Why is my senior dachshund panting, whimpering, and eating less?

Panting heavily when it is not hot in the environment is usually a sign of pain or discomfort. If Mia has had a poor appetite for a few days, it is possible that she has a chronic condition such as liver or kidney disease that can be diagnosed on routine screening bloodwork. Unfortunately at age 12, especially for a large breed dog, serious/not curable conditions such as cancer (usually diagnosed on chest/abdominal X-rays) is a possibility as well. Less scary possible causes of the panting could be discomfort from pancreatitis which is often caused by table food and treated with fluid therapy +/- anti-nausea medication, or pain from arthritis which can be treated with pain meds pending screening bloodwork to rule out pre-existing liver/kidney issues. Especially since Mia seems uncomfortable, it would be best to bring her to your vet for an evaluation. Good luck!

It is very concerning that Romo is suddenly lethargic, and now won't eat or drink as well as heavy panting. At his age, these signs could be symptomatic of a serious illness such as heart disease, systemic illness, or organ failure. Any breathing problems should be considered an emergency. Given his older age and the sudden onset of symptoms, the best thing to do is having him seen by a vet as soon as possible. The vet can diagnose what is causing his symptoms and how best to treat him.

Buster may be in pain as shaking and panting is often a sign of pain. Excessive panting is also often a sign of Cushing's disease. I suggest you take Buster to a veterinarian for an exam. Dachshunds are prone to intervertebrate disk disease due to their long back and short legs, and that would be very painful. An x-ray can rule this out. Cushing's disease can be ruled out with a blood test. Please find a way to schedule an appointment with your vet for Buster.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Onyx. I would recommend bloodwork to look for any underlying disease that can cause panting. Cushing's disease for example, is an adrenal gland disorder that will cause the dog to pant excessively. In middle age to older patients panting can also be the result of canine cognitive dysfunction. This is a disorder somewhat similar to Alzheimer's disease in people. There is no specific test for this, it is determined by your veterinarian asking you questions. Finally, anxiety can result in panting. There are anti-anxiety medications available help if this is the case. I hope this information helps!

Thank you for your question! The increased panting could be due to a number of things. Based on your location, the outside temperature could be making things a bit more warm for Reese and as he is an older guy, he most likely does not tolerate the heat as well as he used to. Due to his age, I would certainly want a basic blood panel run on Reese to see if there are any systemic causes of the panting. I know this is not necessarily a low cost option but it would give you the most information to start with. If the cataracts are causing blindness and consequently causing anxiety due to this, there unfortunately is not much for a low cost option to help with the cataracts. I would see if putting a fan nearby reduces his panting. For anxiety, you can try an Adaptil collar and diffuser (all available online) to see if this helps with anxiety and the panting. If no improvement, I would definitely get in to see your regular veterinarian for a further, more detailed workup. Hope this helps and do feel free to contact me with any further questions / concerns you may have.

Difficulty breathing and panting could be a sign of heart disease or respiratory disease. Congestive heart failure would be the most common heart problem, while pneumonia, bronchitis, pleural effusion/fluid in the lungs would be some common respiratory problems. I would recommend seeing an emergency veterinarian as soon as possible if you feel Rex is having trouble breathing.

Hi there. Breathing hard or panting at rest can be due to a number of different things. Some common possibilities in an older dog would include hypothyroidism, Cushing's disease, liver problems, or heart disease. It's also possible that he's simply hot, or that he is somewhat painful or uncomfortable due to his arthritis. I would recommend taking him to the vet for an exam when you are able to. Your veterinarian can do blood work to check for these problems and get him started on appropriate treatment if any abnormalities are found.