Why Is My Dog Always Hungry?

Heart
Dot
Multiple Blue Rings

Hunger in Dogs: What’s Normal

Some dogs will scarf down their food in the blink of an eye or seemingly materialize out of nowhere the second they hear you open the pantry door or crinkle a food wrapper. Other dogs may have a more peckish appetite and turn up their nose at some meals and treats. Both appetite types can be normal.

Dot
Multiple Blue Rings

Do Dogs Get Full?

It’s not uncommon for dogs to appear like bottomless pits, however, at some point all dogs will reach a point of satiation or fullness. The point at which a dog gets full varies from dog to dog.

Dot
Multiple Blue Rings

– A sudden increase in appetite, known as polyphagia. – Becoming aggressive around food when they weren’t previously.

Dot

Signs a Dog is Actually Hungry

Multiple Blue Rings

Prevent your dog from eating out of boredom by providing enrichment activities and regular exercise. Keep them mentally and physically stimulated to avoid unnecessary snacking.

Dot

Boredom

Multiple Blue Rings

Anxiety in dogs raises their level of stress hormone, known as cortisol. Extra cortisol increases appetite and leads to emotional eating.

Dot

Anxiety or stress

Multiple Blue Rings

Perhaps one of the most telling signs of diabetes in dogs is a sudden increase in hunger. This is due to the development of hypoglycemia and the body’s attempt to increase accessible blood sugar

Dot

Diabetes Mellitus

Multiple Blue Rings

IBD affects the intestines ability to properly absorb nutrients. Dogs with this condition will often have an increased appetite along with weight loss, diarrhea, and occasionally vomiting.

Dot

Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Multiple Blue Rings

ancer often uses glucose as a source of energy to grow inside the body, therefore, dogs with cancer usually have an increased appetite

Dot

Cancer

Multiple Blue Rings

Certain medications, particularly steroids like prednisone, can result in a noticeable increase in appetite

Dot

Medications

Multiple Blue Rings

Dogs with heavy burdens of intestinal parasites like hookworms, roundworms, or tapeworms will usually be hungrier than usual due to the stolen nutrients

Dot

Intestinal parasites

Dot

Dog Snoring: Is it Normal?