Old Man Getting Old And Skinny

[Guest deanna]

James turned 12 in April, and has gotten really thin in the last few weeks... I mean, he has always been really skinny since we got him in December. We put a little bit of weight on him and he's lost it again. He'd gained some muscle in his hind legs and that is going away now too. He was at the vet a couple of months ago, looking similarly thin and they said he's in overall good health, just skinny because he's old.

He's probably lost 3 or 4 pounds since then, and can see most of his ribs and hips, spine. He's also just really slowing down.

 

We're taking him to the vet next week when we get home (we're out of town), but just wondering anyone's thoughts on a shaky, rickety old man getting skinny.

 

He eats more than the girls and has beautiful firm "raw" poops, he wanders around in the field picking up dead mice left over from the field mower He'll break into a jog every so often, he naps in the grass. He's not particularly energetic anymore, but not lethargic. He's got old man tired energy. He used to sing to us every day, and we're lucky to get one song a week now.

 

Is he just aging? Should I be particularly worried? I know he's not got much time left with us, but do you think there's something I could be doing for him? He takes rimadyl for his arthritis, he's on soloxine, and a joint supplement.

[TheFullHouse]

You know, there are a lot of greyhounds between the ages of 12 - 15 whose owners say the same thing. They lose a bunch of weight but when at the vet everything is perfect.

 

I've decided they're like older people. My mom used to be a big woman, but in the last year she's lost so much weight I didn't even recognize her when I saw her when I went home.

 

I guess if he's eating and healthy, there's not much you can do.

[Guest SoulsMom]

My Archie (non-grey) is 13.5 years old and I've noticed the same thing with him. He used to be 30lbs, and now he is down to 21lbs, but nothing definitive 'wrong' with him

[Guest deanna]

You know, that's been my thought, and we're going to have him checked at the vet again, just to be sure he's not sick or suffering from something that I don't know about. I guess I just wanted to post here too to check and see if there were any other ideas that I just hadn't thought about, or just don't know about from lack of experience.

 

I've been thinking of his worsening condition like some family friends who got old and frail and just got really skinny. It's kind of sad to look at, he seems happy and healthy otherwise, just old and frail. But it's alarming to see him. Our friend who watches them, I think she had a tear in her eye when she saw him, but agreed that he just looks old and frail.

 

Ugh, this is the part about adopting seniors that I hate

 

ETA: His racing weight was 70ish, and he weighs about 60 now.

Edited June 15, 2010 by deanna

[Guest sheila]

It is kind of what happens to these seniors and you can only do so much. You might add things like pasta or satin balls to keep some weight on him.

If it was me one thing I would discourage is the eating of the the mice. Even field mice can carry diseases that an old dogs system can't handle.

[Guest Energy11]

You could do two things if you'd like.

 

If he hasn't had a good senior blood panel done in a while, that might be a good idea, just to rule out any kidney or liver problems. Another thought I had is, if he is eating mice, he MIGHT have picked up some parasites from them. That is what could be making him thin. Might want to have a fecal done, too.

 

I had a 13 yr old (Dasher) for 8 months, and he was actually a little pudgy, so who knows.

 

Send the old man a hug from us!

[Guest deanna]

The mice thing was just in the last few days, we had the mower out on Friday (and I'm still barfing about it on the inside a little :puke ) so not the cause of skinniness.

I thought we found a lot of dead mice, then the dogs went and picked up all the ones we didn't find. Totally nasty. Also, alarming how many mice there were in the field!!

 

But you're right, I'll keep an eye for runny poops and ask the vet about that.

 

And yes, about the senior blood panel. I hadn't thought of that. I believe he had one done about 9 months ago, just before we got him. (His previous owner was dying of cancer, and took such good care of him. She had a full medical eval done on him before she died, so his new owners would have it when they got him )

 

Thanks for the advice.

Edited June 15, 2010 by deanna

[ZoomDoggy]

Yes, I've been going through this with my ol' man Tipper. He's been to the vet several times already this year (blood and stool all good), and nothing is explicitly wrong with him. For which I'm grateful. But he's just getting skinnier and wobblier, and recently had a bout of puking and diarrhea that didn't help matters. I'm still working on getting that shaped up.

 

But yeah, sometimes I think they just fade a little as they age. Guess I should just count myself lucky he has lived to be an ol' man.

[NevadasMom]

Yup...Nevada went through that too. Just part of aging I think. Her labs were always great.

[Guest deanna]

Thanks you guys, I really appreciate the input. I hate to see my old man getting old, but I guess I'm lucky that he's probably just aging and not ill.

[giadog]

Deanna, we're in the same boat with Apu. I just had him at the vet last week, and he's lost about 8 pounds in the past 6 months or so (quite a bit for a boy that was 45 lbs to begin with!). Since he had lost weight, the vet suggested a senior blood panel, and it came back great! Not only was he not suffering any diseases or anything to worry about, she said his body didn't seem to realize he was 12. So we chalked the weight loss up to just being a crotchety old man, and we've been feeding him more.

 

But I agree, it's a little heartwrenching when you can tell they're starting to feel their age.

[Batmom]

I disagree strongly with the "they just get thin when they're old" school of thought. None of mine have. They've lost some muscle mass and thus maybe 1-3 lbs. from peak condition, but a drop from 70 to 60 lbs. says something is wrong.

 

Will he eat more if you feed him more?

[ZoomDoggy]

To clarify, I never meant to suggest that dramatic weight loss in an older hound should be ignored. Just that it *can* happen even when there is no clear reason, despite proper blood panels and fecal tests.

[Batmom]

Didn't mean to suggest those who have older pups who've gotten skinny are doing something wrong -- just, I don't think it's normal.

 

Metabolism and digestion can change as a dog gets older, and foods that absorbed well before might not do so any longer. Normal blood test won't show that but pancreatic enzyme test might.

 

There are also disease processes that don't show up in normal bloodwork. If there's dramatic weight loss and CBC comes back good, I like to do a quick abdominal x-ray to check for masses, enlarged spleen, thickened intestinal walls, etc. Some of those things are nasty and serious, some just getting older and having to adjust food type, feedings per day, etc. Our late whippet had no detectable diseases but did have to eat quite a bit more to maintain weight his last year or two.

 

I do think it is worth checking things out and trying to increase feedings. A dog at appropriate weight feels better and can better fight off any bacteria, viruses, etc. that do creep in.

[krissn333]

Sutra was ill when I got him, and was SO skinny. He ate macaroni and mashed potatoes to get his weight back up. I dislike feeding carbs in large quantities, but, we have to watch fat intake with him as he has pancreatitis. It really did the trick and he built some muscle too. Now he eats TOTW pacific stream, and while that has a decent amount of fat in it, it's "good" fat and has helped keep his weight up.

 

I'd say best to rule out any kidney/liver issues and have the pancreatic enzymes checked as Jey suggested. Could be that he's not absorbing nutrients the way he used to.

[Guest PhillyPups]

My personal experience has been that around the age of 13 it is harder to keep weight on them. This is with nothing medically wrong, just the aging pocess. If you do the 7 = 1 theory that would be the age of 91 in human years, maybe at 91 I'll be thin again too.

 

I feed mine fairly well (better than myself) and take decent care of them. Stepper dropped weight after 13. His back end was wobbly, otherwise he was fairly healthy.

 

DonJuan came to me skinny, and shakey, however he was bitten by a cottonmouth 9 days before, and went through a drastic traumatic life change. His senior blood panel was done and was good for 11-1/2. Will he ever be in the same shape as DonnieDude is at 5? Nope, but he does bounce when I get home, he barks at me and he loves eating. He has put some weight on since he has been with me, but not as much as I would like.

 

 

It is also possible that James is mourning his former owner, which SugarBear, my senior, went through when I lost Runner.

 

I feel if my seniors are happy and eating well then their life is good.

 

There are also some medical procedures that I will not put an older dog through, but that is me.

Edited June 16, 2010 by PhillyPups

[sweetdogs]

I've got an old man here (13) & it does make me sad sometimes to see how much muscle he's lost. But then I remember that he is here! And aside from some sliding kidney values that may be the reason for some of his weight loss, he's healthy & happy.

 

I think some of those fresh eggs & some goat milk yogurt will help.

[Guest tadamass]

my within-days 13 y o Jerry Springer is also getting thinner. His bones are thinning too and sticking out more and more.

He is so wobbly, first with his back legs and today with a fright, his left front leg was marching like he was in a hitler parade- kinda stiff and uncomfy. could not find any reason for it, but taking him to the vet tomorrow am anyway.

Love having him here, and he is showing no other signs of discomfort. He eats and does reasonable business. Thinking he might have lots of spinal issues, as even in a deep rest, he will often spring up from the floor with a start, maybe something pinched? any meds that could help him? he is on joint supplements, but has been his whole retirement!

[Guest argolola]

We give vanilla Ensure to Rudy when he gets too skinny. The vet gave his thumbs up.

[Guest lizmego]

Dell is my 12 yo that is just not a good eater. He's just not motivated by food. I've had better luck feeding him Nature's Variety raw meat medallions. Its probably an expensive version of satin balls. But he seems to be keeping more weight on with this addition. Plus that I'm changing up his canned food addition to his food too (he's got an iron stomach, in case anyone is concerned about changing foods) and he only gets a heaping spoonful of canned food to his kibble per day.

 

Good luck!

[Guest Mom2Shiloh]

I like Animal Essentials Plant Enzyme supplement (by NaturVet, I believe).. it's similar to ProZyme but my holistic vet likes it better. I've found that with *some* of my older kids, they just aren't processing the nutrients as efficiently any more and a bit of this gives them some help with that.

 

That being said, isn't vanilla Ensure great!! My Agnes has a 'tricky tummy' sometimes in the morning, but if I give her half an Ensure in a bowl she will usually ask for her breakfast within a half hour.

[Guest FullMetalFrank]

Frank isn't as old as some of the greys mentioned; but his physique is definately changing. His once-glorious "buns of steel" (that once prompted his adoption rep to grab his butt from behind and say "I'd know those buns anywhere, how ya doin', Frank?" at a yearly adoption picnic) they are shrinking; he does not run much anymore, his neck is getting that kind of loose "old man" skin... But, no weight loss, just redistribution I guess. I keep a very close eye on their weight even when younger. I think it is important to keep them steady as much as possible. Frankie has never had any issues with not wanting to eat, that's for sure he is a chowhound and would weigh 200# if I'd let him!

 

I think that it might be "normal" for some hounds to lose weight as they age, but not something I would overlook as a normal process of aging. In other words, definately worthy of a vet work-up and some dietary strategies to keep them as close to normal weight as possible. I hope everyone's skinny old men stay in good health for a long time to come!

[Guest mcsheltie]

When you are at the vet's have them take a really good look at his teeth.