Can cats and dogs be transgender

When we look at the history, we don’t find many references. It is only in the present times that people are identifying trans animals and talking more about their wellbeing. Even scientific literatures are being worked upon currently. People and vets over the years have not paid importance to the gender identities of pets. Spaying, neutering, looking into any health and behavioral changes under the care of an experienced veterinarian is a must.

We need to understand unless a pet is born with some genitalia defects that prevent it from living a healthy life, it’s better to not touch them.

Unless they have issues with their physiological formation, they are not giving you the permission to make any changes in them.

Trans pets surgeries, as well as hormonal treatments, are available for transgender animals. If you want more information about it, you can go through the below sections.

Can cats and dogs be transgender?

A question that has popped up in recent years with the mass revolution going around in the human community is: can cats and dogs be transgender?

Most scientific communities are oblivious to the existence of transgender cats and dogs, so answering the question as to whether cats and dogs can be transgender is still a long haul from here. It is only recently that such questions have caught up with people.

Experiments have just begun, and so have surgeries.

The answer to this question, however, is yes. Yes, cats and dogs can be transgender and, like us, have different sexual orientations from the way they are born.

Only in 2000 was Thomas, a male cat, reported to show female behavior.

In 2003, a cat named Mew, born as a male, was seen behaving like a female.

The genetic basis of transgender individuals

Genetically, transgender pets are like transgender humans.

While a male is XY and a female is XX variant, what or how is a transgender person arranged with their chromosomes?

But until recently, only the CYP17 gene has been getting the limelight, and it seems to be the reason behind transsexuality in trans men.

Scientists have observed that even those with an XX chromosome disposition can be male.

Similarly, the XY disposition can give birth to a female. We call them alpha males and females.

The SRY gene responsible for sex differentiation is located on the Y chromosome. However, Goodfellow and his group of scientists and researchers observed the same gene in 50 X chromosomes from 50 different individuals.

They also observed that if there is a single amino acid change in the SRY gene from methionine to isoleucine, it will lead to the generation of a female embryo with XY chromosomal orientation.

The research in this regard is still ongoing, and the genetic variation will substantiate the presence of differently oriented individuals. It will help increase the acceptance rate of individuals making different sexual choices than many others. A firm scientific base will also broaden the outlook and improve the chances of diversified living, making the Earth a bit better to live on.

Trans Pets and Surgeries

Gender change surgery for pets is a rare and not widely recognized practice in the veterinary or scientific communities. While there are anecdotal reports of such surgeries, they are not commonly available or recommended. The concept of “trans pets” and sex change treatments for animals is not well-documented in scientific literature or mainstream discourse.

Only a few cases have been documented so far around gender reassignment surgeries in pets.

Few of the listed names are;

• Jack Russell terrier named Molly
• a cat named Piglet
• a German Shepherd named Bishop

These surgeries were primarily performed to address medical conditions, such as bladder stones, and were successful in saving the pets’ lives[1][2][3][5][7][8][9]. The recovery and healthy life of the pet after gender reassignment surgery are crucial, and the pets in these cases made a full recovery.

What is gender reassignment surgery for pets?

Gender change surgery for pets is a rare and not widely recognized practice in the veterinary or scientific communities. While there are anecdotal reports of such surgeries, they are not commonly available or recommended. The concept of “trans pets” and sex change treatments for animals is not well-documented in scientific literature or mainstream discourse.

Sex Change Hormones used in pets

While hormonal treatments for sex change in pets are not widely recognized or practiced in the veterinary field, there are some hormonal treatments used to address medical conditions in pets. For example,

• Diethylstilbestrol (DES) and/or Phenylpropanolamine (PPA) are the prescription drugs for treatment of urethral sphincter mechanism incontinence in female dogs [5].
• Hypoestrogenism in spayed female dogs may also be treated with diethylstilbestrol [5].
• Methyltestosterone and testosterone propionate is used for treating hypoandrogenism in male dogs [5].

It’s essential to note that these veterinarians can prescribe a treatment only after a proper diagnosis and must aim at improving the health and well-being of the animal, not for gender reassignment purposes. The concept of “trans pets” and sex change treatments for animals is not well-documented in scientific literature or mainstream discourse [1][2][3][5].

There are several hormones that are commonly used in the treatment of transgender pets, particularly dogs and cats.

Some hormones commonly used in pets are being described vividly below:

1. Estrogen: Estrogen is used to feminize transgender female pets. Testosterone level reduction in the body is the aim and promoting the growth of female sexual characteristics is the secondary aim. Estrogen formulations are many including injections, pills, and topical creams.

2. Testosterone: Testosterone is used to masculinize transgender male pets. To change a pet into a male, testosterone plays a crucial role. Testosterone formulations include injections, pills, and topical creams.

3. Anti-androgens: Anti-androgens serve to block the impact of testosterone in the body. They are often used in conjunction with estrogen to help feminize transgender female pets. Common anti-androgens in are spironolactone and finasteride, used on pets.

4. Progesterone: Progesterone helps maintain pregnancy in female animals. It works to bring down uterine infection risks and can reduce breast cancer risk in transgender female pets.

5. GnRH agonists: GnRH agonists prevent sex hormone formation in the body of even animals. They function in reducing the levels of testosterone in transgender female pets and also work on the levels of estrogen in transgender male pets.

Since informed consent is not possible in pets, sex change is still a very new practice in transgender pets. Several ongoing researches into the safety and efficacy of different hormone regimens are still being worked out. It’s important that the pet owner and the vet work in close association when determining the best course of treatment for the pet.

Dose for sex change hormone in pets

Several factors are considered when planning for the hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

• pet’s weight,
• age, and
• sex, as well as the
• desired effects of the hormone therapy

The process of determining the appropriate dose of sex hormones for a pet is often iterative and may require monitoring and adjustments over time. Here are some general steps that a veterinarian may follow when determining the dosing for a pet:

Primary examination	Vet will undertake medical history of the pet, including information about the pet’s gender, age, weight, and any pre-existing medical conditions.
Blood testing	current hormone levels including testosterone and estrogen are necessary and are considered for dose determination
Assessment of the desired effects	desired effects of the hormone therapy like the aim of the therapy must be determined. E.g aggression reduction, gender dysphoria or increase fertility levels are certain targeted parameters
Hormone selection	select the appropriate sex hormone to use for HRT. For feminization, estrogen and masculinization, testosterone is chosen
Choose the starting dose	based on the pet’s weight, age, and sex and starting dose is always lower than the maintenance dose
Monitoring, dosing adjustment and titration of doses	changes in behavior, physical examination findings, and blood test results are considered before working around the dose. Dose adjustment done as per the risk, benefit ratio assessment.
Ongoing monitoring	Veterinarian will continue to monitor the pet’s hormone levels and keep up with the dose adjustment to maintain the desired effects.

Careful monitoring and individualized dosing is a must for pets undergoing hormone replacement therapy (HRT). If not done the right way, the pet might lose their lives.

The time duration for sex change in pets can vary depending on the

• individual pet species,
• the type of sex change being performed, and
• the veterinarian’s protocol.

Recovery phase duration for gender reassignment surgery in pets

Sex change surgery in pets just like in humans is a complex and multi-step process that can spread upto several months and even go upto a year or more to complete. A general overview of the sex change timeline in pets is given below:

Stages of sex change process	Determinants of the process	Duration of time for the process
Pre-surgical evaluation	physical examination, blood tests, and other diagnostic tests	Several weeks to months
Hormone therapy	Hormonal therapy type determined and given	several months to a year
Surgery	sex change surgery	several hours to complete
Recovery	pet will need time to recover and heal	several weeks to a few months
Post-surgical care	ongoing care and monitoring	several months to a year or more

It is a complex and controversial topic as informed consent of the pet is not possible in this. The only time a pet owner can give a go ahead is when there are certain complications that can be deleterious for the pet’s life. The ethical considerations surrounding sex change surgery in pets’ highly debatable topics still, and carefully weighing the potential risks and benefits before making a decision is of utmost importance. After all, every life matters equally

Risks of gender reassignment surgery in pets

Gender reassignment surgery in pets, also known as perineal urethrostomy (PU) is done in male cats. It is a surgical procedure that is sometimes done to address certain complex medical conditions.

In male cats, PU surgery involves removing the penis and creating a new opening for urination, which is comparable to human sexual reassignment surgery. The procedure is considered a salvage procedure and is typically performed to relieve urinary obstructions.

Complications can occur from PU surgery and include chronic urinary tract infections or possible urinary leakage/incontinence [1].

In dogs, surgical sterilization like gonadectomy is common and has been associated with the pets behavioral.

The risks and benefits of gonadectomy are not clear and are widely debated still, while the decision to perform the surgery should be made on a case-by-case basis.

Factors like age, breed, sex, intended use, household environment, and the dog’s temperament must be considered [2].

Only in rare cases, intersex pets have been noted, and gender reassignment surgery performed to address medical conditions in these cases are also rare. [4][5][6][8].

How well is the recovery of a pet after treatment?

Gender reassignment surgery for pets is a rare and not widely recognized practice in the veterinary or scientific communities. While there are anecdotal reports of such surgeries, they are not commonly available or recommended. The concept of “trans pets” and sex change treatments for animals is not well-documented in scientific literature or mainstream discourse.

After all, if they don’t suffer from their differently built formations, there is no need to change them in any way.

Only if they show some clinical issues, it would be essential to make them undergo changes like in case of hermaphrodites, they might be having some difficult times. In such cases, alone, it comes under the jurisdiction of the pet owner to save the pets life. If it is not the case, then making the pet undergo such a surgery is still a debatable topic in terms of ethics and wellbeing of an animal.

Read the previous post on transgender pets for more information.

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