Why is my senior dog losing weight and only eating human food?

Based on the photos, Ella appears to be a healthy weight - however, any unexplained weight loss is always worth investigating. Your friend is correct that worms can cause weight loss. Other possibilities include decreased appetite, vomiting, increased activity, or possibly something more serious. It would be ideal to establish care with a veterinarian so that you can start a log of her weight over time, to determine how much she is losing. Your veterinarian can check a fecal sample for parasites and perform any additional tests as needed.

Her symptoms could be due to any number of things: * intestinal parasites (worms) * endocrine disease (Cushings, thyroid, Addisons, etc) * liver, kidney or other organ failure/disease * cancer * etc...... Her symptoms sound serious and I think you need to have her examined by your veterinarian. Weeks of weight loss and diarrhea is not good. Even if the vet finds that it is just old age there are medications she can be given to help her walk better and be more comfortable.

I would definitely recommend some blood work, if this hasn't been done recently. Older dogs are prone to a number of health issues that can cause decreased appetite along with being less active - chronic kidney disease and hypothyroidism are two possibilities that are both very common. In many cases, these issues are treatable (at least to some extent) once a diagnosis is made, so it's well worth checking for them if you can - hopefully, there are some things you can do to make him feel better for as long as possible, even though he's getting older.

Sorry to hear Daisy is unwell! If Daisy is losing weight despite having a good appetite it suggests something is going wrong in her digestive tract meaning she can't get the goodness from her food. Because she is a young dog there could be a condition from birth causing this or a problem she has developed. However what I suspect is the problem is a high worm burden. You say she passed a lot in her faeces, so she will have many inside. Because she is weak and has lost a lot of weight I would take her to the vet because it may not be a case of simply worming her, she may need more treatment if her gut is damaged by the worms. The vet will also be able to give you a good worming product which you should use regularly.

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.

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! 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.