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Zorro gained 5lbs this week


Zorro13
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I left Zorro with a pet sitter this past week and he came back 5lbs heavier (37 to 42 lbs). I found out that she was feeding him an extra half cup per day (2.5 cups vs 2 cups) since he was getting a lot of exercise. That extra amount shouldn't equal a 5 pound weight gain though should it? I'm taking him to the vet this week but am a little worried. Seems like it might be a thyroid issue...

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No way can I make that math work out (assuming the oversimplified 3500 cal per lb, it's about 2500 cal extra a day, which is many cups of dog food), but then I'm not a nutritionist. Was it the same scales?

 

My dog's weight stays very steady but I've found my own fluctuates hugely for no real discernible reason. Sometimes you just have to wonder at it.

 

I am not a vet, not an expert, but if it was my dog I would imagine it's not anything 'fast' enough that I wouldn't want to wait for the vet visit.

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Same scale. He is noticeably bigger, my jaw dropped when I first saw him. He is not the same skinny dog I left a week ago. He has had some hair loss on his side and back legs over the past few months that I thought was just him shedding his winter coat but is apparently also a symptom of hypothyroidism. Hopefully the vet visit will provide some answers.

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Five pounds seems like a lot for an adult dog. Is he an adult dog?

 

My 15 week old puppy weighed in at 21.6 pounds today. FOUR weeks ago she weighed 13.6 pounds. It took that long for a growing puppy to put on *8* pounds.

 

Not a vet, but I think I would be concerned as well.

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I had a dog that gained two pounds in less than a week while I was on vacation. Considering that this was a very small Miniature Schnauzer whose ideal weight was 7-8 lbs. I was really shocked at how fat she got in just a few days. I think it would be very possible for a dog the size of yours to gain five pounds in a week.

 

I was thinking the same as Shetlander. Is it possible the pet sitter is not being honest with you?

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If you're concerned it certainly won't hurt to have him checked out, but I'd also take into consideration how much of the gain could have been muscle if he was getting more exercise. My dog's been staying with a trainer and though I didn't weigh him just before so can't compare to now I can tell you he put on visible weight over a short period with the daily work he was getting -- and it's all muscle. Since muscle weighs quite a bit (think of how small a 3 lb pot roast is) I wouldn't be surprised if it is 5-10 lbs.

 

Feeling him over should tell you pretty quick what kind of weight gain it is, muscle vs fat.

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If you're concerned it certainly won't hurt to have him checked out, but I'd also take into consideration how much of the gain could have been muscle if he was getting more exercise. My dog's been staying with a trainer and though I didn't weigh him just before so can't compare to now I can tell you he put on visible weight over a short period with the daily work he was getting -- and it's all muscle. Since muscle weighs quite a bit (think of how small a 3 lb pot roast is) I wouldn't be surprised if it is 5-10 lbs.

 

Feeling him over should tell you pretty quick what kind of weight gain it is, muscle vs fat.

 

Good point. Does he *look* a lot fatter to you? If it is muscle weight chances are he will appear the same weight (if he was out of shape then he might appear thinner) or only slightly heavier if he was already fit. Muscle is incredibly dense in relation to fat, as olivehill says, and five pounds of it might not be immediately visible on a dog over 30 pounds.

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