ASK THE VET
With Rory Thomson
Q: Goochie, my 13-year-old pug, has lost a lot of weight and is peeing all the time and drinking lots of water. Her back legs also seem to be very weak. Is there anything that can be done for her? DONNA WALKER, London A. Many clients with older pets in this condition will put off taking their pet to the vet due to fears that the pet has got old, has a deteriorating quality of life and therefore the vet will immediately recommend euthanasia. Although an older dog that is drinking and urinating excessively, losing weight and has weak back legs may have a terminal condition such as kidney failure or cancer, which ultimately may require euthanasia, it is not worth giving up hope. Depending on the type of cancer, there may be some palliative treatment that will help improve the dogs clinical signs. In terms of kidney failure, the earlier treatment is started, the slower the deterioration is likely to be.
In this case, I would want to check a urine sample and a blood sample as Goochie may not have anything terminal at all and may have an endocrine condition such as diabetes mellitus. Often, diabetic dogs also have a good appetite. If Goochie has diabetes, treatment with insulin injections at home can lead to a resolution of the clinical signs and improved quality of life for potentially years to come. Treatment may also help the back leg weakness if it is relating to muscle wastage caused by diabetes. There are various other possible causes of these signs and so getting an appointment with your vet and taking a urine sample along for analysis would help work out what is causing these signs and hopefully something can be done to improve Goochie’s quality of life. Please note that advice in this section is for general guidance, and if your pet is very unwell you should contact your veterinary surgeon as soon as possible as this advice does not replace the need for a clinical examination of your pet. Rory Thomson is part of the team at St Clair Veterinary Care in Croft Road, Blyth. If you have a question, fill out the online form at chroniclelive.co.uk/askthevet