Why is my dog losing weight and breathing hard but still active?

I am mostly concerned about the weight loss, lethargy (depression) and the labored breathing. This is certainly not normal for such a young dog. From the symptoms you are describing, a metabolic disorder seems most likely. Options are hyperadrenosorticism (Cushings), hypothyroidism (although this is not consistent with the weight loss), certain sex hormone disorders, and certain immune mediated disorders. Since this has been going on for such a long time, I would advise a consultation with a specialist at this point. You can find a veterinary internist in your area on www.acvim.org.

I am sorry to hear about Pinta. These symptoms are unfortunately concerning, especially in an older dog. Difficulty breathing is a very serious condition and considered an emergency if she is struggling to get breath normally. Possible causes can vary from primary lung issues such as infections like pneumonia, chronic bronchitis, and tumors in the lung. Heart disease can also result in breathing problems, as can sudden anemia due to bleeding inside the body cavity. I would recommend getting Pinta into the vet as soon as possible, and if she is struggling to breath then she needs to visit the emergency vet if your vet is closed. They will examine her and likely recommend x-rays of the lungs. This will help them determine if treatment is possible or if she can be made more comfortable. Best of luck to you and Pinta.

Cough can be caused by an infection, heart problem or lung condition, it is important to first know the cause before treating it as treatment is different from condition to another. As weight loss is involved it is likely to be a chronic condition, i strongly recommend taking Hannah to the vet ASAP in order to get it treated.

Hello there! While Luna's weight loss and poor coat may be from malnutrition, the heavy breathing and joint pain makes me concerned about other potential medical issues that she may be facing. First, be sure that she was on proper heartworm and flea/tick preventative while she was on the farm. Dogs that spend lots of time outdoors will come into contact with mosquitoes and parasites, which could explain some of her symptoms, should she have contracted a vector-borne disease like heartworms, lyme disease, or rickettsial infections (rocky mountain spotted fever and ehrlichiosis). The symptoms Luna is exhibiting could be indicative of any or all of these diseases. I also worry about intestinal parasites potentially stealing some of her nutrition, which can cause weight loss and a poor hair coat. All of these disease processes can be ruled out at the vet's office. A small blood test can check for heartworms and tick-borne diseases, and a stool sample can check for intestinal parasites. I highly recommend that you bring Luna in as soon as possible to have her looked at. Good luck, and I hope Luna gets well soon!

Poor Bauer. Episodes of strange breathing are likely, in her case, to be due to her ongoing problems. Weight loss is also a concern as dogs with tumors often lose weight while the tumor continues to grow. I would recommend you to see your vet and discuss if there are any medications that could give Bauer some relief. She may benefit from administration of pain killers as lung mass can cause discomfort and potentialy abnormal respiration in your dog.

Losing weight could be a sign of many things and it could range from a poor quality dog food, to parasites to something unexpected in a young dog like kidney disease. I do recommend to be safe and have her examined by your veterinarian and have some basic lab work and a stool sample checked for worms. Pay close attention to her bowels for any loose stool, blood or any vomiting which could indicate something like IBD or pancreatic insufficiency. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

It would be hard to say without an exam. My first guess would be to parasites, but if she's been dewormed recently, that may be ruled out. It wouldn't hurt to have another fecal exam done just in case, as well as bloodwork to check for any health issues such as metabolic problems, illnesses, ingredient allergies, etc that may be causing the weight loss. Your vet can also perform a body condition score along with tracking Boots' weight to see if she is too skinny, or still at the correct size for her body type.