My dog is suddenly eating everything, gaining weight, and peeing. Why?

That could be actually not a behavioural problem but due to a metabolic/endocrine disease especially if the weight is constant or decreased. I would recommend a check up at your local vets to determine and eventually rule out any possible disease.

I am so sorry to hear about your dog! With a sudden change in behavior like this I would recommend having her examined by a vet to ensure there isn't a medical cause. Occasionally we can have diseases that cause a change in appetite/behavior such as this, so it is best to have her examined to ensure there isn't a medical treatment to resolve the issue!

I am so sorry to hear of these concerns for Nypsy. Changes in behavior such as increased anxiety and inappropriate eating can be an indication of a neurological issue. This could be a condition known as canine cognitive dysfunction (doggy dementia), lesions in the brain can also affect behavior and are more commonly suspected if there is increased aggression or the onset of seizures. The change in appetite could be due to a metabolic issue such as kidney disease, which can cause a pet to feel nauseous. These types of conditions would require bloodwork with your veterinarian to diagnose. Dental disease is also very common in older, small breed dogs. It can contribute to changes in food intake due to oral pain. I would recommend tempting Nypsy with some tasty treats such as boiled chicken or a little canned dog food. Also do not offer her any more sweet tea-sugar is not good for our pets and if Nypsy is suffering from some sort of metabolic issue it could make things worse. When you are able I would recommend taking Nypsy to your regular Vet for a thorough physical exam and possibly some bloodwork to rule out anything significant.

I would recommend taking your dog to the vet for an exam, as there are definitely some medical conditions that can cause a dramatic increase in appetite like this. Some possibilities would include Cushing's disease, diabetes, a thyroid tumor, or a problem with absorbing nutrients from the GI tract. Your veterinarian can do blood work or other testing if needed to help determine what may be causing this.

Thank you for submitting your question Sophie. I recommend that she sees her veterinarian for blood and urine testing. The signs you have described are most common with diabetes. They can also be seen with kidney disease, liver problems or an adrenal gland disorder. I hope this information helps!

Nala is likely not eating anything because she may be sick. You can try to warm up her food and offer her the food that way. However, since she is not spayed there is always a chance she has a uterine infection, sometimes there is a visible discharge from her vulva. Drinking a lot would also be a sign of an infection. Not eating is a very general sign of illness, so she could be suffering from a wide variety of conditions and you should make an appointment with your vet for an exam. Your vet may want to do blood work and, if he suspects a problem in his abdomen, also x-rays.

There are some disease processes in dogs that can cause an increased appetite. Most notably is an endocrine disorder called Cushing's Disease and the appetite is the result of excessive steroid production in the body. A pet taking steroid medication could also have increased appetite. There are other possible diagnoses as well so if the change is significant a good place to start would be an exam and bloodwork with your family vet. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!