Unexplained Weight Loss in GSDs: Beaner’s Weight Loss. What Would You Do if It Was Your Dog?

Beaner was a 10-year-old German Shepherd mix.

When Beaner started losing weight, her mom didn’t think much of it because she was trying to get Beaner a bit thinner–weight loss was what they were trying to accomplish.

Unexplained Weight Loss in GSDs: Beaner's Weight Loss. What Would You Do if It Was Your Dog?

Weight loss, however, was soon followed by other symptoms.

Beaner started shedding more than normal and her skin was becoming dry and flaky. It was not the fact she was shedding but how much fur she was losing. Beaner’s mom tried supplementing for skin and coat health but it was not making any difference.

Beaner was also becoming depressed and irritable. She lost interest in play and snuggling and became intolerant of her housemates. Her eyes were sunken and she literally looked sad. She was always hungry and started eating poop, her own and her housemates’.

In spite of increasing Beaner’s food rations, she continued to lose weight and acted as if she was starving.

Beaner’s stomach was making all sorts of noises and she had bad gas. Her mom started wondering whether Beaner’s food didn’t agree with her or whether she might have some parasites. She called a vet who asked for a fresh stool sample to analyze.

Before that could happen, Beaner made a turn for the worse. After a play, Beaner came in and virtually collapsed on the floor. Her muscles had been weakening and after a few minutes of play, she was unable to hold herself up.

Beaner’s mom became concerned that Beaner might have cancer.

When Beaner’s mom went to get the poop sample, she noticed it was slimy and gray in color. This was the first time she got a good look at it. Poop is not supposed to look like that. Once the veterinarian got to see the stool and analyze a blood sample and urine, they knew what was going on with Beaner right away.

What would you make of Beaner’s symptoms?  What would you do if she was your dog?

Read Beaner’s full story here:

Weight Loss, Brittle Fur, Starving all the Time: Beaner’s Story

Further reading:
Weight Loss – Abnormal in Dogs

Categories: Conditions • Diagnoses • Dog health advocacy • Excessive hunger • Symptoms • Unexplained weigh loss

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Jana Rade

I am a graphic designer, dog health advocate, writer, and author. Jasmine, the Rottweiler of my life, was the largest female from her litter. We thought we were getting a healthy dog. Getting a puppy from a backyard breeder was our first mistake. Countless veterinary visits without a diagnosis or useful treatment later, I realized that I had to take Jasmine's health care in my own hands. I learned the hard way that merely seeing a vet is not always enough. There is more to finding a good vet than finding the closest clinic down the street. And, sadly, there is more to advocating for your dog's health than visiting a veterinarian. It should be enough, but it often is not. With Jasmine, it took five years to get a diagnosis. Unfortunately, other problems had snowballed for that in the meantime. Jasmine's health challenges became a crash course in understanding dog health issues and how to go about getting a proper diagnosis and treatment. I had to learn, and I had to learn fast. Helping others through my challenges and experience has become my mission and Jasmine's legacy. I now try to help people how to recognize and understand signs of illness in their dogs, how to work with their veterinarian, and when to seek a second opinion. My goal is to save others the steep curve of having to learn things the hard way as I did. That is the mission behind my blog and behind my writing. That is why I wrote Symptoms to Watch for in Your Dog, which has turned out being an award-winning guide to dog owners. What I'm trying to share encompasses 20 years of experience.

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