Obsessed With Food in Dogs

Your dog has always had a healthy appetite, but lately, she seems more possessive with her food. So much so that she will growl at anyone or anything that comes near her during feeding time. If you have other dogs, she may snap at them or even provoke a fight during feeding time. Your dog is always hungry and is searching for food at all times. They've started to raid the bin and are constantly begging and perhaps even stealing food from your plate. This behavior wasn’t always the case. Does it seem that your dog is obsessed with her food? Several conditions can cause your dog to have an increase in appetite:

• Psychological or behavioral issues
• Poor gastrointestinal absorption of nutrients
• Cushing’s syndrome
• Canine diabetes
• Parasites

Psychological or Behavioral Issues

There are lots of factors that can contribute to a psychological or behavioral obsession with food. Adopted dogs may have had a background in which they had to fight for food, and old habits are hard to break. You may have to be patient and give your dog time to understand that she no longer must fight to get enough food. Other dogs, even those raised together, will fight over food. You may have to feed them separately.

It should be noted here that free feeding of multiple dogs often leads to this type of behavior. While it is more convenient, many trainers do not recommend it. They feel that dogs will either be too fat or too thin – and, in this case, some dogs develop behavioral problems when there is not an equal amount of food at a scheduled time for dogs. 

Poor Gastrointestinal Absorption of Nutrients

In addition to seeming hungry at all times, your dog may also show signs of chronic diarrhea and weight loss even with the increased appetite. You may also notice pica – your dog eating things that are not food. Your dog may also experience dehydration as a result of poor gastrointestinal absorption. Any breed of dog may experience poor gastrointestinal absorption of nutrients and causes can include SIBO, EPI, IBD and intestinal lymphoma.

Cushing’s Syndrome

In addition to an increased appetite, you may also notice increased panting, a bloated abdomen and excessive drinking and urination in your dog. Cushing’s is normally caused by a tumor in the dog’s pituitary gland. Often, owners mistake Cushing’s as part of the normal aging process, and sometimes vets will miss the disease altogether unless they specifically test for Cushing’s. Your vet will order a series of tests, one of which may be an adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) stimulation test. He may also order other blood work to ensure that no other disease is possible. Often, the syndrome may be successfully treated with medication. The Poodle, Dachshund, Boston Terrier, Boxer, and Beagle are most prone to Cushing’s.

Canine Diabetes

Traditionally, diabetes is marked by excessive thirst along with weight loss and increased urination output. Normally, a dog suffering from diabetes will have an increased appetite as the sugar cannot be transported into the cells. Most diabetic dogs will lose weight despite this increased appetite as they cannot utilise the food as they should.  You may also notice urinary accidents in the house, vomiting, dehydration, and lethargy. Dogs of any breed may develop diabetes, but Miniature Schnauzers, Standard Schnauzers, Poodles, Australian Terriers, Spitz, Bichon Frise, Samoyeds, and Keeshonds are more likely to acquire diabetes compared with other breeds. In dogs, a genetic predisposition makes a dog more likely to develop diabetes.

Parasites

The Center for Disease Control defines the term parasite as “an organism that lives on or in a host organism and gets its food from or at the expense of its host.” Parasites can be fleas or ticks or they can be internal parasites such as hookworms, roundworms, tapeworms, or non-worm parasites such as coccidia, giardia, and spirochetes. Dogs can acquire parasites in a number of ways. Sometimes puppies inherit the parasites from their mother when nursing; sometimes adult dogs inadvertently lick the parasite’s eggs. Hookworms burrow into the skin and head for the intestines. Roundworms, whipworms and tapeworms are most likely to be the reason your dog would have an increased appetite as they cause malnourishment in dogs. A quick trip to the vet, where he will likely take a stool sample, can prove whether or not intestinal parasites are an issue for your dog. Fortunately, most cases can be promptly treated with dewormer or other medication.

If your dog is obsessed with his food because of a psychological or behavioral problem, it is probably best to separate him from other dogs when he eats. With patience and some conditioning steps, you can help your dog understand that he is not threatened at meal time. If your dog is getting older, you may not be able to easily change his behavior. Your vet may be able to put you in touch with a trainer who can help you and your dog. Ensure meal times are always at the same time and your dog is getting adequate calories.  If you notice your dog eating and drinking excessively, get to the vet where he can do blood work and a urinalysis to diagnose possible diabetes or Cushing's. Regular trips to the vet will help you to prevent parasites in your dog as he will give your dog routine dewormer. Regular trips to the vet can also help to detect Cushing’s syndrome at an early stage. Remember, Cushing’s is often overlooked by owners and vets, so if you suspect Cushing’s, start to keep a behavioral journal to share with your vet.

To prevent parasites, be sure to keep your dog wormed regularly. Also, keep him away from infested soil and water as well as from other dog's stool. Cushing’s syndrome is most often caused by a non-preventable tumor; however, taking your dog to the vet regularly and having routine blood work done increases the chances that your vet can catch any irregularities sooner. The same can be said with diabetes – the earlier the disease is diagnosed, the higher instance of effectiveness of treatment. 

Treating a food obsession in your dog can be expensive depending upon the cause of the problem. Treatment for intestinal parasites can range from $20 to $50 depending on the severity of the infestation. Diabetes can cost an average of $3000 to diagnose and treat, though this depends on the age of diagnosis as treatment will continue for the duration of a dog's life.