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Dog not eating, sudden weight gain, and very thirsty. Is it serious?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | German Shepherd | Female | unspayed | 7 months and 4 days old | 58 lbs

Yesterday my 7m old GSD suddenly lost interest in her food, though she still wanted cat food, and seemed to be much thirstier than normal. She also appears to have suddenly gained a lot of weight suddenly. Today she still doesn't want to eat but will drink as much water as she can. She's playing normally, occasionally panting or breathing heavily, with bursts of hyperactivity. Is her loss of appetite and sudden apparent weight gain a cause for concern?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Daniel Fonza, DVM

Answered By Daniel Fonza, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on March 1st, 2018

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Based on your description, I would recommend having Saoirse examined by a veterinarian. I would have x-rays taken of her abdomen and chest to start. With the sudden weight gain, I am concerned that maybe what you are seeing is something going in inside the abdomen such as a hemorrhage or bloat. It would be best to have her seen by a vet sooner rather than later in case this becomes more serious. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.
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