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Why is my dog suddenly losing weight, lethargic, and not eating?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | German Shepherd | Male | unneutered | 9 months and 25 days old | 25 lbs

What’s wrong with my dog? I have a 89 month old shepherd pup. Two days ago he was fine. And yesterday he started to look very skinny and a little lazier than normal. Today you can see his ribs and hip bones it’s as if he lost 20 pounds in 24 hours. And he’s not eating or drinking, he’s extremely lethargic. We aren’t sure what happened or what is wrong. But we can’t afford to take him into a vet right now. His brother and litter mate is completely fine though so we’re very confused.

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Linda G, MS, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on January 7th, 2020

Hello. You might want to look into some payment options like https://www.carecredit.com or https://www.scratchpay.com to see if they can assist you. You really need to have Sinba evaluated to see if there is some inflammatory disease like exocrine pancreatic insufficiency ( epi ), an infection, either viral or parasitic, or even a foreign body causing his symptoms. Once you have an idea what might be causing these extreme symptoms, hopefully with treatment you can get him turned around. Thanks for using PetCoach.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Ricardo Fernandez, DVM
Veterinarian, Veterinary Oncology Resident
Published on January 29th, 2019
Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Loss of appetite and lethargy can be observed with many conditions such as gastroenteritis, dietary indiscretion, kidney disease, pancreatitis, among many other possibilities. I recommend that you have Kiba 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!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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