Why is my 12-year-old dog drinking a lot, losing hair, and has black skin?

Poor Chalie! Black discoloration in the skin can occur as a result of chronic inflammation (from infection, fleas, allergies, etc.) or due to endocrine/metabolic conditions (such as hypothyroidism or Cushing's disease). Make sure that Chalie is receiving a high quality flea preventative (such as Nexgard, Bravecto or K9 Advantix II) regularly. You can also try bathing him in a gentle oatmeal based dog shampoo, because this can be soothing on the skin. I also recommend taking Chalie to his vet for further evaluation of his skin to determine if there are more chronic conditions that should be addressed. I hope that all goes well!

Hi there. Increased drinking and urination, along with increased appetite, are very common signs illnesses like diabetes or Cushing's disease in dogs. I would recommend taking Jack to the vet for an exam and some lab work to help determine what's going on. Both of these problems are very treatable once a diagnosis is made, so there's a good chance your veterinarian will be able to help after some testing is done.

I am sorry your dog is not feeling well. The information provided and picture don't really match. If a patient is drinking more and losing weight I would be concerned about endocrine diseases like diabetes and cushings disease. However the picture looks more like possible skin mites or an underlying autoimmune disease I would recommend taking her to a veterinarian to help you resolve the issues. They most likely will need to run basic bloodwork and possible a skin scrape to determine if mites are present.

I'm sorry to hear about these changes for Shadow. Increased water intake and urine output is always concerning, especially in an older dog like Shadow. I would recommend a visit with your veterinarian, for a thorough physical exam and some blood work. A number of diseases/conditions can result in increased water intake and urination including diabetes, cushings disease, kidney failure and even a severe urinary tract infection. Your vet can run some bloodwork and may look at a urine sample to help determine the nature of Shadow's condition, and then they can discuss treatments and options.

Hair loss and increased appetite are common causes of an endocrine disorder called Cushings disease. This is a common problem in older dogs and they usually are drinking more water then normal as well. I would highly encourage you to consider having Diamon evaluated by a veterinarian soon. They may recommend blood work to help determine the diagnosis. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

If your vet thinks this may be an adrenal problem you may want to discuss testing first. Cushing's disease can cause coat changes and increased thirst, and is treated with medication, typically a medication called trilostane. It's also possible that R2's thyroid disease is the cause if her thyroid levels have not been checked recently. If the coat changes are due to an endocrine disease like Cushing's or hyperthyroidism and her coat is shaved it might not grow back well. Talk to your veterinarian about what test they would recommend.

Blaiser sounds quite ill! There are a couple of things going on with him at the moment. This excessive drinking and urination could be caused by diabetes, kidney failure, Cushing's disease, a UTI, or bladder stones. The large bumps could be due to cysts, lipomas, abscesses, benign tumors, or malignant tumors. The panting more could be due to cardiac disease or metastasis from a malignant tumor. Blaiser has to see a vet as soon as possible, and today would be best. He needs a physical exam, blood tests, urinalysis, fine needle aspirate of the bumps, and chest x-rays. These tests will diagnose what is causing his symptoms, and the vet can discuss treatment options with you. Please take him into an ER vet clinic; if there isn't one in your area, there will be a vet on call for emergencies. The information to reach that vet is found on a clinic's answering machine or website.