My senior Aussie is eating mud, losing weight. What should I do?

Maggie needs to be examined by the veterinarian. Weight loss generally indicates a disease process and that could be many things ranging from a heavy parasite burden to cancer. At nine years old Maggie is considered a senior citizen so disease processes become more likely. Take in a sample of the feces for testing and she will likely need some bloodwork as well. Many diseases have better responses, and an easier treatment if they are caught early so time is important. Have her examined within the next 24 hours. Best of luck.

It appears that poor Oreo is having some sort of intestinal problem. This is often due to an infection or parasites, but can indicate other disorders of the digestive system. Loose stools are not too concerning, but a dog that stops eating is. Dogs usually have to feel rather bad to stop eating. Considering this, it's best to have Oreo seen by a vet in the next 24 hours. It's difficult to know how concerning this is without seeing him, but if he's otherwise acting normal, then I would not be too worried. It's best to just get him checked. The vet will be able to help narrow-down the cause of this and give medication to make him feel better. If you have further questions or need further clarification, then you may consider having an online consult with one of our vets on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. This way, you can send unlimited pictures and have a text conversation with a vet. I hope that helps and Oreo feels better soon.

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm sorry to hear that Gum seems to have a decreased appetite and is more lethargic. While these are vague clinical signs, these may be due to some sort of underlying disease of either the gastrointestinal tract, liver or kidney disease, and/or a possible neoplastic or cancerous process. Since he has had a decreased appetite long enough to lose weight, I recommend having him evaluated by your veterinarian at their next available appointment. Your vet can perform bloodwork to look for any evidence of systemic illness that may be contributing to his clinical signs. His clinical signs are unlikely due to behavioral changes alone. I hope this is helpful - best of luck with Gum!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Oreo. I recommend that she sees a veterinarian soon. It sounds like she is experiencing multiple issues. If she is painful, she will experience difficulty with her mobility. This can also affect her appetite. The veterinarian will examine her and determine the source of her mobility issues. Laboratory work may be recommended to determine if there is another cause of her decreased appetite and if she is healthy enough for pain medications. In the meantime, carry her as much as possible. Do not give any over-the-counter pain medications as these can be toxic to dogs. I hope this information helps!

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!

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!

It sounds like Oreo needs some blood testing done. Even though she is young she could have a problem with her kidneys or liver that is making her not want to eat. She could also have a problem with her intestinal tract that is not allowing her to absorb nutrients (EPI, PLE, etc) or even some internal parasites. Please get her in for some testing. This is not something you will likely be able to fix at home. If she was eating well you could try diet changes to help with weight gain but the fact that she is not interested in eating is very concerning. There must be an underlying reason and that needs to be figured out. If you have more questions please feel free to post again. Best wishes.