My senior dog follows and begs for food. Is this a health issue?

Hello. A significant increase in appetite can be an indication of a possible metabolic problem. Diabetes is one possibility, but we usually see a great increase in thirst & weight loss even with an increase in appetite. Jack is a senior citizen, so it is always a very good idea to have him examined by your veterinarian & have some basic bloodwork done. He does not look poorly in your picture, but it is better to be proactive in an older dog like Jack. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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.

Dogs are very stoic about showing pain, and if Dash has lost so much weight that you are now seeing his bones, he will be painful. He has to see a vet asap. It's very serious he has had diarrhea for four months, you can see his bones, and he acts like he is starving all the time. He could be suffering from diabetes, liver failure, kidney failure, or cancer among other causes. He needs veterinary care now, please take him into a vet right away.

I would definitely recommend some blood work, if this hasn't been done recently. Older dogs are prone to a number of health issues that can cause decreased appetite along with being less active - chronic kidney disease and hypothyroidism are two possibilities that are both very common. In many cases, these issues are treatable (at least to some extent) once a diagnosis is made, so it's well worth checking for them if you can - hopefully, there are some things you can do to make him feel better for as long as possible, even though he's getting older.

Hello. This behavior indicates some sort of pain or discomfort. It may be back pain, neck pain or from some other source. It is recommended that you have your veterinarian examine Dexter in order to determine the origin of the problem and develop an appropriate treatment plan. Thank you

HI, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! There can be multiple reasons for a dog to suddenly act clingy: fear, separation anxiety, and medical conditions. Medical conditions could be: pain, anal gland issues, fleas, overall nausea from kidney or liver disease, brain tumor or as some dogs age they develop cognitive dysfunction or doggie dementia. If Snicker's behavior persists then I recommend an exam and possibly blood work be done by your Vet. Sadly his symptoms are non-specific and can mean many different things. I hope this helps and I wish you and Sage the best!

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.