5 Reasons Why Your Senior Dog is Always Hungry
Any senior dog parent can tell you that when your dog hits their senior years, things can start to go a little bit…pear-shaped.
Just like humans, as our dog’s age, their bodies tend to do peculiar things – not always – but sometimes.
One complaint that I hear often from senior dog parents is that their senior dog is ALWAYS hungry.
My first response is to ask whether they have booked in to see their vet.
Let me break briefly to mention that if ANYTHING seems off with your senior dog, you need to head to your vet. Just like new puppies, senior dogs can be fragile and things can digress exponentially in just a few hours. So, before you ask a stranger on the internet, CALL YOUR VET!
That said…let’s talk about five of the most common reasons why senior dogs experience an increase in appetite…
Increased appetite is just one symptom that is sometimes seen in senior dogs with canine cognitive dysfunction. Similar to dementia in humans, dogs with canine cognitive dysfunction can experience any number of changes due to cognitive decline. Although increased appetite is usually not the first symptom you will notice.
Other Symptoms
Owners of dogs with canine cognitive dysfunction may also notice their dogs exhibiting an increase in anxiety, housebreaking accidents, pacing, changed sleep habits, and confusion.
Assessment By Your Vet
A visit to the vet will allow your vet to assess your dog’s symptoms and take a look at them for any alternate causes. With other causes ruled out, most veterinarians will prescribe Anipryl to help ease symptoms of CCD.
Prognosis
CCD can be managed with medication, however, like dementia in humans, it does not “go away”. Most dogs with CCD will eventually show an increase in symptoms and decline in quality of life but with proper management, this can be slowed.
Common causes for a pet’s change in appetite
You’ll need to rule out obvious reasons for your pet’s sudden change in appetite. Some common causes of not eating are:
Intestinal blockage or foreign body ingestion
While an obstruction or blockage in the intestinal tract occurs more commonly in dogs (who are more likely than cats to eat something weird), senior pets with poor eyesight and dulled taste buds may eat a foreign object by accident. Symptoms indicating an obstruction include:
An immediate veterinary examination may be warranted. Obstructions can be life-threatening if appropriate intervention isn’t taken quickly. Also, make sure you haven’t left any foods out that are toxic to pets.
Endocrine disorders like Cushing’s disease affect glands and hormones. Symptoms include:
Hyperthyroidism is common in Cats, especially between the ages of 4 and 10. Feline hyperthyroidism is found mostly in older cats, with an average age of onset of around 12 years old. It can cause:
Overeating can be a sign that your dog is expending extra energy at the dog run or that their food is not nutritionally balanced, or it could simply be part of the normal aging process.6 A visit to the vet is the quickest and easiest way to get to the bottom of it. No matter the cause, do your best to help your dog avoid excessive weight gain, as obesity can cause or exacerbate many medical conditions and also put a strain on aging bones and muscles.
In dogs, “scoffing”leads to taking in way too much delicious food.7 Inhaling dinner in seconds and then retching or gagging directly afterward is your cue that scoffing is happening. One dog may be competing with another dog in the house to consume all available food. It’s also possible that your dog learned this behavior as a stray, he’s not being sufficiently fed or given enough high-quality food, or he has intestinal parasites.8
In Pets, excessive begging for food can lead to human companions giving in and offering a few extra treats or an extra spoonful of tuna. But pet parents should resist the urge to indulge these adorable demands. Instead, call your vet if there’s no clear reason for aggressive begging (e.g., you haven’t brought home another animal that’s eating the bulk of available food).
Senior Dogs Habitual Behavior Problems
Your dog scarfs down dinner and then begs for treats. You put as much food in the bowl as is recommended, but it isn’t enough. What’s going on?
While some dogs seem almost genetically predispositioned to approach every meal ravenously hungry and as though it might be their last, most of the time this is a learned behavior. Rescues may have been food deprived before being fostered or adopted, and may feel a lifelong need to beg for food and gobble it down as quickly as possible before it disappears. The most pampered, well-fed dogs may have learned that begging will result in treats, after all who doesn’t enjoy watching their pet happily wag their tail when enjoying a treat! Or perhaps you are unintentionally overfeeding at meal times. It makes your dog happy, so it must be good, right?
Not necessarily. While we all take pleasure in watching our pets enjoy food and treats, overfeeding can literally be like loving them to death. Too many treats or too much food at meal time can lead to obesity and a host of other health problems. Feeding your dog the right amount of quality food along with health treats and snacks helps your dog keep weight down and stay healthy.
While many dogs are simply food motivated, an increased appetite can also be a sign of several health issues. Some of the health issues that may lead to insatiable appetite, or polyphagia, include:
Check with your vet if you dog shows noticeable changes in appetite. You’ll want to rule out or address any health issues.
Whether your dog’s problem is learned or related to physical issues, uncontrolled eating is not the answer. Here are four tips for dealing with your dog’s insatiable appetite:
Cutting back on treats for a hungry dog sounds counterintuitive, but if your dog has learned to expect frequent treats, she needs to unlearn that behavior. If you use treats as rewards, try substituting play, snuggles, or other positive attention lavished on your dog as you decrease the treats offered.
If you still want to offer treats, make sure they are made with fresh whole ingredients and are very low in fat and calories. Yes, calories count in the dog’s diet just like they do in yours.