My dog is drinking and peeing a lot, panting, and eating snow. Why?

Hello, yes these sings if persistent could be indicative of certain deseases such as cushings or diabetes. Other causes of these signs may include something more benign such as a UTI. If he continues to have these signs or if you note increased urinations, lethargy and loss of appetite than he should be evaluated by his veterinarian. He may need blood work and a urinalysis to screen for these. Hope this helps and best of luck.

I would recommend having your dog seen as soon as possible if her symptoms are not improving tomorrow, even if this means taking her in to another vet or an emergency vet. Diseases we worry about with these symptoms include Cushings Disease (where the adrenal glands produce too much steroids), diabetes, kidney disease and liver disease. Some of these conditions can worsen quickly and become life threatening so having her examined and having bloodwork and urinalysis done as soon as possible to determine the underlying cause is the safest way to proceed.

If Bo is only exhibiting an increase in water intake and urination then you should be okay to wait to schedule an appointment on Monday to see his regular veterinarian. This can sometimes be due to the high environmental temperatures this time of year, but you can certainly see this with urinary tract disease/infections or with metabolic disorders (less likely since Bo is less than 1 year old). In the meantime, monitor Bo for the onset of lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, inappetance or decrease in appetite, or any more severe signs (seizure, pale mucous membranes, etc). If any of these signs are noted, then he should be examined by an emergency veterinarian immediately.

If Lillie is in that much distress I would seek out another veterinarian that is available, or an emergency clinic in your area, especially if she is heavily panting, painful, or unable to keep anything down. Be sure to let the new vet know what tests have been done, medications tried (and that they aren't helping) and any other symptoms you are seeing/for how long.

this could be caused by several problems. The pacing in the evenings could be caused by dementia, the panting and excessive drinking could be caused by kidney disease, diabetes and /or Cushings disease. You will need to take Toby to your vet for some blood work which will show up whether he suffers from any of those diseases. He can then also be assessed for dementia. Please make an appointment for a veterinary visit soon.

Thank you for submitting your question Sophie. I recommend that she sees her veterinarian for blood and urine testing. The signs you have described are most common with diabetes. They can also be seen with kidney disease, liver problems or an adrenal gland disorder. I hope this information helps!

Drinking a lot more means that he is also urinating a lot more. This is called Polydipsia and polyuria or PU PD. There are various reasons for PU PD and they need to be investigated by a veterinarian, especially in an old dog. Blood work can rule out any of those. 1) diabetes---a urinalysis and blood test will be able to rule it in or out. Diabetes is usually treated with diet and insulin. 2) Cushing's disease: This is an overproduction of cortisone, either signaled by a pituitary tumor in the brain or by a malfunction or tumor of the adrenal glands. Medication can inhibit cortisone production. A potbelly and thinning or haircoat and excessive panting are common signs as well. 3) Kidney disease, treated with diet and supportive treatment 4) A urinary tract infection, urinary crystals or stones: treatment varies according to the cause. 5) diabetes insipidus, usually tested with a water deprivation test and treated with a medication called Minirin. You will need to make an appointment with your vet for an exam and blood tests. I am sure your vet will find the cause of the PU PD.