Although there are legitimate systemic diseases that can cause unusual weight gain in dogs in this age range, please bear in mind that the most common reason for weight gain remains that a dog simply is taking in more calories than it needs for its level of exercise and rate of metabolism. Therefore, if your dog is obese, before necessarily making the assumption that the unusual weight gain must be the result of disease, be sure to restrict table food to a minimum, moderate the feeding of treats, increase exercise, and stick to the general feeding guideline of feeding no more than one 8 oz cup of food per 20 pounds of body weight per day. If these life style changes do not get weight off the dog within 30-60 days, then consider feeding a prescription weightloss diet, available for purchase at most veterinary clinics. If these measures are ineffective or you simply wish to rule out systemic disease as a contributing factor to your dog’s weight gain, then you should schedule examination and bloodwork with your veterinarian. Below are diseases commonly associated with unusual weight gain in dogs. If you still seek further information, please visit our
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Ascites
Cushings disease
Hypothyroidism