are healed. There may be pain medications to administer, and your dog may need to urinate more often as they heal.
What are some of the benefits of neutering or spaying?
There are several benefits to spaying or neutering your dog.
- No unwanted puppies or kittens to suddenly feed, chase after, or care for
- No surprise vet bills because of a surprise litter
- Reduced aggression in dogs with aggressive tendencies
- Reduced acting out during the time a dog goes into heat
- Reduced chances of mammary and testicular cancers in the dog
- Dogs are less likely to roam
- No litter means a reduction in the unwanted animals that are put down each year
- Someone who wants to steal your dog to start their own puppy mill will be less motivated to do so
- Someone who wants to steal your purebred to breed their own dogs will be less motivated to do so
What’s involved in the spaying or neutering procedure?
At the age of six months, or after that, you’ll want to have your dog spayed or neutered. The spay procedure is done on female dogs, and the neuter procedure is done on male dogs. Both procedures are done under anesthesia.
During the operation, in a female, both the uterus and the ovaries are removed. Stitches close the incision. Depending on your dog’s personality or how large the incision was, your dog may need to wear a cone until the stitches heal. Your veterinarian will give you exact aftercare instructions.
During the operation, in a male, the testicles are removed. The incision is tiny and, in many cases, allowed to scab over before being sent home. Stitches are usually not required for the males, and therefore cones typically aren’t as well. Exceptions can be made for dogs that will bother the wound too much. Your vet will instruct you on what behaviors to observe.
Are neutering and spaying the only choices for sterilizing my dog?
Some vets will only remove the female dog’s ovaries and not the uterus, and some will only remove the uterus but not the ovaries. There are arguments in the veterinary community over the benefits of each of these options. While both options will leave a female dog sterile (unable to produce a litter), the dog will still produce sex hormones and go into heat. This means for three weeks every six to eight months, the female dog may be acutely more aware, more aggressive, more flamboyant, and display other potentially unwanted behaviors.
There is a long-held thought process that says if you’re going to do surgery to remove one or the other, you might as well remove both while you’re there, to prevent the unwanted behaviors later. After several years of this practice, some of it is being called into question. You should always ask the veterinarian if a complete spay procedure will be done for the female and discuss your options so you can choose what is best for your lifestyle and your dog.
There is no partial neuter procedure for males.
