Weight gain and urinary incontinence are real, common, biologically predictable consequences of hormonal change. And whether or not they occur in a particular dog, owners deserve to know about them before the procedure, not years later when the dog is struggling.

Weight gain and incontinence are common following surgery, so why don’t more vets discuss them?

Spaying female dogs has long been considered a routine, rarely questioned pillar of responsible hunting dog ownership.

Some of the benefits of this procedure are well known and heavily emphasized, namely preventing unwanted litters. Other benefits include reducing the risk of pyometra (a dangerous uterine infection) and a slight (some may say negligible) reduction in malignant mammary tumors.

These are real and important advantages, for sure. But in the expanding conversation around individualized, lifetime wellness for our canine athletes, there are certain side effects of spaying that rarely come up in exam room discussions, particularly weight gain and urinary incontinence.

Most veterinarians already know these risks exist. Some of us talk about them openly. Many don’t, unfortunately. And dog owners, armed with their own experiences and online “research,” are increasingly surprised to learn—often after the fact—that the surgery they confidently elected may carry long-term challenges that were never mentioned in the presurgical discussion.

This article aims to bring those challenges into the light with clear, accessible language, because informed choices are at the heart of modern veterinary medicine and a high priority for the sporting dog community.

The Weight Gain Problem No One Mentions

Risk of weight gain after spaying is more than rumor—it’s a measurable, well-documented trend; one bordering on an epidemic. Many owners chalk up those added pounds to age, change in activity, or indulgent treat habits. But the surgery itself does play a role, and understanding why requires diving into the physiology.

When the ovaries are removed, a dog’s hormonal landscape changes almost overnight. Estrogen, one of the major hormones lost through spay surgery, helps regulate metabolism. Without it, many spayed dogs burn fewer calories at rest. At the same time, appetite can increase. That means a dog eating the same amount as before—while now burning less energy—begins gaining weight even if nothing else has changed.

Owners often describe it this way: She just isn’t as active now, or She seems to get pudgy faster. But the decline in energy and the creeping appetite aren’t personality shifts, they’re hormonal ones. Sadly, the weight gain is often so insidious that many owners don’t notice it at all.

Unfortunately, this aspect of spay surgery doesn’t get much airtime during veterinary consultations. The omission isn’t malicious. It’s partly cultural and partly practical. For decades, veterinary medicine has viewed spaying as a straightforward good—an intervention that protects animals and helps control pet overpopulation. With so much focus on the benefits, the conversation around metabolic changes simply never found momentum.

But in the real world, excess weight matters. It strains joints, heats up working dogs in the field, increases risk of diabetes, and even reduces lifespan. Sporting breeds, in particular, rely on lean muscle and high aerobic capacity. Even a small shift upward on the scale can alter their stamina and performance, and adds unwanted strain to joints.

The good news is this aspect of spaying is manageable. Diet adjustments, portion control, and regular exercise can all counteract the metabolic slowdown, if you’re prepared for it. But owners can’t prevent what they don’t know is coming, and too many are blindsided when their once-sleek dog starts thickening around the ribs.

The Quiet Reality of Urinary Incontinence

The second major side effect rarely discussed with owners is the increased risk of urinary incontinence: the involuntary leakage of urine, often during sleep or relaxation.

Many dog owners don’t connect this condition to a spay surgery performed years earlier. In fact, the timing can be confusing: incontinence may not appear until a dog is middle-aged or even older, long after the incision healed and the surgery faded from memory.

The cause, again, lies in hormones. Estrogen doesn’t just influence heat cycles, it also helps maintain muscle tone in the lower urinary tract. Without it, the urethral sphincter may weaken over time, making it harder for a dog to “hold it” when her bladder fills.

For some dogs, this results in small urine spots on their bedding. Others may develop more frequent accidents, wet fur, or chronic skin irritation around the vulva and groin.

Most frustrating is how invisible this risk can appear during the spay decision. Because symptoms don’t surface right away (and because not all spayed dogs develop incontinence) clients rarely hear it mentioned. Even when veterinarians are aware of the association, it can be difficult to frame the issue in simple, reassuring terms without overwhelming new puppy owners.

And yet, urinary incontinence is not rare. True, most cases respond well to medication, but treatment is lifelong and potentially expensive. Some dogs require multiple drugs, others don’t respond at all.

Like weight gain, it isn’t a reason not to spay. But it is absolutely a reason to have a fuller, more open conversation about what the surgery means across a dog’s entire lifespan, not just the days of recovery.

Why Aren’t We Talking About This More?

There are several reasons the metabolic and urinary risks of spaying are often absent from pre-surgical conversations.

Habit and history play a major role. For decades, veterinarians have been trained to emphasize the overwhelming public health value of spaying: reducing strays, preventing shelter overcrowding, and minimizing reproductive disease. These benefits are familiar, safe to communicate, and ethically compelling, if not as dire as our profession likes to believe.

Emotional protection also factors in. Veterinarians worry that sharing too many potential risks may discourage spaying altogether, particularly in families with limited resources. In trying to protect animals from homelessness or disease, we sometimes underemphasize the chronic changes that spay surgery may bring.

And then there’s time and complexity. Exam rooms move fast. Clients juggle anxiety and information overload. Hormonal physiology isn’t easy to explain in three minutes while a Labrador puppy bounces on the table.

But sporting dog clients today are informed and curious. They want customized medicine, not cookie-cutter recommendations from vets who speak their language. When owners discover these side effects on their own through internet research, online groups, or second opinions—they understandably question why their veterinarian never mentioned them. That erosion of trust is unnecessary and preventable.

Time for Deeper Dialogue

Spaying remains valuable in certain scenarios, but like any surgery, it deserves thoughtful discussion, not automatic endorsement.

Weight gain and urinary incontinence are not obscure complications. They are real, common, biologically predictable consequences of hormonal change. And whether or not they occur in a particular dog, owners deserve to know about them before the procedure, not years later when the dog is struggling.

The veterinary profession is slowly shifting toward individualized recommendations, especially for working and sporting dogs whose lives are shaped by athleticism and longevity. Those conversations begin with transparency.

The Side Effects of Spay Surgery We’re Not Talking About