My dog is acting strange and not eating. What tests should I request?

If you are worried you really need to do whatever testing your vet is recommending. Without all the information about what tests were already run and those results I'm afraid we can't be of much service. There is not enough information for me to go on. If you don't trust what your vet is telling you then you should consider getting a second opinion (in person) with another vet that can examine Eli and can review all his previous testing. I have no idea what they want to test for based on what you have said. Not eating and drinking a lot of water are not specific enough signs to point to one disease or illness. This is likely why they have to keep doing more tests. Unfortunately in medicine sometimes things are not just cut and dry. Sorry I can't be of more help. Either do the test your vet recommends or get a second opinion. That is the best I can tell you for now. Best wishes.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Frynse. Is she eating anything at all? For example, will she eat treats or people food, but just not her dog food? In this case, she could be getting picky and holding out for tastier treats. If she is not eating at all though, this is worrisome. She is a small dog and her blood sugar can drop too low of she goes extended periods without food. It is always a good idea to check blood work to ensure there is not an underlying disease causing her change in appetite. I hope this information helps!

I am so sorry Chi hasn't been feeling well. If all the tests were clear then I would recommend having an abdominal ultrasound performed. This would look at the architecture of the intestines and stomach and see if there is anything else that could be going on with Chi. She could have pancreatitis, a foreign object, a bad gastrointestinal upset, and much more going on that may or may not show up on the blood work and might not even show up on X-rays. I would also recommend a bland prescription diet to help settle her stomach also. I would have a ultrasonographer or an internal medicine specialist to perform the ultrasound. I hope Chi feels better soon and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

That duration of inappetance is very concerning. Did you family vet prescribe some therapy, anti nausea medication? It sounds like your kid needs to see a specialist. For a case like this an internal medicine specialist would be the best person to see. A full abdominal ultrasound with an experienced ultrasonographer (either a radiologist or internist) is likely the first step if blood work and xrays are normal. Unfortunately some pets cases are complex and some disease processes require more advanced testing then what family vets can provide. Likely your family vet has ruled out some common things but an internist will look for the uncommon things. Unfortunately decreased appetite is a very non specific symptom because in animals when they do not feel good for any reason they can stop eating. Your family vet should be able to provide a referral for you if you are interested in this option. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

I am not sure why your vet did not feel like tests were needed. There are many patients I see where I don't think testing is needed. This is a question you will need to ask your vet. If Riko is not doing better then testing may be needed. If you voice your concerns to the vet I am sure they will be happy to run some testing if that will make you feel better. Hope this helps. Best wishes for a speedy recovery for Riko!

Hello, I'm sorry to hear that Riley is having this problem. I suggest you take him for a second opinion with a board certified veterinary internal medicine specialist. An MRI is not a bad idea but I think there are other less expensive tests that may be more applicable to run first like more extensive bloodwork to check for endocrine diseases, tick borne diseases, etc. Also, if he only had plain film X-rays, a contrast study might be a good idea. I suggest you ask your vet for a referral to a specialist in your area. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

At this point, if blood testing was normal, he could be dealing with a brain tumor or some other type of cancer. I would recommend diagnostic imaging (x-rays / MRI / ultrasound) and go from there. I hope this helps!