One of the problems that people who live with dogs often tell their vet about is the insatiable appetite of these. It is often a bit overwhelming for the person to see their dog eager with anxiety and without enjoying the food.
It is important to know the reasons why a dog is always hungry, in order to understand this condition and try to find a solution. If your dog has this problem, is anxious about food and you would like to help him, we present this article on our site, where you can find the help you need. Find out below if it is normal for your dog to always be hungry.
Eating habits in dogs
Dogs, in nature, have a very varied diet According to some studies carried out by collecting feces from wild dogs, these animals, when they live free, feed mainly on human waste, followed by medium and small mammals, such as cats and rodents, insects and, to a lesser extent,, vegetables.
The domestic dog, when it lives in the human home, is usually fed with a complete feed that covers all the nutritional needs of the animal. However, eating the same thing over and over again can be boring.
Leptin, what is it and how does it affect our dog's appetite?
Leptin is a hormone present in many groups of animals, including humans and dogs. This hormone is responsible for inhibiting appetite and is released mainly by adipocytes (cells that form adipose or fat tissue) but also by the hypothalamus, the ovaries and the placenta.
In a he althy animal with a correct weight, when it has enough fat reserves, adipocytes begin to release leptin, which travels through the blood to the brain, notifying the bodyyou already have enough energy stored , so you can stop eating.
The problem appears when the animal is overweight. Although it releases a lot of leptin, the body becomes resistant and does not understand that it already has enough energy. Something similar happens when the dog suffers from diabetes mellitus. Therefore, an overweight dog will always be hungry.
Polyphagia
A dog craving for food or any other object is very serious. Obsessions in dogs should be treated professionally, as they often stem from underlying issues such as stress, boredom, improper conditioning, or disease.
The condition of a dog that will not stop eating and appears to be continually hungry is known aspolyphagia Polyphagia often appears together with other symptoms such as obesity, weight gain or loss, polydipsia (increased water intake), polyuria (increased urination), and the inability to properly absorb nutrients.
Polyphagia can appear in the aging process of the dog, either because he begins to not absorb certain nutrients or because he takes some drug that causes it. On the other hand, one of the symptoms of diabetes is also increased food intake. Tumors or inflammatory processes at the gastrointestinal level also produce polyphagia.
How do I know if my dog is hungry?
The first reason that makes us think that our dog is starving is that he starts to overeat or that he is always asking for more food, he continually visits his bowl and licks it even when there is nothing.
Irrefutable evidence that our dog is starving is weight loss In an obese dog, this loss is normal, intentional and necessary, but it should always be done under strict veterinary control If your dog does not need to lose weight and is still losing, it is time to make a visit to the vet for a complete check-up, including blood tests, urine tests, and perhaps some hormone tests.
How to help a dog with an obsession with food?
Once a veterinarian has determined the cause of the polyphagia, if the reason for it is due to agastrointestinal problem , this may be due to a change in diet or the use of medication. If it is due to diabetes, medication will be necessary.
If the problem stems from behavioral reasonssteps should be taken to help the dog change her behavior. Gradually changing the feed to another with a higher fiber content may be an option or switching to a more satiating diet such as the ACBA diet for dogs, always under veterinary supervision.
We can also ration the food into smaller amounts several times a day rather than large amounts once or twice. It is very important to have a daily eating routine. Many studies have revealed that if an animal knows when he is going to eat and his expectations are met, stress levels decrease enormously.
