Old dog breathing heavy, losing weight, drinking lots. OTC meds?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Without knowing Gunnars full history and tests that have been performed it is difficult to say what is going on. I would recommend starting for scratch even if you have already had labs done. I would have a complete blood panel and chemistry panel with thyroid testing preformed. I would test for heartworm disease and tick born diseases. I would also recheck a urine sample and check a blood pressure. Things can change over 2 months so while there may not have been abnormal results then, there may be now. There are many diseases that cause the signs you are seeing so without new labs there is no way you can rule them out for sure. If everything is still normal I would have an abdominal ultrasound done to see what’s going on inside his abdomen. Good luck and kisses to Gunnar!

Oh my. Poor guy. The weight loss and his body condition score is very concerning. Gradual weight loss in older pets is highly suspicous of cancer unfortunately. Other possible causes are intestinal parasites, diabetes mellitus, etc. There is also possible arthritis which is causing Blue to become debilitated and unable to move around well; however, generalized weakness could also be a cause. You can try to feed Blue a high calorie diet (ie puppy food) to help with his muscle tone and try over the counter joint supplements (ie Dasuquin) to help with his mobility. Here is a website link with more financial resources to help you get him seen by a vet for further care because he really needs medical attention and testing to determine if this is something serious or not, and to pursue medical treatment. http://m.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_veterinary_care.html Best of luck to you and your pet Blue. I really hope he will be ok. Take care.

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 would take Ollie into a vet right away. As a senior dog, there could be serious causes to his symptoms, such as cancer, organ disease, respiratory disease, or heart disease. He needs to be examined by a vet to determine what is causing his symptoms so he can be treated.

Poor Dagul! I am sorry that he doesn't feel well. Looking at the blood work his white blood count and kidney values are all elevated. The kidney values could be elevated simply due to dehydration but I cannot say for sure since I cannot see him myself. The white blood count being so high makes me concerned about a severe upper respiratory infection or even pneumonia. These blood results look like they were done in February so they really aren't very accurate now. I would strongly recommend have him seen again by your vet if possible and recheck the blood work. Your vet will be able to do a thorough exam and let you know whether or not he has a good chance of making it. Your vet may even recommend x-rays to ensure there is no tumors in the lungs causing issues as well. I am really concerned about him. I would also make sure he is continuing to eat and drink to help keep his hydration levels up. I hope this helps and he starts to feel better soon!

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.

I know it can be scary when thinking about possible cancerous masses in your pet. But really the only way to know for sure is to have these masses tested through your vet. They can be cancerous masses, inflammatory reactions or benign tumors (non-cancerous). The heavy breathing that Allie is doing does concern me a bit. This can either be a sign of pain or an underlying lung or heart disease. So a vet visit although no desired, is probably the bext best thing to do for Allie in figuring out what's going on with both concerns. Best of luck getting some answers and take care.