Could my dog have a medical condition that makes him gain weight?

Question

Lauren Adelman · Answer

Could my dog have a medical condition that makes him gain weight? Absolutely. So, by far and away, the most common cause of weight gain and overweight pets is overfeeding and giving too many treats. I think a lot of people discount how many calories treats have and we feed them a normal amount of dog food, but then we give them a piece of cheese here and there, a little bit of turkey, and these things really, really add up for pets. So, by far and away, overfeeding is the most common cause. However, there are medical conditions that can cause weight gain despite appropriate caloric intake. The biggest one and the most common one in dogs would be hypothyroidism or low thyroid levels, in which case these pets are eating a normal amount but putting on weight. To test for that, you'll need to bring your dog to the vet to have a thyroid test performed.

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"Could my dog have a medical condition that makes him gain weight?"