My dog gained weight, chest grew, and makes noise when carried. Is this normal?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be a benign or malignant growth. There is no way of knowing what it is just based on its appearance. This is often differentiated by a test called a fine needle aspirate (FNA) which is a pain free, inexpensive and easy procedure which in most cases will help reach a diagnosis. Sometimes a biopsy is needed for a definitive diagnosis. I recommend that you have her evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. I am really hoping for something benign. Good luck and have a good night!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is not possible to know if something may actually be wrong with Kona without being able to evaluate her. This could be abnormal but keep in mind that this may also be normal. If you are concerned that she is not doing well, I would recommend you have her evaluated by a veterinarian for further evaluation with at least an exam. Good luck!

You won't be able to tell heart enlargement without an x-ray or ultrasound. The chest wall is a rigid cage that contains its organs and all swelling, unlike the abdomen which will swell with organ enlargement or fluid retention. It may be that you aren't use to Skippy's anatomy without the extra body fat, or there could be a medical reason. The best thing to do would be to have him examined by a vet who can figure out what is going on.

As dogs age they will have more growths. They can be from lipomas (fat), cysts, skin tapes or something more like cancer. If you are concerned about the growth and it is growing on Jasmine I would recommend having your veterinarian perform an aspirate on the growth. That way you can determine if it is something to be concerned about or not. If the growths get larger or change I always recommend removing them. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Fat can accumulate in other areas than just under the skin. It can also accumulate in the abdomen and chest. What you are pinching in the picture is just skin, not the fat underneath the skin. To assess fat, you need to feel the ribs. If you have to push and cannot readily feel the ribs then Krispy is overweight. You should also see an hourglass shape in the abdomen when looking at him from the side and the top. It looks like Krispy doesn't have an hourglass shape, therefore he is overweight. The assessment of weight isn't just based upon numbers on a scale, but 64 pounds seems excessive for a dog that size. I hope this helps! Kisses to Krispy!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is hard to know for sure based on these pictures though this is likely a normal pigmentation change. If it is not associated with itchiness or discomfort, there is no need to be concerned about this. If you ever notice any discomfort or itchiness, have her evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck and have a great day!

Opie looks pretty normal in the pictures. It may be that he's just getting a bit overweight. If he's breathing normally, not panting while resting and calm, has good energy and appetite, then it's probably ok to watch it and just keep an eye on his weight. If he's doing anything funny, or you just have a bad feeling about it, it's worthwhile to have a quick exam to make sure it's normal. Good luck!