Articles with unexplained weight gain

Abdominal Distention in Dogs: Why Is My Dog’s Stomach Swollen?

A swollen abdomen might not seem like much of a scary problem. But it can be a sign of a life-threatening emergency. So how does one tell the difference? Understanding potential causes and looking at the big picture comes in handy. Distention is an enlargement or swelling from internal pressure. MedicineNet Acute or chronic? The severity and speed of onset…

by Jana Rade edited by Dr. Joanna Paul BSc BVSc

Why Is My Dog Gaining Weight: Is It the Food?

Let’s address gradual unexplained weight gain in dogs. The potential causes are different than when the weight gain happens suddenly. How fast something happens is an important part of the picture. The more acute the onset, the more urgently you need to seek answers. With weight gain, the faster it happens, the closer you are to an emergency situation, particularly…

by Jana Rade edited by Dr. Joanna Paul BSc BVSc

Unexplained Weight Gain In Dogs: Is Your Dog Struggling with Weight in spite of Diet and Exercise? Cookie Is Hypothyroid

I’ve been struggling with Cookie’s weight for about two years now. Cookie spends at least three hours outside every day, doing what she loves – hunting for critters. If that is not being active, I don’t know what is. Ever since she started “filling in” I’ve been watching what she eats. Over time, I’ve been giving fewer and fewer calories while…

by Jana Rade

Jana Rade

I am a graphic designer by day, dog health advocate, dog writer, member of the Dog Writers Association of American and an award-winning author. Jasmine, the Rottweiler of my life, was the largest female from her litter. We thought we were getting a healthy dog. Getting a puppy from a backyard breeder was our first mistake. Endless veterinary visits without a diagnosis or useful treatment later, I realized that I had to take Jasmine's health care in my own hands. I learned the hard way that simply seeing a vet is not always enough. There is more to finding a good vet than finding the closest clinic down the street. And, sadly, there is more to advocating for your dog's health than visiting a veterinarian. It should be enough but it often is not. With Jasmine, it took five years to finally get a diagnosis for her initial issue. Unfortunately, other problems had snowballed for that in the meantime. Jasmine's health challenges became a crash course in understanding dog health issues and how to go about getting a proper diagnosis and treatment. I had to learn and I had to learn fast. Helping others through my challenges and experience has become my mission and Jasmine's legacy. I now try to help people how to recognize and understand signs of illness in their dogs, how to work with their veterinarian and when to seek a second opinion. My goal is to save others the steep curve of having to learn things the hard way as I did. That is the mission behind my blog and behind my writing. That is why I wrote Symptoms to Watch for in Your Dog, which has turned out being an award-winning guide to dog owners . What I'm trying to share encompasses 20 years of experience.

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