Why is my dog so thin, not eating, and losing hair after puppies?

I recommend getting her seen by your vet for an exam and bloodwork. She could have parasites, also, voracious appetite without weight gain or weight loss is a sign of diabetes. It could be that the pups have worn her out. She should have been eating puppy food the whole time she was pregnant and nursing. If she was not, this could be partly responsible for her thin condition. Your vet will give you a treatment plan, based on the findings.

It sounds as though you have been through a lot with Jordan. The amount of food that she is eating is quite large for a dog her size, making me concerned that she may not be absorbing the nutrients appropriately. Possible causes of this could be due to inflammatory bowel disease, exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, intestinal parasites, among other issues. Changes in the skin and hair coat can occur secondary to other health conditions, so it is quite possible that Jordan's hair loss, scaling, and odor are related to an underlying gastrointestinal issue. I don't know which lab tests have been run on her, but consider discussing further testing with her vet, such as B12/folate levels to check vitamin absorption, TLI to evaluate for exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, fecal testing for parasites, as well as baseline CBC, blood chemistry, and urinalysis to evaluate overall organ function and blood cell counts. It may also be worth considering an abdominal ultrasound with a veterinary radiologist to see if any changes are apparent. I hope this helps and that all goes well for Jordan!

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!

She really needs to see a vet. I wish I could tell you something to do at home but that is not possible without knowing why she is showing those symptoms. Not only that, but those symptoms are very non-specific and could be from almost any disease process or illness that can affect a dog. Some examples would be: diabetes, thyroid disease, kidney disease, liver disease, Cushing's disease, parasites,....just to name a few. I suggest you look for a low cost/affordable vet in your area or try contacting one of these organizations to see if they can offer any assistance. http://www.dogheirs.com/resources-affordable-veterinary-care/

Hi and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! There can be several causes for no weight gain or weight loss despite eating normally. Intestinal parasites can be a cause as well as pancreatic problems, intestinal absorption issues, metabolic diseases such as liver or kidney disease and certain types of cancers. Hair loss from the ears likewise can have many causes such as fungal infections, bacterial infection, allergies, mite infection, or even autoimmune diseases. I think it would be a good idea if Hunter sees his veterinarian very soon for these issues. Your veterinarian may recommend blood work and a fecal test or other tests as necessary to help determine a diagnosis here.

It sounds like she should be examined by a vet to determine the cause of her problems. It is very concerning that she is thin and weak and your vet can run some lab-work to screen for kidney disease, liver disease, endocrine diseases, etc. Your vet can also take x-rays, if needed, to look for any abnormalities that would cause decreased appetite and weight loss. She could also have a problem with her teeth and your vet can do a dental evaluation. She may need an antibiotic to treat a conjunctivitis. Please call a vet and schedule a check up.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I am sorry to hear about Oreo. The eating of manure/mud does not concern me nearly as much as the weight loss. In a dog this age, kidney disease, heart failure, and cancer are big worries for me. Take Oreo into your vet sooner rather than later. He or she will do a good physical exam (which is sometimes enough to suspect heart failure or cancer) and will likely recommend routine bloodwork to rule out organ disease. If everything comes up normal, probiotics, supplements, or pancreatic enzymes may be recommended. Best wishes to you and Oreo.