My 6-month-old puppy is losing weight but is active. Is it serious?

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!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Unfortunately, if Chloe is dealing with kidney failure and heart disease, the weight will decrease. Cardiac disease can lead to what is called cardiac cachexia (muscle wasting) and renal disease can also lead to weight loss. The prognosis for both of these conditions is not good and if Chloe is taking a turn for the worse and medications are not helping, it may be time to consider letting Chloe go. I would first have a veterinarian take a look at her so that you can discuss this option further with the vet. If it is too much for her to go to the vet, I would look up a mobile veterinary clinic that comes to your house. I hope this helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! At least in the pictures, he looks pretty good. Very handsome dog. These dogs do tend to show their ribs a bit. I think that he could benefit from perhaps gaining a few pounds but not much. In terms of his growth, he has likely reach his growth plateau which is why he has not been growing much lately. If he is otherwise doing well in terms of appetite and activity level, I would not worry much. I do think that it would be best to relay this to your veterinarian who knows his medical/preventative care history so that we ensure that his caloric intake is appropriate for his age and most importantly activity level. This is something that can be easily done and make a difference in terms of him gaining some weight. Again, he is very handsome so congrats as it looks like you have been taking good care of him. Good luck!

Losing weight could be a sign of many things and it could range from a poor quality dog food, to parasites to something unexpected in a young dog like kidney disease. I do recommend to be safe and have her examined by your veterinarian and have some basic lab work and a stool sample checked for worms. Pay close attention to her bowels for any loose stool, blood or any vomiting which could indicate something like IBD or pancreatic insufficiency. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! He is adorable! If he is acting fine, I don't think you need to worry at this point. Just keep an eye on his weight may be checking every few weeks as you will likely see it go up normally. Dogs sometimes have different feeding routines and may prefer to eat at certain times. Good luck and have a great day!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Loss of appetite and weight loss can be observed with many conditions such as gastroenteritis, dietary indiscretion, kidney disease, pancreatitis, among many other possibilities. He may be so weak that that is why it seems like he is urinating and defecating in his bed and laying on it. I recommend that you have Rooney evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check for these possibilities and others depending on the findings on exam. Treatment would be based on findings. He may have something that he can get over and be fine after. Good luck and have a great day! Hoping for a speedy recovery! 

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!