The media are filled with reports on the growing problem of obesity in dogs. So if your dog is losing weight, you should be happy, right? If you cut your food intake and increase your exercise, then you can certainly expect that weigh less. However, if there have been changes in your diet and lifestyle, sudden weight loss may be a concern.
There are three main reasons for weight loss in dogs, and we will examine in turn.
1. Your dog may have difficulty absorbing food, so it is not really doing enough nutrients to maintain fitness. This may be due to a deficiency of digestive enzymes, so that food can not be broken down enough for your intestines absorb. Furthermore, the problem may be with your gut wall, and nutrients can not really be able to pass into the bloodstream.
2. If nutrients in your dog's diet is normally absorbed, there may be something wrong with the way your body uses these nutrients. A good example is diabetes - diabetic dog does not produce enough of the hormone insulin, so as not properly metabolize glucose. One of the symptoms of diabetes in dogs is weight loss.
. 3. Finally, your dog may wear faster than you can take in nutrients This is sometimes normal, for example, a dog to feed their babies - milk production is energy intensive and nutrients. However, it can also occur under conditions such as cancer, tumor growth may increase the metabolic rate of the body.
What if you are concerned about the loss of weight of your dog? Here are some guidelines, but note that if you have any doubts about the health of your dog, make an appointment with your veterinarian immediately.
If your dog is bright and alert, and also seems perfectly healthy, you may want to play the waiting game for a while. Feed him a little closer to the lunch hour, or change their croquettes with a higher fat content. Be sure to treat against intestinal worms, if they contribute to the problem. If your body condition has not improved or are still losing weight, it's time to investigate.
Look for other symptoms that can give you a clue about what is happening in the body of your dog. For example, if you are diabetic, you drink lots of water and urinate frequently. One problem with food intake often lead to diarrhea. As mentioned in "Why my dog has diarrhea - Dog Diarrhea Causes and Treatment" there are other reasons that your dog can develop diarrhea. If your dog is showing abnormal behavior in association with weight loss, it should be seen by a veterinarian.
You can expect your vet will want to do blood tests and examine after your dog. They may recommend X-rays or an ultrasound to detect tumors inside. Treatment depends on the diagnosis, but may include regular insulin injections to control diabetes or adding digestive enzymes to your dog's food. Heavy drinking can mean that your dog has diabetes. My next article in this series, "Why is my dog drinking Alot? Excessive alcohol consumption in dogs, "explains the reasons for the excessive drinking and urination in dogs.
Our dogs are like family to us and so natural that it is very annoying when they get sick. Would not it be great if you know how to give your dog a checkup, so it could detect a problem early? Before becoming really serious or even fatal?