Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is the use of synthetic or natural female hormones to make up for the decline or lack of natural hormones produced in a woman's body. HRT is used in various forms by women including sprays, gels, patches and creams. Exposure of dogs to these HRT products can have devastating effects on the dogs which are easily poisoned by these products.
Common symptoms of hormone replacement poisoning vary depending on the sex of the dog.
Female dogs will have swollen vulva and bloody discharge similar to being in heat, even if it has been spayed.
Male dogs will show extreme attraction to female dogs and may have swollen mammary glands along with small penis and shrinking of the testicles (testicular atrophy).
Both male and female dogs will exhibit hair loss.
Prolong exposure to HRT products holds potential to cause bone marrow suppression leading to aplastic anemia (a severe blood disease) and possibly mammary tumors (breast cancer.)
