Can dogs lose weight rapidly

Why Is My Dog Losing Weight? 10 Common Reasons

Understanding the reasons behind your dog's weight changes is essential for their health and well-being. A slight fluctuation in weight can be typical, but if your dog loses 10% of their normal body weight, it's a cause for concern and considered clinically significant.

This article delves into the various potential causes of such weight loss. From underlying medical conditions to stress or inadequate calorie intake, we'll explore each reason in depth.

Let's dive in to better understand what might be some possible reasons for your dog losing weight.

1. Diet

Food issues such as changes in diet, food aversion, or a change in water taste can lead to weight loss. Poor diet is one of the foremost causes of weight loss in dogs. This can happen if your dog isn't getting enough calories to maintain their body weight or if they don't like the food and simply refuse to eat.

Keeping an eye on their eating and making sure they get the right food can help.

Related reading: Dog Food Ingredients to Look For & Ones to Avoid

2. Stress

If your dog suddenly starts losing weight, they may be eating less because of stress. This can be triggered by sudden changes in the environment or the presence of new pets, for example, and may result indog appetite changes.

To address this, it's beneficial to consult a vet who can craft a personalized treatment plan. Through this approach, pet owners can learn effective techniques to soothe their dogs during anxiety episodes.

3. Dental Disease

Dental issues, particularly in senior dogs, can significantly contribute to weight loss. When a dog suffers from dental disease, the severe mouth pain they experience while chewing can discourage them from eating, leading to weight loss.

Key signs of advanced dental disease include bleeding gums, bad breath, and excessive drooling. If you notice your dog preferring wet food over dry, it might be due to the gentleness of soft food on their tender teeth.

To prevent such issues and ensure your dog's overall health, regular dental check-ups, and proper oral care are paramount.

4. Gastrointestinal Issues

Gastrointestinal problems like constipation, diarrhea, vomiting, and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can interfere with a dog's digestive system and result in weight loss. These issues might make your dog feel too sick to eat normally or interfere with your dog's ability to absorb nutrients from their food.

Maintaining a consistent diet and avoiding sudden changes can help keep their digestive system in check.

5. Parasites

Intestinal parasites may also cause your dog's weight loss. Common intestinal parasites in dogs include tapeworms, giardia, hookworms, and roundworms. These creatures survive by obtaining nutrients from their host, leaving fewer calories for your dog to absorb from their food.

If you notice sudden weight loss, have a vet perform fecal tests to check for parasites and ensure your dog's well-being.

6. Metabolic Disorders

Metabolic disorders resulting from hormonal imbalances, such as diabetes mellitus, Addison's Disease, and Cushing's disease, can also cause dogs to lose weight even if they continue eating normally.

Regular health screenings can aid in the early detection and management of these disorders.

7. Heart Disease

Any disorder of the heart is classified as heart disease, and it occurs in about 60% of seniors and 10% of all dogs. The most common symptom of heart disease in dogs is exercise intolerance, where your dog seems to pant or get out of breath during a gentle stroll. Decreased appetite and weight loss are also symptoms of heart disease.

Regular check-ups, especially for senior dogs, can help in early detection.

8. Kidney Disease

Weight loss may occur in dogs with kidney disease. This happens when the kidneys stop functioning adequately and is associated with aging in dogs. Common signs of kidney disease include excessive drinking and urination.

Your veterinarian may prescribe a specialized diet in cases of kidney failure.

9. Liver Disease

Liver disease is fairly common in dogs and can result in weight loss, coma, seizures, and death if left untreated. As a pet parent, you must watch your dog for poor appetite and arrange diagnostic testing if you suspect liver issues.

Ensuring your dog has a balanced diet and avoiding exposure to harmful substances can help in maintaining liver health.

10. Cancer

Neoplasms, or cancers, are common in older dogs. Cancer symptoms in dogs include decreased appetite, weight loss, respiratory changes, and sometimes a head tilt. Cancer cells grow rapidly, and the increased metabolic demand often results in weight loss.

If you're concerned about your senior dog's well-being, booking a quality-of-life consultation can provide clarity and guidance.

When to Seek Vet Care

It's natural for adult dogs to experience minor weight fluctuations over time. However, if you notice a significant drop in your dog's weight, it's a cause for concern. Especially if your dog's weight loss is paired with:

These symptoms might indicate an underlying medical condition, and it's crucial to see a veterinarian.

Treatments for Dog Weight Loss

If your dog is experiencing weight loss, the first step is often a comprehensive pet wellness check-up. Your veterinarian will perform this physical examination and may recommend some tests to determine the underlying cause and suggest appropriate treatments.

For puppies, any weight loss is a warning sign. If you observe your young pup shedding pounds, it's crucial to act promptly. A timely puppy check-up can be instrumental in safeguarding their health.

Conversely, while it's not unusual for senior dogs to lose a bit of weight as they age, a significant drop is concerning. Whether it's a young pup or an aging companion, prioritizing your pet's health by seeking veterinary advice is crucial.

How to Prevent Rapid Weight Loss in Dogs

To prevent rapid weight loss in dogs, it's essential to provide an appropriate diet and ensure they go through regular veterinary check-ups.

Ensuring your dog receives the right food tailored to their specific needs, age, and breed can make a significant difference in their overall health. Regular veterinary visits allow for consistent monitoring of your dog's health, facilitating early detection of any potential issues.

If you ever observe a sudden, unexplained weight loss in your dog, it's crucial to consult a veterinarian without delay.

Conclusion

Sudden weight loss in dogs can stem from a myriad of reasons, from dental issues and stress to more severe medical conditions like diabetes mellitus, and heart, kidney, or liver diseases. If you notice your dog shedding pounds unexpectedly, it's not just about addressing the calorie deficit; it's about understanding the root cause.

Don't wait for the situation to escalate. Book a wellness exam with a veterinarian to ensure your pet's health and well-being.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the signs of my dog being underweight?

Typical signs that indicate you have an underweight dog include bone protrusion. If your dog's ribs are clearly visible and when you touch them, it feels like there is no layer of fat between them and the skin, then your dog is underweight.

Why is my dog losing weight but still eating?

If your dog is eating well but losing weight, it usually means they're not absorbing the nutrients and calories from their food. This could be because of internal illness or parasites. It's also possible that their diet isn't providing as many calories as their metabolism needs. You can start by increasing their food portion and consult your veterinarian for a pet health check.

What happens if a dog loses weight too fast?

Rapid weight loss in dogs can cause undesirable behaviors like digging into the trash. Additionally, it results in nutritional deficiencies, causing your dog to become weak and have stunted growth.

Sudden weight loss in dogs

Causes

There are many different conditions that can cause weight loss in dogs, some of the most common include:

Diet

If your dog isn't getting enough calories they often will lose weight. If your dog is losing weight, but seems otherwise healthy, have a think about whether they are:

• getting enough food/calories for their size
• eating less than usual
• growing quickly (so needing more calories)
• having their food eaten by another pet
• doing more exercise than usual (so needing more calories)
• pregnant or feeding puppies (so needing more calories).

Gastrointestinal (tummy) problems

Gradual weight loss is a common symptom of many different gut problems, such as chronic diarrhoea, protein losing enteropathy, stomach ulcers and IBD.

Cancer

Many types of cancer cause weight loss or muscle wasting, which can be gradual or very sudden.

Kidney disease

Kidney disease often causes weight loss as well as increased thirst, and other symptoms such as smelly breath, diarrhoea and vomiting.

Dental disease or mouth pain

Dental disease and mouth pain can stop your dog from wanting to eat and cause them to lose weight.

Liver disease

Liver disease often causes weight loss and other symptoms such as increased thirst, vomiting, diarrhoea and jaundice (yellow lips, skin and eyes).

Diabetes

Diabetes is a condition that stops your dog being able to control their blood sugar levels. It causes rapid weight loss, changes in appetite, increased thirst, and is likely to make your dog pee a lot more than usual.

Heart problems

Heart problems can lead to weight loss as well as symptoms such as coughing and low energy.

Addison's disease

Addisons disease is a rare hormonal problem caused by a lack of steroids in the body. It causes symptoms such as weight loss, vomiting, weakness, drinking and peeing more and collapse.

Old age

Most dogs lose a certain amount of weight as they age, especially as their muscles start to shrink. However, if your dog is losing a noticeable amount of weight as they age, it could be caused by something more serious so always have them checked by your vet.

Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency

Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI) is an uncommon condition that causes very dramatic weight loss and diarrhoea. Its most common certain breeds such as German Shepherd dogs.

How to Help Your Dog Lose Weight

This Is a Paid Advertisement for The Farmers Dog

In the U.S., 56% of dogs are overweight or obese, and that excess weight is tied to an astonishing array of health problems. When it comes to preventing dog obesity, or even the slow creep of excess pounds, simple awarenessknowing what your dogs weight should be, and keeping on top of any fluctuationsis the first step. Just a few pounds can make a big difference.

You can seek your vets counsel on your dogs ideal weight, but a quick way to assess good canine condition at home is to ask:

• Does your dog have an hourglass shape when you stand behind them and look at them from above?
• Do they have a waist?
• Can you easily feel their ribs?

If youre answering no for all three, theres a good chance your dog needs to lose weight. Now what? Here are some vet-approved tips for helping your dog safely shed excess pounds and keeping them in good condition.

The Food Factor

For dogs, as for humans, losing weight really comes down to two things: food and exercise. And for a dog owner trying to manage or reduce their dogs weight, food is most important by far.

Weight loss begins and ends at the food bowl for dogs and cats, Ernie Ward, DVM, and founder of the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP), tells us. Weight loss for humans and dogs is 60-70% diet and 30-40% exercise.

For dog owners who have active lifestyles, its easy to overestimate the impact of physical activity on weight maintenance. So even for active dogs, its important to establish clear guidelines for daily caloric intake.

Get Specific With How Much Youre Feeding

Heres where things can go sideways. Humans may or may not choose to count calories as a guide for what theyre eating, with some opting for other methods of keeping to a healthy regime (Do my pants fit? Great!). But when it comes to the long-term management of your dogs weight, its essential to establish a concrete benchmark for how much to feed. This means determining the number of calories your dog needs every day.

Its not a good idea to rely on the feeding guidelines on the average pet food package. There are many factors that will influence your dogs dietary needs, including breed, size, activity level, and whether theyre spayed or neutered. Standard kibble-bag feeding ranges are generally too broad for your dog, and many owners end up over-feeding based on too-generous and too-vague suggested portion sizes, typically measured in cups and scoops.

The feeding guidelines on pet food packages, says Ward, are based on active adult dogs for all life stages. Spaying or neutering, for example, reduces energy requirement by 20 to 30%, he says. So, if your pet is spayed or neutered, and not particularly active, you can already be overfeeding by 20 or 30% or more.

When it comes to determining the ideal caloric intake, its important to consider a number of factors. We take a couple of things into considerationwe look at body condition score, we look at muscle condition score, we look at lifestyle, and any concurrent medical conditions, Dr. Ward says. We start by determining, OK, how many calories should you be feeding?

As a starting place, there are also many tools online to provide rough feeding guidelines based on weight and breed. You might start by consulting the guide published by the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention.

For at-home calculating, you can use the Resting Energy Requirement (RER) formula. Take your dogs weight in kilograms, multiply by 30, and add 70 (or, take their weight in pounds, divide by 2.2, multiply this figure by 30, and add 70). You can then factor in a metabolic energy requirement (MER), depending on things like health and whether theyre spayed or neutered.

Typical MER factors include:

• Weight loss1.0 x RER
• Neutered/ Spayed Adult1.6 x RER
• Intact Adult1.8. x RER

Ask your veterinarian about the MER and calculating and determining how your dog can lose weight safely. Tools like the MER multiplier table on the web provide estimates, but every dogs metabolism is different, so be sure to keep monitoring your pets weight.

You can also sign up for a fresh-food plan (like the ones offered to customers of The Farmers Dog). A plan like this makes it easy to determine the correct total caloric intake and food portions based on your dogs very specific requirements, and also makes it easy to adjust daily calories based on changing weight-management needs.

Food Quality Is Also Key

In addition to calorie counting, another important part of weight maintenance or weight loss is feeding lower-carb, whole, fresh food.

Many ultra-processed dog foods are full of carb-based fillersas Dr. Ward has noted, when you actually break down the ingredients on the label, many of them top out at over 60% or more carbohydrates. Fresh diets provide quality protein, but also the fiber and moisture that can keep your dog satisfied, without carb-y fillers.

Feeding nutrient-dense, bioavailable food will keep your dog healthy as they reduce their overall intake of food.

Treats Count, So Count Them

Another way to help your dog drop some extra weight is by controlling, and possibly reducing, their treat intake. Here, again, quality and quantity matter.

Nobody wants to deny their dog treats, as they are often helpful training aids, and its fun to see the excitement they generate. But its important to keep a close eye on how many treats your dog actually eats in a day and what their caloric impact is. Treats should be factored into, and comprise no more than, 10% of total daily calories.

Dog owners who feed their dogs healthy food, yet still feed them highly processed, high-carb, high-calorie treats, are potentially missing a big source of weight gain and health issues. And if you feed your dog too many treats (more than 10% of their daily intake of food), you can undo the benefits of the balanced diet youre feeding.

Many vets recommend using single-ingredient treats like fresh veggies and fruit. Baby carrots, celery, broccoli, green beans, cucumbers, blueberries, apples, and bananas all make healthy treats and, unlike mystery-meat treats, can contribute to your dogs health (use apple and banana in smaller amounts due to higher sugar content).

As for peanut butter, make sure its truly a special (rare) treat, and doled out in limited amounts; this dogand humanfavorite has a hefty 100 calories per tablespoon. Also, ensure that the peanut butter youre using doesnt contain Xylitol, which is toxic to dogs. For a lighter, and perhaps better, substitute, try plain canned pumpkin, which weighs in at just five calories per tablespoon.

Its also worth stepping back and considering why youre giving your dog treats. Our bond with our dogs is so special, and every dog owner wants to see the happy excitement a treat brings. But you can get that joyful response with healthy treats, or with smaller portions. I typically tell owners that dogs get the same enjoyment, and you can get the same reaction, from a small piece of a treat as you can from the whole thing or a handful, says Alex Schechter, DVM. There are many ways to show love and bond with your pet. It doesnt have to be all about food.

Safely Increase Exercise

Food is key, but no weight loss plan, or health maintenance plan, is complete without exercise. The most obvious, and important, activity for your dog is walking. Regular walks dont just exercise your dogs body; they provide crucial mental stimulation and that all-important opportunity to sniff. The amount of walking your dog needs, or wants, depends on their breed and general health. But while conventional wisdom says that some dogs need less exercise than others, all dogs need to move.

While the recommended minimum of daily exercise is 20 minutes, twice a day, many dogs will need much more. For many breeds, an hour of exercise a day is a good target. If your dog needs to lose weight, try to increase the amount of exercise they currently do. So, if thats none, or barely any, start with short intervals of walking. If youre already exercising, try lengthening your walk or other activity by 10-20%.

Ask your vet about the best types of activities based on your pets breed, age, gender, and current physical condition. Introduce new activities slowly to avoid injury. And, unless your dog has been trained for or slowly introduced to these kinds of activities, leave the extreme sports to your own weekend hourstoo-vigorous, or repetitive activity can put your dog at risk of joint problems. Also, keep weather conditionslike high sunin mind if your activities are outdoors. The sun creates the potential for heat stroke and burnt paw pads.

Rule Out a Medical Condition

If youve established and are staying within caloric boundaries and youre still not having any luck helping your dog lose weight, a visit to the vet could be in order to rule out a medical condition. Weight gain and lethargy can be symptoms of conditions like hypothyroidism and Cushings syndrome. The latter, also known as hyperadrenocorticism, usually occurs in older dogs, and can also cause frequent urination, hair loss, and weakness.

Weight Loss (and Maintenance) Is a Long Game

If you determine that youre overfeeding, work with your veterinarian to create a weight-loss schedule based on the appropriate calories so that your dog doesnt lose weight too fast, which is unhealthy.

Overall, the best weight management strategy is to develop good habits that are applied, consistently, long-term.

People (humans) want to rush weight loss, says Dr. Ward. Thirty days to bikini season! But this is a long process. Its years of making small decisions that help. When youre deciding on sharing your pizza crust with your Pomeranian, if you do it once, OK. But if you do it once a week for five years, thats a problem.

This article was vetted by a vet. Reviewed by Alex Schechter, DVM, founding veterinarian atBurrwood Veterinary.He was previously founding veterinarian atPure Paws Veterinary Care.