Why is my senior dog skinny but still energetic and vet says healthy?

Dogs can get thin as they get senior or geriatric. I recommend giving a good quality senior diet and you may try adding in another small meal during the day or before bed. Giving additional healthy dog treats will increase the calories he’s eating to prevent continued weight loss. If he starts not eating well, or the weight loss continues I do recommend a veterinary exam and tests to determine the reason so you can start any treatment if needed before he gets too debilitated. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Oban.

I agree with your vet. Only someone who doesn't know the meaning of emaciated would call this dog emaciated. Yes, she is very lean, but she is well muscled (including the back area you mentioned), which indicates that she is getting adequate nutrition and is not suffering from an illness. Body condition scoring is not an exact science, because if you look at the guide you may call her a 3/9. This is because you can see her ribs. However, knowing how lean this dog is, I would put her more around a 4/9. No matter the score, she is in perfect condition - really, she's a great looking dog. I'll also note that studies have shown that dogs with these lower body condition scores tend to be healthier and live longer. The truth is that most people are used to seeing fat dogs (obesity is just as big of a problem with pet dogs in the U.S. as it is people) and will usually balk at the site of a 4/9, or even a 5/9 dog. I know you are and will continue to get comments from people who think that she is too skinny, but hopefully you are now armed with enough veterinary advice and knowledge that can help let the concerned person know that all is OK. I hope that helps and all is well with Dejah.

Gradual weight loss in an older large breed dog is usually the result of an underlying cancer (particularly intestinal) or an underlying intestinal parasite, or pancreas disorder (exocrine pancreatic disorder) just to name a few. I would start with baseline bloodwork and a fecal exam to get a big picture as to whath is most likely the underlying cause. As long as JJ is still active, happy and clinically normal other than the weight loss, then I would consider doing the testing that he needs. Best of luck with JJ and his weight loss issues. Take care.

According to the symptom of weight loss, otherwise normal and elevations on bloodwork, I would advise having your pet checked for Cushings disease (due to elevated ALP) via a specific test that your vet can go over with you. Also an abdominal ultrasound should be considered as well to check for any obvious masses since the Globulins were a bit high. Weight loss can also be caused by a change in diet as well, especially if your pet was once overweight, so its best to discuss this possibility with your vet as well. Also it is worth mentioning that none of the medications you listed would cause weight loss as an adverse effect. I do hope that things work out well for your pet moving forward. Best wishes and take care!

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. Being able to see the spine and hip bones more than you used to is a common sign of weight loss in dogs. There are lots of things that could cause this in an older dog like Dempsey, including chronic liver or kidney disease, intestinal absorption issues, heart disease, or even cancer. Because of this, I would recommend taking him to the vet for a check-up when you're able to. He/she can do blood work and x-rays if needed to help determine what is causing the weight loss and get him started on appropriate treatment if a problem is found.

Hi there! It does sound like Trooper probably has some type of medical condition that is causing him to lose weight. There are many things that could cause this, so it's hard to say what might be wrong without being able to examine him and run some tests. Some common possibilities in addition to diabetes and cancer in older dogs would include chronic kidney or liver disease, or heart disease. I would recommend taking Trooper to the vet for an exam when you are able to. Your veterinarian can do blood work and x-rays if needed to help diagnose the cause of his weight loss and see what can be done to treat the problem.