How much do you think about dog or cat hormones? Sure, it might seem like an odd question, and the answer is probably “not often,” but it’s actually really important. When we think about our adored beasts’ overall health, our minds typically go more towards gut health, joint health, dental health, or even brain or heart health. But hormone health – the health of the endocrine system as a whole – is fundamental to overall health as well.
Unfortunately, until an issue arises, we tend to let those thoughts of hormones and all they do take a backseat.
Thankfully, hormones are actually getting a lot more attention lately, with more and more people recognizing the importance of cat and dog hormones,
So, in this guide, we’ll cover all the bases: what hormones do, the effect hormonal imbalances can have on the body, how spaying and neutering fit in, and how you can support your animal to maintain that balance in a healthy, holistic way.
What Do Hormones Do?
Hormones are powerful chemical messengers that regulate nearly every function in a dog or cat’s body, keeping their internal systems balanced and responsive to the world around them.
Produced by glands such as the thyroid, adrenal glands, pancreas, pituitary gland, ovaries, and testes, hormones travel through the bloodstream to signal organs and tissues how to behave. For example:
- Insulin (from the pancreas) controls blood sugar by helping cells absorb glucose for energy, while glucagon works in opposition to raise blood sugar when needed.
- Thyroid hormones (T3 and T4) regulate metabolism, influencing weight, energy levels, heart rate, and body temperature.
- Cortisol, produced by the adrenal glands, helps the body respond to stress, regulate inflammation, and manage immune function—but chronically elevated levels can suppress immunity and disrupt normal balance.
- Reproductive hormones such as estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone control heat cycles, sperm production, pregnancy, and secondary sex characteristics, but they also influence behaviour and even bone health.
- Growth hormone, released by the pituitary gland, supports normal development, tissue repair, and muscle maintenance, while melatonin helps regulate sleep-wake cycles and seasonal rhythms.
- Leptin and ghrelin influence appetite and satiety, communicating between fat stores, the gut, and the brain to manage hunger and energy balance.
As you can see, the hormones produced in your adored beast’s body are important for so many different functions. When hormones are in harmony, dogs and cats thrive; when they are deficient, excessive, or imbalanced, as seen in conditions like diabetes, hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism (common in cats), or Cushing’s disease, the effects can ripple throughout the entire body, demonstrating just how central the endocrine system is to overall health.
What Disrupts the Balance of Hormones?
Hormonal imbalances in dogs and cats can be triggered by a variety of internal and external factors that disrupt the delicate communication within the endocrine system.
- Chronic stress is a major contributor, as prolonged elevation of cortisol can interfere with thyroid function, blood sugar regulation, immune health, and reproductive hormones.
- Poor nutrition – particularly highly processed diets, excess carbohydrates, nutrient deficiencies, or exposure to artificial additives – can impair the glands responsible for hormone production and alter insulin sensitivity.
- Environmental toxins such as pesticides, household cleaners, plastics (BPA and phthalates), flame retardants, and lawn chemicals may act as endocrine disruptors, mimicking or blocking natural hormones and interfering with normal signalling.
- Obesity also plays a significant role, as fat tissue is hormonally active and can contribute to insulin resistance and altered estrogen levels.
- Age-related changes, genetic predispositions, chronic inflammation, infections, and certain medications (like long-term steroid use) can further strain the endocrine system.
Because hormones regulate nearly every system in the body, any persistent stressor – whether physical, emotional, or environmental – has the potential to tip that balance.
One of the biggest ways to disrupt hormonal balance is to remove the organs that produce them. Yes, we’re talking about spaying and neutering…
The Negative Impact of the Loss of Sex Hormones
Spaying and neutering alters the body’s natural hormone feedback loops in a significant way, which can influence metabolism and adrenal function over time.
So, what does sex hormone deficiency cause? What are some of the ways that spaying or neutering and sex hormone deficiencies can affect your feline or canine companion?
- Bones and joints – Hormone loss causes an increase in joint inflammation leading to arthritis. It decreases bone mineral content and causes cervical and spinal stenosis. Stenosis is a narrowing of the open spaces within the spine, which can put pressure on the spinal cord and the nerves that travel through the spine leading to problems like myelopathy or hind end paralysis.
- Ligaments and tendons – Hormone loss decreases ligament and tendon strength, which causes joint instability as we see with cruciate ligament injuries and tears.
- Muscles – Lean muscle mass is directly impaired by hormone loss. In my experience, this is more detrimental than we think, as the muscles form a huge support system for the joints. Increasing exercise helps with this, but if the hormones have affected the joints or ligaments as well, it becomes more of an overall issue and can put your dog on the lameness merry-go-round.
- Geriatric cognitive disorder – Dementia can also be attributed to a decrease in sex hormones. How many of you have dogs that have become more anxious as they age?
- Metabolic disease – When your dog’s lacking in sex hormones there are so many other symptoms that can mimic other metabolic diseases. Slower metabolic rates lead to panting, weight gain and constant hunger. How many of your dogs have been checked for hypothyroidism or Cushing’s because they exhibit these symptoms, yet the test has come back negative or normal?
- Teeth – We often forget that teeth are part of the bone family. When there are deficiencies in sex hormones, there’s a drop in bone mineral content. This weakens the alveolar sockets in the jaws that hold the roots of the teeth. When this happens, we can see weaker tooth anchorage, weaker jawbones, and increased gum disease, tooth loss and pain.
- Spay incontinence – The uncontrolled leaking of urine is another hormone deficiency problem.
- Sex hormones and thyroid function – It’s common knowledge that the thyroid, adrenals, and sex hormones are a very well tuned, balanced system, so if you remove one of the key players it’s only common sense that it will play havoc on the remaining glands. How many dogs do you know with hypothyroidism, Cushing’s or Addison’s? This isn’t a coincidence. When a part of the body or organ is removed, one of the ways the body survives is for the supporting anatomy to take over and compensate.
That leads to the over- or under-functioning of that system. In this case, removal of sex organs forces the pituitary, adrenals, and thyroid to compensate.
We spent an entire Ask Julie Anything dedicated to sex hormones recently, and were joined by our good friend, homeopath Andrea Ring. We were able to run through some really great, important information, and Julie and Andrea provided a wealth of valuable insight and excellent tips and advice. Check it out:
The Loss of Cat and Dog Hormones: Supporting the Body
No matter how you look at it, spaying and neutering is a controversial topic. If you decide to spay or neuter your cat or dog, try to wait as long as you can, at least until after the first heat, and try to find a vet who’ll do ovary sparing spay. Male dogs should be neutered after one year of age.
We can’t grow the testicles, ovaries, or uterus back within our animals, but we can nurture the supporting glands to stay healthy and provide homeopathic and natural supports for the lack of sex hormones. If it’s possible to do that and try to follow a proactive protocol, you’ll be doing the best you possibly can to support and help prevent the adverse effects of sex hormone deficiency, and reduce the risk of overpopulation.
The spay and neuter protocol Julie followed at her clinic was:
- Raw food with glands mixed in
- As many bioavailable amino acids as you can (our favourite is phytoplankton)
- Homeopathic remedies made from canine testes and ovaries
- Hemp oil for good quality non-GMO, clean, essential fat
- Loads of exercise in fresh air to alleviate stress
- Lots of raw meaty bones to increase endorphins and calming qualities
But you want to support balance across all hormone-producing organs, too!
Supplements & Herbs:
- Evening Primrose Oil: Supports consistent hormonal balance and skin/coat health.
- Lignans (Flax Hulls): Helps balance hormones in spayed/neutered dogs, particularly for urinary incontinence.
- Ashwagandha: Regulates cortisol levels (stress) and supports immune health.
- Glandular Supplements: Adrenal or thyroid glandulars directly support those organs.
- Herbs: Milk thistle (liver support), dandelion root, and nettle are great for adrenal support, as well as detoxification.
- Homeopathic Luteinizing Hormone: Helps regulate the pituitary feedback loop.
Dietary & Lifestyle Support:
- Whole Foods: Nutrient-dense, organic diets provide the building blocks for hormones.
- Organ Meats: Feeding organs (e.g., heart, liver) can nourish corresponding glands.
- Healthy Fats: Coconut oil, flaxseed, and omega-3 oils provide essential fats.
- Limit Toxic Exposure: Choose natural household cleaners, avoid synthetic air fresheners, and opt for non-toxic pet care products. Providing filtered water reduces an animal’s exposure to hormone-disrupting contaminants often found in municipal supplies.
- Exercise & Connection: Regular play/running and positive human interaction increase beneficial neurochemicals like oxytocin and dopamine.
Cat and Dog Hormones: Final Thoughts
When we think about overall health, it’s easy to focus on what we can see: shiny coats, strong joints, good teeth, bright eyes. But beneath it all is a finely tuned hormonal symphony quietly directing every beat, breath, and bounce. Supporting your dog or cat’s endocrine system isn’t about fear – it’s about awareness. It’s about understanding that cat and dog hormones are foundational messengers of balance, resilience, and vitality.
Whether your animal is intact, spayed, or neutered, the goal is the same: nourish the body deeply, reduce stress and toxic load, and provide the building blocks the glands need to function optimally. When we respect hormones as central players in whole-body health, we give our adored beasts the best chance at living long, vibrant, and truly balanced lives.
