Is a pet neglected? How to spot the signs and what to do?

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! In veterinary medicine, we use the term that a pet is depressed when they are acting lethargic or quiet (not active). Sometimes it has to do with their level of mentation also. So the signs are usually that they are not as active as normal, laying around a lot, not playing, not grooming themselves, isolating themselves, and in general, just not acting normally (more quiet than normal). I hope this helps.

I hate to hear that. There are many resources which you can print off line about proper pet care. Sometimes proper education is the key. If cost is a concern, you can also go online to look for assistance programs for qualifying individuals. I hope this is at least gives you some ideas. Please feel free to post any additional questions.

Sadly, overweight pets are so common that those actually at a healthy body weight may appear too thin to many people. As a general rule of thumb, a dog or cat’s ribs should be easy to feel under a *thin* fat covering, but should not be visible or difficult to feel. Additionally, a dog or cat should have a visible “waistline” with a tuck up in their abdomen. Your veterinarian can assess the body condition scores of to provide a more objective measurement of your pet’s weight, but tools like the [PetCoach Healthy Pet Weight Calculator](https://www.petcoach.co/healthy-weight-calculator/) can also help to guide pet owners at home. Maintaining a healthy weight is crucial to a pet’s health, as obesity can lead to an increased risk of developing heart disease, diabetes and a number of other health conditions.

Wow, what a difficult situation for you to be in! While a medical condition can cause a dog to look this way, under medical treatment, it can improve. If you are very concerned, you can make an anonymous phone call to the SPCA or animal control, and they can come out and check up on the dog. That way, it can be found out if the dog is under veterinary care, or they can take the dog and put it into a safe and secure home.

Hello. Samson may have allergies, or a parasitic skin infection, such as what is seen with fleas & skin mites. Ear infections can also cause a cat to scratch in some of these areas. Have you spoke to your neighbors to see if they are aware of the cat's condition? Perhaps they are have financial difficulties. You can certainly offer to purchase & apply a good flea & tick product on Samson ( Bravecto for cats is an excellent choice ), or even volunteer to take Samson to the vet at least one time. You can also supply Samson with some extra food, when he comes by. Seeing a pet in need is a sad thing, especially when all you can do is stand by & watch. Do whatever you can to help this poor guy, but just be aware, not all people appreciate unsolicited advice or assistance. Good luck with Samson & thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is difficult to tell based on these pictures if he has a thin body condition. Weight loss or lack of weight gain can be seen with gastrointestinal disease, renal or liver disease, among many others. I would recommend that you consider having him evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment. Further diagnostics would include general labwork and possibly an abdominal ultrasound and a GI panel. Treatment if any would be based on findings. Good luck and have a great day! I hope you find this information helpful.

This type of severe weight loss is known as cachexia and is usually associated with a bad disease such as cancer, diabetes or kidney failure. The swollen toe could possibly be a tumor. It sounds like your neighbor needs to take the dog to the vet soon. It would be good to approach your neighbor respectfully and let them know that you are very concerned about the dog. They may have taken him to a vet already and know what's going on. If they don't know what's going on and consider it a normal part of aging, then let them know that a veterinarian told you it could be one of the serious diseases I mentioned. If they still seem hesitant, then you may offer to take her, or offer to take her to a shelter (she would have to sign the surrender forms though). However, if you don't think your neighbor will respond well, you may consider calling Animal Control. That way you can remain anonymous and the officer can find out if there is a neglectful situation going on. I know it may seem harsh to have the dog taken away, but if that happens, then just know it will be the best thing for the dog. I hope that helps and all goes well.