Why is my old dog lethargic, restless, hungry, and losing weight?

Hi there and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I am sorry to hear Milo is having some issues eating and is experiencing some weight loss. There can be many medical causes for these types of symptoms including dental disease and tooth pain, pain from osteoarthritis, organ dysfunction, or other causes. My best advice to you and Milo would be to have Milo evaluated by a veterinarian to help pinpoint a cause so he can be treated appropriately and hopefully made to feel better around meal times. I hope this helps and best wishes to you and Milo!

It's hard to say whether or not Milo's behavior at night is an attempt to 'tell you something', but even vague behavior changes can sometimes be a sign of illness. Weight loss with an increased appetite are concerning and I'd recommend having your vet examine Milo. It's possible that he has intestinal parasites or a disease like diabetes that is causing these symptoms. The hair loss could be a sign of parasites or allergies.

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!

Poor Milo! He sounds quite ill at the moment, and his symptoms could be caused by a severe GI illness, liver disease, eating something rotten, a foreign body, kidney failure, or even cancer. It's best given his old age and his symptoms that he is seen by a vet as soon as possible for a physical exam, geriatric blood panel, urinalysis, and x-rays. These tests can help the vet diagnose what is causing his symptoms so treatment can be discussed and started.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Moxie. I think that her sudden change in behavior is worrisome. Dogs can slow down as they age. However, she is only middle aged. Plus age changes are gradual. Not as dramatic as you have described. I recommend that she sees a veterinarian. I worry that she is painful somewhere. For example, neck and/or back pain is common in small and medium breed dogs. Arthritis or a soft tissue injury could also explain the signs you are seeing. The veterinarian will carefully examine her. X-rays may be recommended. Based on these results, treatment can be started to help her feel better. In the meantime, keep her quiet and do not give any over-the-counter pain medications as these can be toxic to dogs. I hope this information helps!

I would definitely recommend some blood work, if this hasn't been done recently. Older dogs are prone to a number of health issues that can cause decreased appetite along with being less active - chronic kidney disease and hypothyroidism are two possibilities that are both very common. In many cases, these issues are treatable (at least to some extent) once a diagnosis is made, so it's well worth checking for them if you can - hopefully, there are some things you can do to make him feel better for as long as possible, even though he's getting older.

Hello, I am very sorry to hear about Millie. I am concerned about the symptoms Millie is exhibiting and I would recommend having her seen by a veterinarian. Lethargy and inappetance are nonspecific signs in dogs, meaning that they can be caused by many underlying conditions. Your veterinarian can perform an examination and discuss the need for other diagnostics such as systemic bloodwork and possibly X-rays to look for any signs of pneumonia or abnormalities within her abdomen. Hope this helps, good luck!