My senior dog is very sick, vet can't find cause. What to do?

Poor pup! From your description, it sounds like something is seriously wrong. Trouble walking could be caused by arthritis, a neurologic problem like a stroke or herniated disc in the spine, or generalized weakness due to a severe illness of some kind. A bloated abdomen can be caused by GDV (gastric dilatation volvulus, or "bloat"), which is a life-threatening condition where the stomach fills with air and twists on itself; other possible causes would include congestive heart failure, an abdominal tumor, liver failure, or internal bleeding. These signs are indicative of a severe, possibly life-threatening problem that needs immediate veterinary care, so I would recommend taking your dog to an emergency vet right away. He/she can do blood work and x-rays if needed to help diagnose the problem and see what can be done to help her.

Poor Storm! It's hard to say for sure what might be causing this without seeing him. From what you describe, I would be concerned that he may have a testicular infection or even testicular cancer. If his belly looks swollen, this is often a sign of fluid in the abdomen, which can be caused by cancer, liver failure, heart disease, or internal bleeding. It does sounds like this is a serious problem, so I would recommend having him seen by a vet right away - he/she can do blood work and x-rays to help determine the problem and see what can be done to help him.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! These could be benign or malignant growths. There is no way of knowing for sure without an examination though this represents a reason to seek veterinary care. This is usually determined with an examination and a fine needle aspirate (FNA) or a biopsy. Treatment depends on the findings up to that point. I think it would be best to have her evaluated before considering euthanasia as this may be able to be treated. I recommend you have Savano evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck and have a good night!

I'm sorry your dog isn't feeling well. Regarding your comment about leaving kibble in his bowl without eating it, yet still eating 2 cans of food a day and some treats--it sounds like he is getting enough food and appetite is not a problem. When you say he is "pooping everything out," is he having diarrhea? Or does it seem that he is losing weight even though he is eating a lot? Or is he pooping very frequently? To review the list of problems/symptoms that you have given: *losing weight even though he is eating a lot (if this is what you mean by "pooping everything out") *uncomfortable/moaning *enlarged liver *blood test negative for Cushings disease Considering that he is 13, given the problem list above one of the biggest things I would worry about is cancer of some kind, and arthritis may be contributing to his discomfort. Unfortunately there is not any ONE test for cancer, so its not something your vet can just submit a blood sample and get an answer for. If you are wanting to KNOW what her diagnosis is, your vet will need to run full lab work (a full chemistry profile, a complete blood count, and a urinalysis), take X-rays of his chest, and probably perform an abdominal ultrasound (sonogram of the belly) as well. If an abnormality is discovered on X-rays or ultrasound, a biopsy may needed. Regardless of the cause, and even if you don't have funds to do a lot of diagnostics, you can focus on making him comfortable, with the understanding that his time may be limited. Ask your vet about pain medications. Don't worry about him not eating kibble--if he prefers canned food that is fine. I'm sorry I cannot give you black and white answers as to what is wrong. But he's a very lucky boy to have someone who cares so much for him. Wishing you both the best. Thanks so much for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I am very sorry to hear about your labrador. It sounds like he needs to have diagnostic imaging (x-rays or preferably ultrasound) performed to examine the abdominal cavity, or if that is not an option, an exploratory surgery may be needed. I would be concerned about a large abscess or a tumor that had a cystic or abscessed area, but truly to determine the cause and whether or not treatment will be helpful further investigation is needed.

i am afraid these could be benign or malignant tumors. Since Nealy is an older dog, this is not uncommon. Lipomas (fatty tumors, usually benign, they can actually be hard) or mast cell tumors come to mind when looking at your photos. It could also be a very extreme allergic reaction to possibly a shampoo at the groomers. 1) do not panic 2) make an appointment with your veterinarian for an exam. He will likely want to take a so-called FNA (Fine Needle Biopsy) where he takes a small amount of tissue through an injection needle, puts this on a glass plate and looks at it under the microscope. This will give your vet an idea what he is dealing with. He may also send this material to a lab to be examined. Once you and dyour veterinarian know what type of mass you are dealing with , you can discuss treatment plans.

I'm glad that Bailey seems to be feeling okay despite her new abdominal distension. The abdomen can become distended from either a mass or fluid accumulation from right sided congestive heart failure, liver failure, or cancer. Any of these conditions can progress and worsen rapidly, so I recommend taking Bailey to her vet fairly urgently for evaluation to get to the bottom of this issue. She may need to have chest and abdominal x-rays and/or ultrasound, or have a sample of fluid drained from her abdomen for analysis. I hope this helps and that all goes well for Bailey!