Should my emaciated dog with kidney issues wear a sweater indoors?

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. If she has been fine in this room previously, she should continue to be fine sleeping here. She has a fairly thick coat judging from the pictures so her body is most likely able to tolerate this temperature just fine. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

I would get them doggie sweaters! This will help keep them warm both inside and outside the house. They can wear the sweaters indoors, and you can also get thick doggie coats for them to wear outside. Pet stores will carry these, and some of the stuff they have is really cute. I'd buy those for your dogs. I hope this helps!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Dexter! I am concerned about the weight loss. I hate to see older animals lose weight. Possible causes are: kidney or liver disease, diabetes, cancer, pancreatic or intestinal disease that is causing poor absorption of nutrients. Now with the diarrhea starting a lot of the above still applies as causes. He could have just eaten something that is disagreeing with him, have a viral infection, or parasites. I highly recommend a physical by your Vet and have some blood and urine tests run to help figure out why he has lost so much weight. For the diarrhea you can start feeding a bland diet of boiled chicken or hamburger with rice. Feed 1 cup per 20lbs per day for 3-5 days. Your Vet can also start him on some medications for the diarrhea. I hope this helps and I wish you and Dexter the best!

Kidney disease is best managed with a prescription diet as well as medications to help manage the side effects including antacids, calcitriol and sometimes blood pressure medications. All of these things would require a prescription from a veterinarian. If you feel she has conjunctivitis you can try keeping her eyes clean with a warm wet washcloth and potentially using a saline eye wash to rinse them out. If you feel her eyes are painful or if the condition is worsening she should be seen by a veterinarian.

Normally Havanese have enough hair not to be cold and would not need a sweater. A sweater may be itchy and restricting. If you really think Kiba needs to wear a sweater, make sure it is not too tight, and put it on often, so he gets used to it, but do not leave it on for long. It is also important that he is also well brushed and has no mats. Combine the wearing of the sweater with something he likes to do, ie going for a walk or starting to play with a ball. Make putting a sweater on a ritual before the fun activity so he makes a connection.

I would be concerned that his diet is lacking in the micro nutrients, minerals and fatty acids. Lean meat, veggies and rice do not contain significant amounts of calcium, fatty acids...etc. This could contribute to his low weight. Dogs who have kidney disease will also commonly lose body condition as well. I would recommend to reach out to a veterinary nutritionist who can formulate a complete and balanced diet for Bingo that will meet his body calorie needs as well as address the vitamins/mineral/other nutrients. The diet will also address his pancreatitis and kidney disease. The kidney disease needs to be controlled by having low Phosphorus and low protein so this can be tricky. You veterinarian may have a recommendation for a nutritionist or you can look online. May nutritionist offer online consultations or phone consultations making the process easy. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Poor Emma. If she is suffering from kidney problems and potential kidney failure. She may be painful, nauseous, or not feeling well from toxins that are building up in her body due to poorly regulated kidneys. I would recommend discussing with your vet about doing some fluid therapy on her and potential pain management as well to get her feeling better. If she does have advanced kidney disease, then starting fluids (either IV or subcutaneously) could potentially help her condition tremendously. Also offering her a liquid diet like Hill's Rebound liquid can really help keep her nutrition up. You can also try slightly warmed cans of baby food OR appetite stimulants (i.e. Mirtazapine) prescribed by your veterinarian. I hope your fur baby feels better soon!