My dog is weak, losing weight, and having accidents. Is it serious?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Chopper looks very sick. I would worry about kidney or liver failure or even cancer. Sadly cancer, specifically lymphoma, is non-discriminatory regarding age. Lymphoma, liver and kidney disease all cause weight loss, increased thirst and urination, weakness and a poor appetite. Chopper needs to see a Veterinarian. I wish you all the best!

Oh my. Poor guy. The weight loss and his body condition score is very concerning. Gradual weight loss in older pets is highly suspicous of cancer unfortunately. Other possible causes are intestinal parasites, diabetes mellitus, etc. There is also possible arthritis which is causing Blue to become debilitated and unable to move around well; however, generalized weakness could also be a cause. You can try to feed Blue a high calorie diet (ie puppy food) to help with his muscle tone and try over the counter joint supplements (ie Dasuquin) to help with his mobility. Here is a website link with more financial resources to help you get him seen by a vet for further care because he really needs medical attention and testing to determine if this is something serious or not, and to pursue medical treatment. http://m.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_veterinary_care.html Best of luck to you and your pet Blue. I really hope he will be ok. Take care.

I would have Molly seen by a vet as soon as possible. It sounds like she has a few things going on at the moment that need to be diagnosed and treated medically . The problems using her back legs could be due to arthritis, or problems with her hips, spine, and/or joints. Drinking a lot more and peeing a lot more can be due to diabetes or kidney disease. That would also cause weight loss. The bad breath could be caused by diabetes and dental disease. Finally, peeing her in sleep could be caused by incontinence. She needs a physical exam, geriatric blood panel, and urinalysis to diagnose what is causing all of her symptoms. Once a cause is found, the vet can discuss treatment options with you.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Loss of appetite and diarrhea can be observed with many conditions such as gastroenteritis, dietary indiscretion, kidney disease, pancreatitis, among many other possibilities. He could be weak on his hind end from not eating before and/or from dehydration so that could be connected. I recommend that you have Kip evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check for these possibilities and others depending on the findings on exam. Treatment would be based on findings. Good luck and have a great day! Hoping for a speedy recovery!

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Your pet is definitely in need of a veterinary visit. Your description is one of a very sick dog, possibly from diabetes, hyperadrenocortism, kidney failure, or some other infectious or metabolic problems. I hope you are in a position to have him evaluated soon. Take care.

Poor guy and sorry to hear about your mom passing. The weight loss was good for him and his health: however, his symptoms of increased drinking, urination and loose stool with accidents in the home are suggestive of possible diabetes or a urinary tract infection. His behavioral changes indicate he doesn’t feel well. I would highly recommend taking him to your vet for bloodwork and a urinalysis to check things over. Once we know what is going on internally then we know how we need to treat Elvis to get him wel again. I hope he feels better soon. Best wishes and take care.

Poor Kobe! From your description, I would be very concerned that he has a medical problem causing him to drink and urinate more than normal. In an 11-year-old dog, the most common causes of this problem along with the weight loss you have noticed would be diabetes or Cushing's disease, but liver or kidney problems would also be possible. There is nothing you can do to fix the problem until you get a definite diagnosis, so I would recommend taking Kobe to the vet as soon as you are able to. He/she can do some blood work and a urinalysis to help diagnose the problem, and will get him started on appropriate medication to treat it depending on what is found. In the meantime, please make sure that Kobe has free access to water at all times, even if he is having accidents in the house. Dogs with these problems can very easily become dehydrated without access to water, as you have noticed, so it isn't safe to restrict their water intake.