My Labrador isn't eating and is losing weight. What should I do?

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is likely behavioral and may be a food preference problem. I would recommend experimenting with different dog food formulas, texture, kibble size, dry vs. canned, etc. and see if this helps. Many times it is just a matter of finding the right formulation and texture that the dog prefers. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further. Please take the time to mark this question as helpful or not as it helps us to improve on the quality of our answers to other pet owners. Thank you kindly!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Rocco! I do not think him being neutered 6 months ago has anything to do with a poor appetite and lethargy. the heat can make dogs slow down but it doesn't make Labs not eat! Labs love food. I am worried and recommend you have him seen by your Vet for an exam, blood work and belly X-rays. Possible causes are: kidney problems secondary to Lyme disease (huge issue in US with labs, even young ones), ate something causing a blockage, cancer and many other things. I would take him in since it has been a few weeks. I wish you the best!

Hi there and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! 3/8 of a cup twice daily for a growing labrador sounds a little under the calories he should be getting daily. He should be consuming closer to 2 cups of the royal canin maxi food daily. Chicken stew and rice are not good sources of nutrients for a growing dog and should not replace eating his regular puppy food and should be discontinued. Just feeding more of his puppy food will help him grow and put on healthy weight. Thanks again for posting!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Part of her not gaining weight could be due to an intestinal malabsorption issue. Your veterinarian could consider further advanced diagnostics like an abdominal ultrasound and a GI panel to check for something like that. I do suspect that her skin issues are possibly due to allergies and that probably plays a role in her quality of life. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing her allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I am sorry to hear Champ isn't felling well. I recommend taking him to a vet right away. It is very difficult to diagnose him over the internet. If he is weak, he may need IV fluids and medications to make him feel better. Once a vet performs an exam, they will be able to guide you to the next steps in diagnosing and treating his problems. At his age, I would be worried about things like intestinal parasites or infectious diseases, like parvovirus. Good luck and kisses to Champ!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! From the pictures Jack doesn't look skinny, but if they are trying to make him gain weight and he isn't, I recommend taking him to a vet to rule out medical problems. Some possibilities are intestinal parasites, pancreatic problems, intestinal problems, and organ problems to name a few. Also, he may be on an inadequate diet. Once a vet performs a physical exam, they can discuss the testing recommendations. Good luck and kisses to Jack!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. If Coby is lethargic and not feeling well, I would have him examined by a veterinarian so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. He may be dealing with an infection or have something else going on that needs to be diagnosed by a vet. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.