My 7-year-old dog is losing weight fast. What tests should my vet do?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
Pet's info: Dog | Treeing Walker Coonhound | Male | neutered | 7 years and 9 months old | 61 lbs
My dog is 7 and has lost 15 lbs in 3 weeks and iv had him checked for worms and it was negative and his gums are bright red but not tarter on his teeth I have them cleaned regularly and he is running a temp of 102 and his heart and lungs sounded good my vet said so I was wondering is my vet missing something or what should my next step be . He still has energy but wears down faster then normal and he eats none stop but it’s like nothing helps him gain weight I have even added puppy to his diet
2 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on January 15th, 2018
Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I can see that Stone is a little thin from the photos, and the amount of weight he has lost in the past 3 weeks is definitely cause for concern. The next steps after checking for intestinal parasites include blood work to make sure that there isn't an underlying infection present and that organ function is normal. It can also determine that food is being digested and nutrients are absorbed appropriately. X-rays and an ultrasound can rule out masses, obstructions, and inflamed bowels. I hope this helps and am happy to answer any other questions you may have!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Related Answers from Veterinarians
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Published on September 9th, 2018
Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. I would certainly consider intestinal parasites as a cause, especially with weight loss, so I would recommend asking your veterinarian to run these tests. The weight loss has be concerned that there is something else that is going on that has not yet been diagnosed. If blood tests are coming back normal, I would recommend having an abdominal ultrasound performed to see if there are any abnormalities that may indicate Cooper has Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) or some other GI inflammatory disease. 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.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
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