Why is my dog losing weight, bloated, with diarrhea, and breathing difficulty?

I am very sorry to hear about Gracey. These symptoms are certainly concerning and warrant a visit to Gracey's veterinarian for an examination. We can see constipation in dogs but we don't see it commonly and it usually wouldn't cause enlargement of the abdomen unless it was severe. It is possible she isn't have bowel movements because she hasn't had any intake of food. With a bloated appearance to the stomach we worry about fluid buildup in the belly which can be a result of heart disease, low protein levels (which an be due to kidney or intestinal disease or severe parasitism), bleeding or oozing from a tumor. We can also have enlargement of the belly due to a space occupying mass (such as a tumor). If your dog isn't spayed then another possibility would be a uterine infection (her uterus could be full of pus and causing the bloated look). I would recommend having Gracey seen as soon as possible, if she seems lethargic or has an elevated temperature (over 102.5), has pale gums, or is vomiting then she should be seen tonight at the emergency vet. Some of these conditions can be life threatening if left untreated.

Sadie sounds extremely ill, and without seeing her in person, I legally cannot diagnose any condition. I can say that her symptoms are serious enough to require an immediate vet visit. The vet can diagnose what is causing her symptoms so she can be treated. Please take her into an ER vet clinic; if there isn't one in your area, there will be a vet on call for emergencies. The information to reach that vet is found on a clinic's answering machine or website. Best of luck.

Poor Coco! That much distension in the stomach can indicate fluid (ascites) in the abdomen or an enlarged abdominal organ like the liver. These problems can develop secondary to heart disease, liver failure, low protein levels, severe GI parasites, and cancer. I'd recommend taking Coco to see a veterinarian right away as he needs blood work and X-rays to know why this is happening. This is a true medical emergency as many of the causes of a distended stomach can be life threatening. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and I am hoping Coco has an easy recovery!

I am so sorry to hear about Shiva. It sounds like she needs to get to the vet right away with tehse symptoms. In an unspayed dog who is acting ill like this we always worry about an infection of the uterus called a pyometra https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951481 . In any dog with a bloated belly and lethargy we also worry about things like a tumor that is bleeding, fluid in the belly due to heart or liver disease. All of these things require immediate veterinary care, so I would get Shiva to the vet today, the emergency vet if your vet is closed.

This is worrisome - a distended abdomen could be a sign that there is free fluid present in the abdomen secondary to something like liver disease or even cancer. An organ could be enlarged as well. There are some diseases that can cause weakness of the muscles of the abdomen that could lead it to appear enlarged as well. If you are almost but not 100% positive that she is not pregnant of course that could be another cause as well. I would recommend having Sadie examined by your veterinarian - they may be able to tell what is going on by palpating or feeling her abdomen or they may recommend other testing like x-rays or blood work.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. It is difficult to say just from a picture what is wrong with Flower. If you think Flower's belly is bloated / enlarged, I would have a veterinarian examine her and have x-rays taken of her abdomen. Things that would make a belly distend range from fluid in the abdomen, large amounts of gas (bloat) and tumors. 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.

These symptoms can be caused by a variety of different problems, including heart disease, bloat (gastric dilatation and volvulus), liver disease, or internal bleeding. Many of these problems are extremely serious, so I would recommend taking Missy to your nearest emergency clinic immediately. The veterinarian there can do blood work and x-rays if needed to help diagnose the problem and get her started on appropriate treatment.