Q: My 15-year-old dog weighs 10kg and is constantly hungry. Should I feed him bit by bit every 30 minutes or so, or should I set out scheduled feeding times?
A: If your dog is losing weight or has a poor body condition score due to weight loss and is still always hungry, he could have an underlying disease, like diabetes. Ideally you should have him evaluated by your vet. If he is healthy, then you can start to change his feeding programme.
A proportion of animals over the age of 12 years are underweight as they may have a reduced ability to digest nutrients, particularly proteins and fats, which results in weight and muscle loss. Protein requirements increase in older animals, so if your dog is healthy but still hungry, I would suggest you change him over to a good quality senior diet. These diets have been specifically designed for the geriatric animal. The amount of food per day should not be increased, but the volume can be divided into smaller meals more often.
Dr Vanessa Mcclure, veterinarian
