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My dog is losing weight but acts starving despite eating a lot. Why?

Updated on September 23, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Small (up to 22lb) | Female | spayed | 117 lbs

My 9 yr old puggle that I've had since 8 wks went for a checkup about a year ago, she was diagnosed with Lyme disease and was given antibiotics. Everything seemed fine for about a year and now she is losing significant weight to the point where I see her ribs. She shows no other sick or lethargic symptoms. Still her normal self. She eats both human and dog food . I've been trying to feed her extra food but no weight gain. she acts like shes starving all the time despite being overfed. Why

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Jeffrey Milner

Veterinarian

Published on April 30, 2017

It definitely sounds like Brandie has lost quite a bit of weight. If she was already treated for Lyme disease, this is probably not the cause of her current condition. I would guess there is something else going on. When I hear of a pet that this eating well but still starving, a couple of things come to mind. I would consider the possibility that Brandie may have intestinal parasites. These tend to affect the GI tract's ability to absorb nutrients appropriately, thus resulting in weight loss. Another possibility is one of several different hormonal disorders. The main two that come to mind include Diabetes Mellitus and Cushing's Disease. These two conditions many times present with patients that have gained some weight, but I have definitely seen it go in the opposite direction as well. I think you should visit your veterinarian and see if he thinks some blood work is in order. I would also bring a fecal sample of Brandie's with you to the appointment so that he can rule out intestinal parasites.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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