Why does my senior Shih Tzu have loose skin under her chin?

Some dogs can naturally have very loose skin. However, if you feel that this is a sudden change, then this could be a sign of weight loss. Check to see if his collar is looser as well. If you think that he is losing weight, he should be evaluated by your veterinarian.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Puppies normally have a lot of loose skin. If Lucas is healthy, is gaining weight appropriately and hasn’t lost weight I think he is fine. Also if their coating is thinning then it can cause the loose skin to be more obvious. Have a good day!

Some breeds of dog can have wrinkling over the skin and neck as a normal thing. Unless the area is irritated, red, or bothersome to Charlie, and he is otherwise healthy and acting normal, I wouldn't worry.

I would guess that these are sebaceous adenomas or benign skin growths that are common in older dogs. There are some other skin tumors that could look similar however and it would be best to have your veterinarian examine Linguine in person to be 100% sure.

If the weight loss is more than 10% of the her body weight, this could be abnormal and should ideally checked. Gastrointestinal abnormal absorption of nutrients may be present and should be investigated. Usually chronic gastrointestinal inflammations/infections are responsible for it. I would start with a blood test and some imaging procedures of the abdomen (an ultrasound).

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Rosie! Since Rosie is older I would have her examined by a Vet. There are some endocrine conditions like hypothyroidism (low thyroid) and cushings disease that can change the hair coat. Also underlying metabolic conditions can affect the health of the fur and since you mentioned that she appears thin, I think full blood work (with a thyroid and urine) is what Rosie needs. I hope this helps and I wish Rosie the best!

That may be just normal pigmentation changes. If the skin feels, or looks rougher than normal, if there are scabs or if she itches those areas then I would be more concerned. I hope this was helpful!