If you are worried about your pet, understanding the causes of dog weight loss is crucial. While some fluctuations are normal, significant drops can be alarming. In this post, we discuss common dog weight loss symptoms and when to see a vet for weight loss.
Food Problem
If you have recently changed the dog’s diet or reformulated its food, this might be the cause for your dog not eating the food. Some dogs do not attune to the changes in their diets. Even if the manufacturer has tweaked a few ingredients in the recipe, they will get to know that and will not accept the food.
Dogs may also avoid food when they are stressed. For example, if you have an aggressive dog that eats with a submissive dog, the latter may become anxious and fearful. There can also be other reasons, like if you have changed your house location recently, or the taste of the tap water might be different from the previous place. These are not serious issues, but you can consider taking the dog to a veterinary for a precautionary check-up.
Pain-Issue
Physical pain can also make your dog avert food. For instance, a broken or abscessed tooth can make chewing challenging for your dog. They might also stop eating when they have got sores inside their mouth or lesions on their tongue. It will hurt them when they chew something, so they avoid eating anything. An ingredient in dog food may cause painful digestive issues like cramps, bloating, or gas.
These issues make your dog uncomfortable after their meal and result in losing its appetite. Your dog might have a blockage in its digestive system that does not let the food pass through. The dog will show the following symptoms if it has a serious and painful blockage:
- Yelping when the abdominal area is touched
- Panting or drooling
- Abdominal pain
- Vomiting
- Lethargy and anxiety
Disease
There is some disease that can lead to the weight loss of your dog. Diabetes, heart disease, Dehydration, kidney and liver disease, arthritis, and cancer can also be the reason for the weight loss of your dog. Sometimes heavy parasites can also reduce the appetite of your dog.
Why should you consult a veterinarian?
Consulting a veterinarian is always a better option. They will diagnose the disease and will help you to cure it. Any negligence from your side could lead to a severe problem, so it is better to treat them in the initial stage. They will also give you a diet plan for your dog after assessing its health and inform you about the preventive measures.
End Takeaway
If you are fostering a dog, you must take appropriate care of it. Hence, you should never neglect any symptoms of weight loss shown by your dog and take them to the vet.