My dog poops often, loses weight, but eats normally. What's wrong?

Poor guy. He could have a number of things going on here that can cause chronic diarrhea and weight loss including: malabsorption, inflammatory bowel disease, an endocrine disorder, or even neoplasia (intestinal lymphoma) has to be considered. I would suggest starting with an abdominal ultrasound to evaluate the intestinal lining for any masses or abnormalities. I would also consider getting him on a hypoallergenic prescription diet such as Royal Canin hypoallergenic hp or Hill's Z/D. Many pets also respond to chronic antibiotics (Tylosin powder) to help manage their chronic colitis issues. Here is more information on Tylosin used for Chronic colitis in dogs. http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A

No he's perfect. We are getting used to many dogs and cats being fat. His coat is shiny, he has a good waist and there is plenty of muscle over his spine. It does sound like he poops more than normal. I would try a higher calorie food. There may be excessive fiber in the food you are feeding causing that much poop. Gradually mix the new food with the old one over a week or so to prevent stomach upset. I'm pleased to see such a fit, active dog. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Blue.

He definitely looks very thin. The biggest concern with a dog that eats well, but doesn't gain weight is that he has a disease or heavy parasite burden. There are some inherited diseases like liver shunts that can cause them to be unthrifty like this and there are some acquired infections like Babesiosis that can also cause them to look like this. The only way to know is to have him evaluated by a veterinarian. I recommend taking him soon, because he doesn't look like he has much left to lose. It's also good to bring a stool sample to the vet, so they can check for worms. I hope that helps and Wekko gets better soon.

That is significant weight loss. There must be an underlying issue. Just because the blood tests were relatively normal does not mean there isn't a problem. Unexplained weight loss in the face of a normal to increased appetite suggests primary GI disease, EPI (pancreatic issue) or occult neoplasia (cancer). I suggest x-rays and or abdominal ultrasound as the next step.

Poor Porter! Some possible causes for his softer stool and weight loss include parasites, inflammatory bowel disease, food allergies, gastroenteritis from a virus or new foods, Addison's disease, among others. You can try offering Porter a bland diet of boiled white meat chicken and white rice (9 cups per day, divided into 2-3 smaller meals) for a few days, then gradually mix his normal food in with the bland diet over 5-7 days. Adding a probiotic ( http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=21478 ) to his diet may also be beneficial. However, if this does not improve his soft stool, Porter will need to go to his vet for evaluation and testing of his stool and blood to try to get to the bottom of this situation. I hope that all goes well!

German Shepherd Dogs are predisposed to a disease called Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI) which causes chronic diarrhea and weight loss due to maldigestion. This disease is fairly simple to diagnose and treat. Here is a link with more information on this disease: https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=1627

I would agree that Thor is much thinner than he should be. There are many different reasons for weight loss and muscle wasting, including hormonal conditions, parasitic conditions, certain infectious / inflammatory conditions, simply not eating enough over a long period, and of course, certain cancers. My advise to you would be to have Thor examined by your regular veterinarian via physical exam. They will determine if there is a need for further diagnostic laboratory work or imaging. It is often very difficult to make a diagnosis via physical exam unless there is some obvious and palpable inside of or on the outside of the animal. Supportive information via lab work and imaging is very often needed. Hope this makes sense.