Your senior dog Has kidney failure
Kidney failure is found in dogs just like it is people, and losing weight but still drinking a lot of water are signs of this condition. Chronic kidney disease affects older dogs and often times happens over a long period of time. Advanced dental disease is one of the main culprits of kidney failure, which happens due to the bacteria spreading to vital organs such as the kidneys, liver, and heart.
Depression, vomiting, weight loss, loss of appetite, increased drinking of water, chemical odor on breath, and pale gums are all signs of kidney disease and kidney failure. There is acute kidney disease and chronic kidney disease, so the treatment depends on the type and severity of the condition. Some treatments include urine producing drugs, vomiting control, gastrointestinal medications, anemia correction, high blood pressure management, blood electrolyte management, and dialysis.
Treatment of Cushing’s syndrome in dogs
Cushings syndrome can affect the pituitary and/or adrenal glands. Treatment will depend on which are most affected:
Cushings disease can cause a hyper-calcification of the blood, leading to lesions on the skin. Learn more with our article on calcinosis cutis in dogs.
Around 1 in 500 dogs suffer from diabetes mellitus, with type I diabetes being the most prevalent in canines. Specifically, middle-aged and older dogs are the most likely to develop the disease. Unneutered females and certain breeds such as the Beagle, Poodle or Schnauzer are also at risk.
Type I diabetes in dogs occurs as a result of a primary injury to the pancreas, which prevents pancreatic cells from producing insulin. As a consequence, the cells are not able to capture the glucose present in the blood and its levels increase (hyperglycemia). When it exceeds a certain threshold, glucose is filtered by the kidney, dragging water with it and increasing the volume of urine (polyuria). As a consequence, the body responds by increasing water intake (polydipsia) to avoid dehydration.
The clinical picture of diabetic patients is characterized by ‘the 3 Ps’. Polyuria and polydipsia, have already been mentioned. Added to these are polyphagia (greater appetite). Weight loss is also common. Therefore, if your older dog drinks a lot of water and eats normally, but loses weight, they may have diabetes.
Despite being a chronic pathology for which there is no curative treatment, correct therapeutic management allows diabetic dogs to enjoy a good quality of life. Specifically, treatment should be based on:
Tumors or neoplasms are geriatric diseases with an incidence that increases progressively as dogs age. Old dogs are most affected as the average age of tumor development is 9 years.
Some tumors, such as lymphosarcomas, carcinomas or adenocarcinomas of the anal sacs, tend to produce hypercalcemia (increased calcium in the blood). They do so by releasing or interacting with the hormones responsible for regulating calcium levels in the blood. This hypercalcemia can produce cause polydipsia in senior dogs, among other clinical signs. If you are wondering why my older dog drinks a lot of water, you should know that a tumor may be responsible.
Find out some general guidelines for detecting such diseases with our complete senior dog care guide.
Primary hyperparathyroidism is an endocrine disease that affects older dogs (average 11 years). Certain breeds are more commonly affected, including the Labrador Retriever, German Shepherd and the Keeshond. It occurs as a result of an injury to the parathyroid gland, which alters the production of parathormone (PTH) and causes an increase in calcium levels in the blood (hypercalcemia).
As mentioned above, hypercalcemia causes a very marked increase in urine output and water consumption. In addition, it is possible to observe:
In cases of severe hypercalcemia, it is necessary to reduce calcium levels in the blood through fluid therapy, corticosteroids, furosemide and bisphosphonates. After these therapies are administered, it is necessary to perform surgical intervention (parathyroidectomy) to eliminate the cause of the pathology.
As you have seen, all the causes that cause an old dog to drink more water than normal and urinate more must be treated by a specialist. It is essential to go to the veterinary center as soon as your see any abnormal physical or behavioral symptoms.
Another symptom to look out for in senior dogs is appetite loss. Find out more with our article on why my old dog isnt eating anymore.
This article is purely informative. AnimalWised does not have the authority to prescribe any veterinary treatment or create a diagnosis. We invite you to take your pet to the veterinarian if they are suffering from any condition or pain.
If you want to read similar articles to My Old Dog Is Drinking Lots of Water, we recommend you visit our Other health problems category.
Why Is My Dog Losing Weight Even Though He Is Eating?
Dogs can lose weight for all sorts of reasons. Here, we discuss several common causes of weight loss in older dogs that are still eating.
Diabetic pets lose weight quickly because their bodies are not able to generate sufficient insulin to help them convert their food into usable energy. Most diabetic dogs will also have other signs in addition to weight loss with the most common one being increased drinking and urination.
Many owners with diabetic dogs will notice that their dogs are ‘always at the water bowl’ or recall that they were having to fill up the water bowl way more than normal. In dogs, diabetics are typically Type 1 which means their pancreas is unable to produce adequate insulin to regulate glucose adequately. Dogs that are diagnosed with diabetes will typically need insulin supplementation for life and can get very sick without it.
Signs of diabetes in dogs may include the following symptoms, excessive urination, increased hunger, and frequent water consumption. Cataracts may be developed because of diabetes.
As dogs age, the cellular function of many of their organs and systems can begin to experience decline. Dog’s kidneys are a common place where we start to see disease. Many dogs will develop something called chronic kidney disease which is best picked up with bloodwork and urinalysis. Chronic kidney disease can gradually cause something called cachexia which is muscle wasting.
In addition, many dogs with chronic kidney disease will start having a decreased appetite because they do not feel as good. If you notice any signs of increased drinking, urination, decreased appetite or lethargy then that is a reason to bring in your pet to the vet right away.
It is important to note that not all dogs with kidney disease will look ‘sick’ or even show weight loss at various stages of the disease. Early in the disease, dogs will often look normal and even have good body condition. Something as subtle as a mild increase in thirst or urination may be the only sign you see. So even if you notice a small change in your dog, it’s best to have him checked out by your vet.
Because old dogs do not always show signs of kidney disease, it is even more essential that you keep a close eye on the overall health with regular visits to the vet even when they seem healthy. Performing bloodwork and a urinalysis performed on them annually or semi-annually is also recommended.
A common sign of cancer in old dogs can be weight loss and loss of muscle mass. This type of weight loss is often one of the first symptoms that many dog owners observe in their sick pets. Not all dogs with cancer will have weight loss so keep an eye out for changes such as decreased appetite, lethargy, new bumps, diarrhea or vomiting, increased drinking and urination, and limping.
The truth is that older dogs have very few ways to ‘tell you’ that something hurts or is off. So, changes such as lethargy and withdrawn behavior should prompt you to schedule an examination for your dog with your vet. The veterinarian can perform diagnostic tests to confirm or rule out the presence of cancer; once the diagnosis has been made, treatments will be available for your pet.
Heart problems in dogs can easily go undetected for a long time because sometimes there are few, even subtle signs. Some will develop heart disease with age. Older dogs with more advanced lung or heart disease can certainly experience weight loss due to a process called cachexia. Parasites such as heartworm disease can also cause heart disease and contribute to the risk of heart failure in an older dog.
If you know your dog has a heart murmur and you are noticing weight loss, schedule an appointment with your vet to bring it up. For older dogs with a heart murmur, any signs of increased breathing rate or effort, reluctance to sit down or appearing difficult to get comfortable are all considered emergencies and veterinary care should be sought out immediately. If you are not sure if that is what you are seeing then call your vet or an emergency vet. It is always better to be cautious in these situations.
Another cause of weight loss can be gastrointestinal disease which can affect the stomach, intestines, pancreas, or colon. If your dog has any signs of vomiting or diarrhea even if it is chronic and they seem ‘ok’ otherwise, this can be a sign of underlying gastrointestinal disease. This can include anything from inflammatory bowel disease parasites, cancer or more.
Your vet may recommend starting with diagnostics such as bloodwork, ultrasound and/or X-rays, a fecal.
On occasion, inadequate calories can be a cause for weight loss. So paying attention to what your dog eats compared to what they used to eat is important. Keeping a food journal and calculating total daily calories is also really helpful.
If you have multiple dogs or feed them all out of one bowl, it is best to stop that practice and have a feeding system in place so you can see who is eating what and how much. It is really hard to determine if a dog is getting adequate calories or changes in calories if you have multiple dogs sharing out of a bowl that is down all day.
Why Your Older Dog Is Losing Weight And What To Do?
It can be a struggle when you see your once well-conditioned older dog begin to lose weight. Learn some common causes below!
Seeing your old dog starting to lose weight unintentionally is tough. Especially if your dog spent most of its life in good condition! For some senior dogs, you may see the weight loss occur slowly over time. Yet for others, it may be something that happens quickly and before you even have time to intervene!
Many dog owners are concerned about weight loss in their older dogs. This blog will focus on discussing some common causes of weight loss and what you should do if you see this in your older dog. We will also look at how you can make sure that your dog is still healthy.