Why is my dog losing weight, coughing, and has swollen lymph nodes?

I'm sorry Vaida has lymphoma. There is a condition known as cachexia when a dog has cancer where they lose muscle mass and weight even if they eat enough. Unfortunately there is nothing that can be done for it, and nothing that can help her gain weight. I don't know how much time she has left or what stage of cancer she is in without seeing her in person, but cachexia is not a good sign. I'd start marking on a calendar when she has good days and bad days, and when the bad days outweigh the good days, it would be time to consider letting her go. I hope this helps during this tough time.

Hi, thanks for using Petcoach! Oh, poor Ace! The most common lymph nodes that we can feel on the outside are the ones under the jaw/neck, the prescapular (where the front legs meet the neck) and the popliteals (behind the knees or "knee pit"). If you are able to feel lymph nodes that are larger than 1 cm to egg sized then the most common reason is lymphoma. Especially in a dog Ace's age and with the weight loss. It is easy to diagnose lymphoma by aspirating the lymph nodes. Chemotherapy is the treatment of choice but sometimes steroids alone can give a couple of months of good time. I am very sorry and I wish you and Ace the best! https://i.pinimg.com/736x/92/b8/6b/92b86b3ac41a6dc3e5912beb441068dc--lymph-nodes-pet-health.jpg

I recommend you make an appointment to have Maya seen by your vet as soon as you can based on the information you provided. Lymph nodes can become enlarged for a number of reasons, including infection, inflammation, trauma, or, unfortunately, certain types of cancers. There are also salivary glands near the neck that can become enlarged due to dental disease, infection, inflammation, or even stones in the salivary glands. Your vet will be able to help you determine what the areas you are feeling are and help devise a treatment plan accordingly. Best of luck to you both!

Oh dear, I'm sorry to hear that Daisy has been feeling so poorly. It is very concerning that she is experiencing difficulty breathing with wheezing, and weight loss. Difficulty breathing indicates that she is already in some degree pain with a diminished quality of life. Given her enlarged lymph nodes, weight loss, and respiratory changes, lymphoma would be my primary concern. This would be diagnosed by fine needle aspirates that use a needle to draw a few cells out of her lymph nodes for microscopic evaluation. However, even if you opt not to pursue further testing (which is understandable), I still strongly recommend taking Daisy to her vet for a physical exam and thorough discussion of her current quality of life. It may be in Daisy's best interest to consider euthanasia to alleviate her suffering. I realize that this is never an easy decision to make, but I hope that an open discussion with her vet may provide some clarity. I'm sorry that you and Daisy are going through this situation.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Unfortunately, it is impossible to say for sure what the cause is based on your description. Lymph nodes can become enlarged due to inflammation, infection or cancer. Seeing that Diamond is a boxer breed, is 7 years old, losing weight and has enlarged lymph nodes leads me to suspect something such as Lymphoma (a type of cancer) as the cause. I would recommend having this further worked up with a veterinarian and have further testing done such as a needle aspirate and cytology to help determine what it could be. This test is not that expensive and can tell a veterinarian a lot about the area tested. 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.

This type of severe weight loss is known as cachexia and is usually associated with a bad disease such as cancer, diabetes or kidney failure. The swollen toe could possibly be a tumor. It sounds like your neighbor needs to take the dog to the vet soon. It would be good to approach your neighbor respectfully and let them know that you are very concerned about the dog. They may have taken him to a vet already and know what's going on. If they don't know what's going on and consider it a normal part of aging, then let them know that a veterinarian told you it could be one of the serious diseases I mentioned. If they still seem hesitant, then you may offer to take her, or offer to take her to a shelter (she would have to sign the surrender forms though). However, if you don't think your neighbor will respond well, you may consider calling Animal Control. That way you can remain anonymous and the officer can find out if there is a neglectful situation going on. I know it may seem harsh to have the dog taken away, but if that happens, then just know it will be the best thing for the dog. I hope that helps and all goes well.

You need to get your dog to a veterinarian right away. Something serious is going on causing this dramatic of a change in her behavior and appearance. This could be a sign of a serious infection, systemic disease, or cancer.