Why is my dog's belly bloated for months and he's losing weight?

Question

My dog overate back in December but his stomach never got smaller. He looks bloated for over 5 months now. He has regular bowl movements but has big appetite and breaths fast and tried to gag. He is 11. He is losing weight and breaths with difficulty. Bloat was ruled out in December and blood tests in April showed nothing. I was warned that x-ray or radiograph may not show anything because of fluid in cavity/ stomach... What else could this be? How to alleviate pressure in his belly. Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Large (61lb +) | Male | neutered | 11 years and 2 months old | 60 lbs

Amy S. Eutsey, DVM · Accepted Answer

Fluid accumulation in the abdomen is often secondary to heart disease (valvular disease, heart worms, cardiomyopathy) ..or...some type of malignancy. Tumors in the abdominal cavity can sometimes be associated with fluid build up. It is important to do some additional diagnostic tests. Survey radiographs to start, then it may be advised to move on to an ultrasound....either of the heart or if the abdomen depending on radiograph findings. The ultrasound can be particularly helpful in cases like this where fluid accumulation reduces the ability to see vital structures on radiographs. This most likely had nothing to do with a case of overeating. There is likely some disease process that has been going on for some time. I hope you can get some answers soon. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Why is my dog's belly bloated for months and he's losing weight?

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