While many pet owners are often concerned about their dogs gaining weight, it's equally important to recognize and address the issue of weight loss, especially in senior dogs. This article provides a comprehensive overview of canine weight loss, focusing on the causes, associated symptoms, when to be concerned, and what steps can be taken to help your dog maintain a healthy weight.
Weight Changes in Senior Dogs
It's a common misconception that dogs naturally gain weight as they age. While some dogs may become "chunkier" in their senior years (generally considered 6-8 years for larger breeds and 8-10 years for smaller breeds), others may experience weight loss. Weight gain in older dogs can sometimes be attributed to underlying health issues or simply consuming more calories than they expend. However, if your dog is eating as much as they always have but still losing weight, it's essential to investigate the potential causes.
Identifying an Underweight Dog
Typical signs that indicate you have an underweight dog include bone protrusion. Regularly checking your dog’s weight by using an accurate digital scale is the best way to monitor for weight loss or gain. However, evaluating a dog’s body condition score can also help you determine if your dog is too skinny.
Potential Causes of Weight Loss in Senior Dogs
There are numerous reasons why a dog might lose weight, ranging from dietary issues and environmental factors to underlying health conditions. The following are some of the most common causes of weight loss in senior dogs:
- Underlying Health Conditions: Weight loss can be a symptom of a more significant underlying health issue. When weight loss happens in older dogs, an underlying health condition is likely causing it. These issues include liver/gallbladder disease, heart disease, dehydration, diabetes, dental issues, cancer, kidney disease, and arthritis.
- Dental Issues: Dental problems, particularly in senior dogs, can significantly contribute to weight loss. Key signs of advanced dental disease include bleeding gums, bad breath, and excessive drooling. Difficulty eating or chewing due to dental pain can lead to decreased food intake and subsequent weight loss.
- Dietary Factors: A poor diet is one of the foremost causes of weight loss in dogs. A change in diet may be to blame, or perhaps a large bag of food has started to go bad before your dog has finished it. Changes in diet - Either the kind or type of food he or she is eating or the ingredients (for example, sometimes manufacturers change the ingredients in their food and the number of calories per serving). If your dog is eating well but losing weight, it usually means they’re not absorbing the nutrients and calories from their food. It’s also possible that their diet isn’t providing as many calories as their metabolism needs.
- Stress: If your dog suddenly starts losing weight, they may be eating less because of stress.
- Gastrointestinal (GI) Disorders: Problems that affect the functioning of the digestive tract can reduce a dog’s appetite or their ability to digest and absorb nutrients. Gastrointestinal problems like constipation, diarrhea, vomiting, and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can interfere with a dog’s digestive system and result in weight loss. Maldigestion disorders such as exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, which disrupt the body's ability to break food down into nutrients. Malabsorption disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease.
- Infections: Bacterial, viral, or fungal infections can directly affect the GI tract and lead to weight loss. Intestinal parasites may also cause your dog’s weight loss. Common intestinal parasites in dogs include tapeworms, giardia, hookworms, and roundworms.
- Kidney and Liver Disease: When the kidneys or liver don’t function properly, waste products of metabolism build up in the bloodstream, which can make a dog nauseated and not feel like eating. Liver disease is fairly common in dogs and can result in weight loss, coma, seizures, and death if left untreated. Weight loss may occur in dogs with kidney disease. This happens when the kidneys stop functioning adequately and is associated with aging in dogs.
- Heart Disease: Weight loss is common as heart disease progresses. 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.
- Cancer: Cancer cells use energy to grow and divide, and this means that the energy is not available to the dog, so they often lose weight. Neoplasms, or cancers, are common in older dogs. Cancer symptoms in dogs include decreased appetite, weight loss, respiratory changes, and sometimes a head tilt.
- Environmental Factors: Dogs require extra energy to stay warm when they spend lots of time in the cold.
- Reproduction: Pregnancy and lactation (nursing puppies) put extra nutritional demands on dogs.
Recognizing Symptoms Associated with Weight Loss
Most underlying causes of weight loss will likely present with other symptoms as well. Being observant of your dog's overall health and behavior is crucial for early detection. Here's a breakdown of symptoms that may accompany specific conditions:
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- Liver/Gallbladder Disease: Lethargy, increased thirst, vomiting/diarrhea, fever, pain, pale or yellow gums, yellowing of skin/eyes.
- Dehydration: Dry gums, lethargy, sunken eyes, loss of skin elasticity, less urination, dark urine.
- Dental Issues: Excessive drooling, difficulty eating/chewing, bad breath, swollen or bleeding gums.
- Kidney Disease: Increased thirst, excessive urination (may contain blood), vomiting, loss of appetite, pale gums, lethargy.
- Heart Disease: A chronic cough, tires easily, exercise intolerance, excessive panting, irregular heartbeat, restlessness.
- Diabetes: Excessive thirst, excessive urination, increased appetite, lethargy, repeated urinary tract infections.
- Cancer: Lethargy, unusual bleeding, lumps, bumps, or swelling, distended abdomen, limping or lameness, unusual urination - frequency or amount.
- Arthritis: Wobbling, lameness, scuffing the toes, incontinence.
When to Be Concerned About Your Dog's Weight Loss
A little bit of weight loss isn’t always an emergency. As long as your dog doesn’t have any other signs of illness, you could try to change their diet or environment to see if it solves the problem. Puppies shouldn’t lose weight! Weight loss in a dog that’s older or has an underlying health problem is always concerning. Weight loss combined with symptoms of illness is never normal.
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. If your dog is experiencing weight loss, the first step is often a comprehensive pet wellness check-up. For puppies, any weight loss is a warning sign. If you observe your young pup shedding pounds, it’s crucial to act promptly. Conversely, while it’s not unusual for senior dogs to lose a bit of weight as they age, a significant drop is concerning.
While we recommend not assuming the worst if your old dog is losing weight and muscle mass, most vets will tell you that if your dog has lost 10% or more of his or her normal weight, you should bring them for an exam so your vet can find out what's causing your pooch to drop pounds. If your dog has lost this much weight within the past few months (or within a year), or if your dog is rapidly losing weight, it's important to book a complete physical checkup for your pooch as soon as possible. If your senior dog is losing weight rapidly, schedule an examination for your pooch as soon as possible.
Make an appointment with your veterinarian if your dog has difficulty breathing, vomiting, diarrhea, coughing, sneezing, weakness, lethargy, increased thirst and urination, or any other worrisome symptoms. Rapid or pronounced weight loss should always get your attention. Any health problem can lead to serious weight loss. Make an appointment with your veterinarian if your dog has lost more than 10% of their normal body weight or is losing 2% or more of their body weight per week.
Your vet should know about and monitor for:
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- Changes in behavior or character
- Signs of stress or excessive whining, pacing, or panting
- Constipation or a distended belly
- Lethargy, confusion, or depression
- Complete loss of appetite
- Dry heaving, vomiting, or diarrhea
What to Do If Your Dog Is Losing Weight
If you observe your dog experiencing weight loss, it's essential to take prompt action. Here's a step-by-step approach:
Consult Your Veterinarian: The first step is often a comprehensive pet wellness check-up. Schedule an examination for your pup as soon as possible. A veterinarian will start by asking you a lot of questions about your dog’s diet, appetite, environment, behavior, medical history, and any current medications (including parasite preventives) or supplements that you are giving. Next, they will perform a complete physical examination and use the information they uncover to recommend treatment or further diagnostic testing. A basic laboratory workup includes a fecal examination, bloodwork, and a urinalysis.
Provide Details to Your Veterinarian: The best thing you can do for your senior dog is to watch for concerning signs of weight loss or health issues and provide your veterinarian with details. The more details your vet has, the easier it will be for them to detect any health conditions or illnesses early provide an accurate diagnosis, so you can help your older dog maintain the best quality of life possible in their golden years. Your understanding of your dog's current health status and new or ongoing medical conditions, along with any changes in health or behavior you may have noticed, will help inform your vet about potential causes for your pet's weight loss or other symptoms. Regularly visiting your veterinarian for routine exams will help establish benchmarks for their normal health and behavior, which can be helpful when they aren't feeling well or the status of their health changes as they age. Your vet can advise you about how often they recommend coming in for a checkup and may recommend increasing the frequency of visits as your dog ages.
Address Underlying Conditions: Whenever possible, veterinarians will recommend treatment for a dog’s weight loss that aims to cure or at least improve its underlying cause. For example, they will prescribe a dewormer if a dog has intestinal parasites, dental care for damaged teeth, or antibiotics for a bacterial infection.
Dietary Adjustments: Oftentimes, a change in diet can also help dogs regain the weight they’ve lost. The right food and other treatments will depend on the specifics of your dog’s case. What to Feed an Old Dog That is Losing Weight. Keep in mind that older dogs, particularly very old dogs, require a diet dense with calories so they won't need to consume as much to reach their caloric requirements. Consult with your veterinarian about your dog's current diet and the amount of protein, fat, and fiber they are getting. Animals with normally functioning kidneys will need high-quality, easily digestible protein sources. While a dog's diet should contain moderate fat content in their earlier senior years, as the dog ages into their geriatric years, adding high-quality fats to the mix can improve protein efficiency and increase the calorie content. Plus, picky eaters may be more inclined to eat. Fiber can be used to alleviate constipation issues for aging dogs and help them feel satisfied and "full" while they consume fewer calories. That said, truly geriatric dogs will often need lower amounts of fiber, more easily digestible food and higher density in calories. Look for premium dog food and ask your vet how much exercise is appropriate for your dog's specific needs. Your vet will be able to recommend a suitable food for your senior dog and calculate your dog's approximate calorie expenditure. From there, measure out the precise amount of food your dog needs each day and get your dog back up to a healthy weight. If your vet can’t find any underlying cause for the weight loss, it might be time to change your dog's diet.
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Monitor Weight Regularly: Regularly checking your dog’s weight by using an accurate digital scale is the best way to monitor for weight loss or gain. Weigh your dog at least every two weeks.
Additional Tips to Help Your Senior Dog Gain Weight
Along with having any underlying health issues diagnosed and potentially implementing a new diet plan for your dog, there are some other actions you can take that may help your dog gain weight.
Change Your Dog's Feeding Schedule: People who eat within a few hours before heading to bed are more likely to gain weight, for example. This is because eating right before bed encourages your body to store nutrients as fat. Working with this knowledge, you can help your dog gain weight. When you and your vet discuss your dog's diet, you might consider asking whether you should give your dog a smaller portion of food in the morning and a more significant amount in the evening before bedtime. This will help his body store fat when sleeping versus burning it off. Another tactic is to feed your dog smaller meals more frequently to help him digest nutrients throughout the day. Try to wait at least 30 minutes after a meal before exercising your dog, so he won't burn off the calories right away.
Give Your Dog More Exercise: While most people associate exercise with weight loss, remember that the goal is to help your dog add muscle mass to his body. Regularly exercising your dog is the best way to help him maintain a healthy weight. Coupled with a diet high in protein and fat, this should help him gain muscle and weight.
Addressing Obesity in Dogs
Obesity is a common condition in dogs that poses several challenges to their health. Making a commitment to help your dog lose weight can significantly improve their health, longevity and quality of life.
What causes obesity in dogs?
The most common causes of obesity in an otherwise healthy dog are feeding patterns such as offering high-fat and low-fiber diets, free-choice feeding instead of portioned feedings, excessive treats or table scraps, and sedentary lifestyles. However, many factors can contribute to obesity, and medical conditions such as hypothyroidism, Cushing’s Disease, genetics, or certain medications can also play a role.
What are the risks of obesity in dogs?
Obesity affects nearly every major organ and body system and often leads to shorter lifespans. The most common risk of obesity in dogs is worsening arthritis because the extra weight increases the stress on dogs’ bones, joints, and muscles. However, obesity can contribute to the development of arthritis because when there is an excessive amount of fat cells present in the body, they release pro-inflammatory mediators, which can contribute to the development of arthritis by perpetuating the inflammation process over time. Obesity also puts dogs at a higher risk of complications should they need to go under anesthesia because of the added weight on their lungs and respiratory system.
How do I know how much weight my dog should lose?
Start by determining your dog’s ideal body weight. Your veterinarian can help to evaluate your dog and rank them with a body condition score (BCS) of 1-9, with 4 or 5 being ideal. An ideal weight allows the ribs to be felt but not seen, and your dog should have a tucked abdomen when viewed from the side and a tucked waist when viewed from above. Each number on the body condition score deviating from the ideal is approximately 10% of the dog's current weight. For example, if your dog has a BCS of 7 and weighs 75 lb., that means it is approximately 20% overweight. The suggested weight loss is 15 lb., with a target weight of 60 lb. After determining your dog’s target weight, you can work with your veterinarian on a weight-loss program to achieve this goal. This weight loss amount and target goal may adjust over time with recheck visits to your veterinarian.
What type of food should I feed my dog for weight loss?
Many dogs do better with a diet specifically formulated for weight loss because these foods have lower calories per cup, higher fiber, and lower fat. When a dog is on a weight loss plan, having higher fiber and lower calories per cup helps them consume a greater volume, feel satisfied, and not exceed their daily caloric limits. A diet intended for weight loss should have around 300 calories per cup. Consult with your veterinarian before switching to a weight-loss diet. If you only use their regular diet (also known as a “maintenance” diet) and restrict their feeding amount, they can potentially develop nutritional deficiencies, so check with your veterinarian about this approach.
How much should I feed my dog?
Your veterinarian can help calculate how many calories your dog needs daily based on age, whether they are spayed or neutered, lifestyle, and body condition score. Once you determine the amount your dog should eat per feeding, correctly measuring its food is crucial. “Heaping” portions can easily add extra calories per serving and sabotage your diet plan.
Can my dog eat any treats when they are on a diet?
Table scraps, excessive treats or treats high in calories often sabotage diets. Treats can be excellent for training, positive reinforcement, or enrichment, but they don’t need to be high in calories to fulfill this need. Treats should only compose approximately 10% of their daily caloric intake. Try saving portions of their allocated daily diet to use as treats, offering the wet-food version of their diet in small portions, or using vegetables like peas as treats. If commercial treats are preferred, opt for soft ones that can be easily broken into small pieces. Most dogs appreciate frequency rather than quantity, even if they are small treat portions.
Can I use exercise to get my dog to lose weight without a diet change?
Physical activity will help with a weight loss plan, but it will only make enough difference when included with dietary changes. Low-impact exercises like walking or swimming will help your dog lose weight while maintaining muscle mass and joint mobility. Remember, just like people, if your dog hasn’t been physically active for some time, they must slowly acclimate to conditioning their body to avoid injuries.
How do I know if my dog is losing a safe amount of weight on their diet?
While on a weight loss plan, dogs can expect to safely lose 1-2% of their weight weekly. For example, a 50-pound dog could safely lose ½-1 lbs. in a week. Any faster might indicate their calories have been restricted too severely or indicate a health concern, and any slower is feedback that the diet needs to be adjusted.