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My senior Lab has loose stool, weight loss. What are next steps?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Labrador Retriever | Female | spayed | 13 years and 7 months old | 60 lbs

I have a 13 year old female Lab that for the past month and a half has had loose, yellow stool and has lost at least 10 pds. She eats everything put in front of her and other wise appears to be normal. Our vet has run out of options. Xray, local blood tests, blood sent to a university in Texas, steroids and antibiotics. 3 days after starting the steroids the stool is no longer yellow but still remains very soft. Can you suggest other action? Thank you.

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Jessica Keay, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on June 18th, 2017

I am sorry to hear about Lady! The next steps in diagnostics would include abdominal ultrasound and surgical biopsy to look for possible inflammatory bowel disease or cancer. This is likely why your vet has started steroids (these diseases will sometimes respond to steroids). If this is inflammatory bowel disease a trial of a hydrolyzed protein diet may also be of benefit.

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    Answered By Susan England-Foster

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    I am sorry that lady has been so sick. It sounds like you are trying very hard to make her feel better. I am very concerned with her weight loss if bloodwork is normal my next step would be an abdominal ultrasound. It allows you to look at textures of organs and sometimes you can find a mass in the liver and spleen. I am worried she has cancer that is just not showing up in her lab work yet. However tick born disease, bacterial and fungal disease can cause similar symptoms. However if steroids are making her better a bacterial or fungal disease is less likely.

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