canine stomache ailments

Question
I have an 8 year old mixed breed dog (Golden Retriver/German Shepard) that has developed what I would call a beer belly. He doesn't drink any beer that I know of but I am concerned about this because it has come about in the last few weeks. His diet has not been changed although he always seems hungry. He is a very good eater, he will eat all of anything he is given. He has occasional diarrhea and always soft stools. He shows no other symptoms of anything wrong and is just seems normal and heathly. This dog weighs about 70 pounds and is not over fed. Our other dog weighs 35 pounds and both get fed about the same amount. The smaller dog seems ok, but the bigger one has this huge gut that always is hard like just finished eating the biggest meal of his life. Any advice will be much appreciated. Thank You, Jeff

Answer
Hi Jeff!The enlarged abdomen should be a sign that you need to have the vet look at this dog. Often, abdominal fluid or ascites can cause this as well as an enlarged liver. Sometimes heart disease including heartworms can cause this. In an older dog, a tumor of the spleen may get huge and cause this enlarged belly.
Hope this helps!Nicole.D.