Why is my senior dog suddenly reactive, shedding, and not eating?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Rosie! Since Rosie is older I would have her examined by a Vet. There are some endocrine conditions like hypothyroidism (low thyroid) and cushings disease that can change the hair coat. Also underlying metabolic conditions can affect the health of the fur and since you mentioned that she appears thin, I think full blood work (with a thyroid and urine) is what Rosie needs. I hope this helps and I wish Rosie the best!

Hi and thanks for posting. Sounds like this is unusual behavior for Ruby and certainly is concerning. There can be a number of things that may be going on here and it is very hard to say what exactly is the cause without examining Ruby in person. I would recommend Ruby sees a veterinarian for a hands on exam as soon as possible to help pinpoint where the problem is. Your veterinarian may also recommend x-rays, blood work, fecal testing, or other tests to aide in an accurate diagnosis.

If only Rubie could talk! I recommend to have Rubie examined by the veterinarian today. new behavior like this could indicate low blood sugar or liver problems causing ammonia levels to build up in the blood stream. Best to play it safe and rule out a medical cause. I hope this gets figured out quickly and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Hair loss and increased appetite are common causes of an endocrine disorder called Cushings disease. This is a common problem in older dogs and they usually are drinking more water then normal as well. I would highly encourage you to consider having Diamon evaluated by a veterinarian soon. They may recommend blood work to help determine the diagnosis. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

Hello, and thank you for your question. Possible causes of itching and hair loss in dogs include parasites (fleas, mites), skin infections (bacterial, fungal), or allergies (food, environmental). If she is very uncomfortable due to itching, this may explain her low appetite. I would suggest a vet visit in the morning to help determine the cause of her skin problems. They may perform a skin scraping, skin cytology, or culture. They may be able to provide medication to provide her some relief and comfort from her itching, and treat the source of the problem as well. I hope this helps, and that Sophie is feeling better soon!

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I recommend a vet visit for Toby to assess the cause of his hairloss. Hairloss can be from allergies, parasites, endocrine disorders or breed related alopecia. Depending on what the veterinarian finds during Toby's exam they may recommend diagnostic testing to look for a primary skin disorder or bloodwork to check for endocrine (such as thyroid or adrenal gland) abnormalities. I hope this helps.

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. If you have been having difficulty in getting his weight down, it certainly could be from a disease such as hypothyroidism. If you have not had a veterinarian examine him and test his thyroid level, I would suggest doing so to rule this out as a cause. If his thyroid level is normal then you may want to enquire about Hills Metabolic Diet. The vet would need to provide you with a prescription for this food as well. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.