My senior dog is losing weight. What food helps him gain weight?

This could be due to several things like age and losing some muscle mass, he may need an increase nutritional requirements, liver or kidney problems, cancer or something else. You could get a baseline weight and increase the amount of food you are feeding as long as there is no other symptoms to see if he puts on some weight. I would reweigh him in 2-4 weeks. If he is still loosing weight or not gaining any weight or if you start seeing additional symptoms, I would have your vet take a look at him. Your vet will be able to do a fecal, blood work and even x-rays if needed to help determine the cause of weight loss. I hope this helps and he starts to gain weight quickly.

Provide food that is high in calories, like puppy food or a food that’s designed for active, athletic, or working dogs. Higher protein and fat pet foods are best. Underweight pets should be eating foods that are around 30% protein and 20% fat if they’re eating dry kibble; 7% protein and 5% fat (or higher) if you’re feeding a wet food. Intersperse your pet’s diet with small amounts of high-calorie supplemental canned food or canned products made of 100% meat sources. These will have a high protein and fat content, like 100% pheasant or bison, for example. They won’t say “complete and balanced” but rather “for intermittent or supplemental use” because they’re not meant to replace regular feeding. Some moist foods may be easier to digest, so your pet may retain more nutrients, and more importantly these products tend to be more palatable and tempting to a pet who isn’t eating enough. Any diet changes should be done gradually over a week's time as to not cause any GI upset. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Unfortunately, cancer is not uncommon in older dogs and can cause weight loss. Weight loss can also be caused by conditions such as IBD, diabetes, or be a normal part of the aging process. I recommend having Milo seen by a vet for blood work and x-rays to check if he has any masses and make sure his organs are functioning normally. I hope all is well with Milo!

You need to take Tiber to the vet in order to have him checked and probably have a blood test done as well. 11 years of age is not yet very old for a Shi Tzu and there is a fair chance that the vet will be able to treat him.

Before changing food I would actually recommend going to the veterinary visit you have scheduled. I would recommend getting some blood work done to make sure there is nothing systemically causing the weight loss. Once we determine there is nothing else going on with him then I would discuss what type of food he is currently on and seeing if a change in diet is ideal. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Dogs can get thin as they get senior or geriatric. I recommend giving a good quality senior diet and you may try adding in another small meal during the day or before bed. Giving additional healthy dog treats will increase the calories he’s eating to prevent continued weight loss. If he starts not eating well, or the weight loss continues I do recommend a veterinary exam and tests to determine the reason so you can start any treatment if needed before he gets too debilitated. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Oban.

Hi there! It does sound like Trooper probably has some type of medical condition that is causing him to lose weight. There are many things that could cause this, so it's hard to say what might be wrong without being able to examine him and run some tests. Some common possibilities in addition to diabetes and cancer in older dogs would include chronic kidney or liver disease, or heart disease. I would recommend taking Trooper to the vet for an exam when you are able to. Your veterinarian can do blood work and x-rays if needed to help diagnose the cause of his weight loss and see what can be done to treat the problem.