My dog lost weight, not eating after pet died. Grief or illness?

If he has lost weight and is lethargic than he should be examined by a vet to determine the cause. He could have a dental problem, infection, parasite, metabolic/endocrine disease, etc. and your vet can run lab work and take an x-ray, if needed, to help determine the cause. If it caused by stress and anxiety from losing your other dog than your vet can prescribe an anti-anxiety medication, like Prozac or Trazodone to see if that helps.

A decrease appetite and lethargy are common after the passing of a housemate as they go through a depression. The best thing is to have her checked by a vet to make sure there are no medical problems that can cause this and then they can add medication to help her handle the depression if needed. You can always try special food and treats such as boiled chicken and rice or chicken broth to the diet if she is just eating less to see if that encourages her more.

First off, I am sorry that you lost your other dog. It's always so hard to lose a beloved pet. Dogs do feel the loss of a companion, and will often seem down or depressed afterwards, and may go off their food. That being said, a month is a very long time for a dog to mourn, and him not eating for 4 days suggests there is something medically wrong with him. I would recommend taking him into your vet for a health check to see if there is something medically that is causing the anorexia. There are many potential causes which can be attributed to a dog not eating. For example, most diseases (including infectious, autoimmune, respiratory, gastrointestinal, bone, endocrine and neurological diseases) will cause a dog to avoid eating because of pain, obstruction, or other factors. Anorexia can also be due to a psychological problem, such as stress or changes in routine, environment or diet. I'd take Sammy into your vet as soon as possible for an exam. Again, I'm sorry for your loss.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Unfortunately, cancer is not uncommon in older dogs and can cause weight loss. Weight loss can also be caused by conditions such as IBD, diabetes, or be a normal part of the aging process. I recommend having Milo seen by a vet for blood work and x-rays to check if he has any masses and make sure his organs are functioning normally. I hope all is well with Milo!

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I can see that Stone is a little thin from the photos, and the amount of weight he has lost in the past 3 weeks is definitely cause for concern. The next steps after checking for intestinal parasites include blood work to make sure that there isn't an underlying infection present and that organ function is normal. It can also determine that food is being digested and nutrients are absorbed appropriately. X-rays and an ultrasound can rule out masses, obstructions, and inflamed bowels. I hope this helps and am happy to answer any other questions you may have!

Hello, and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Yes, this unexplained weight loss in Mia definitely worries me. 2 lbs of loss in a large dog wouldn't be too alarming, but in Mia's case she's lost 25% of her original body weight and that should absolutely be investigated. It is never normal for a dog to lose this much weight and almost certainly indicates a medical problem. I recommend bringing Mia to the vet for evaluation. Anticipate that your vet will likely start with an exam, then will probably recommend checking a fecal sample and running bloodwork. Dramatic weight loss in young dogs can be due to problems with digestion (such as inflammatory bowel disease or pancreatic insufficiency), congenital issues (such as a liver shunt), intestinal parasites, and (less commonly) cancer, among other things. I hope this helps and you can get to the bottom of Mia's weight loss soon!

According to the symptom of weight loss, otherwise normal and elevations on bloodwork, I would advise having your pet checked for Cushings disease (due to elevated ALP) via a specific test that your vet can go over with you. Also an abdominal ultrasound should be considered as well to check for any obvious masses since the Globulins were a bit high. Weight loss can also be caused by a change in diet as well, especially if your pet was once overweight, so its best to discuss this possibility with your vet as well. Also it is worth mentioning that none of the medications you listed would cause weight loss as an adverse effect. I do hope that things work out well for your pet moving forward. Best wishes and take care!