My dog's losing weight, has a swollen belly and legs. What's wrong?

Poor Cotton! I'm sorry to hear that he's not feeling well. Unfortunately, this sounds like quite a serious problem. A swollen abdomen can be caused by a number of different things, including heart disease, liver disease, internal bleeding. or an abdominal tumor of some kind. His rear leg issues could be caused by some type of neurologic problem, or could be due to overall weakness due to whatever is causing the abdominal swelling. Lethargy is a very vague symptom that could be caused by almost any kind of illness. I would recommend taking Cotton to the vet for an exam right away, as this may be a life-threatening problem. Your veterinarian can do blood work and x-rays or an abdominal ultrasound if needed to help diagnose the problem and get him started on appropriate treatment.

I am pretty concerned about what you describe. The bloating and edema of the legs would most commonly be due to a low protein level in the blood or right heart failure which causes fluid to leak out of vessels. This can happen for several reasons : heart disease, heartworm disease, liver failure, kidney disease, intestinal disease, and even cancer. This is life threatening and he should be seen by a veterinarian immediately. Best of luck and I hope he improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Hello, sorry to hear about Prince. It sounds like he may have right sided heart disease in which the blood backs up into his veins and the vascular fluid begins to leak out of the vessels. This generally leads to fluid in the belly causing abdominal distention, fluid in the chest, and subcutaneous fluid. Other causes of 3rd spacing can be associated with a low protein level either due to liver disease or loss of protein through the kidneys or bowel. It sounds like prince needs to have a full evaluation of his vital organs and this may include bloodwork, an abdominal ultrasound, a heart ultrasound, and blood pressure monitoring. Ultimately, Prince may need to be evaluated by his veterinarian or an internist to determine why he is having fluid accumulation outside of his vasculature. Hope this helps and best of luck.

I'm sorry Cash isn't doing well! Unfortunately there are no OTC pain medications you can give him. Many human ones are toxic to dogs, and can be fatal if given. If he's bloated, that's medical emergency as bloat is fatal without treatment. My advice is to take him into an ER vet clinic; if there isn't one in your area, there will be a vet on call for emergencies. The information to reach that vet is found on a clinic's answering machine or website. Best of luck.

Fluid accumulation in the abdomen is often secondary to heart disease (valvular disease, heart worms, cardiomyopathy) ..or...some type of malignancy. Tumors in the abdominal cavity can sometimes be associated with fluid build up. It is important to do some additional diagnostic tests. Survey radiographs to start, then it may be advised to move on to an ultrasound....either of the heart or if the abdomen depending on radiograph findings. The ultrasound can be particularly helpful in cases like this where fluid accumulation reduces the ability to see vital structures on radiographs. This most likely had nothing to do with a case of overeating. There is likely some disease process that has been going on for some time. I hope you can get some answers soon. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Poor Marshall! It definitely sounds like something isn't right. There are many things that can cause a swollen stomach with weight loss and decreased appetite. Some possibilities would include heart disease, liver problems, cancer, or even internal bleeding. Treatment will depend on what the underlying problem is, so I would recommend taking Marshall to the vet as soon as you are able to. He/she can do blood work and x-rays if needed to help diagnose what is causing these symptoms, and will recommend treatment options depending on what is found.

Fluid in the abdomen is usually caused by either heart failure, low blood protein levels, or cancer. Blood work should be done to check protein levels. A follow up appointment with your veterinarian soon is important, and more work up should be done to identify the cause. Blood work, urinalysis, and ultrasound are the steps I would usually take is a case such as Major to find the problem and develop the best treatment options. Best of luck and I hope you find an answer soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.