Senior Dachshund Losing Weight With Soft Stool and Mucus
by Alan
(South Africa Johannesburg)
He is still cheerful and prances around at times.
He has had throughout check-up by the vet, with all the necessary expensive tests. She could not find any real reason for his weight loss except a slight swelling in his colon, which showed up us a darkish mass, she said it was unlikely to be cancer, but cancer could not be ruled out completely. All his eternal organs are fine, he does not have diabetes or another he organic diseases.
His appetite is less and he is fussier about what he eats, but he is still eating fairly well. We got him special prescription biscuits, but he dislikes them and refuses to eat them even if we mix them into the food he likes, but should not eat like spaghetti for example
His stools are whet sloppy and surrounded with mucosa, he seems to be drinking a little more water than he used to but it is not excessive.
Could he be suffering from mal- absorption syndrome?
How can we best get him to eat and what should we sublimate his food with?
What foods do you recommend?
If he has cancer, god forbid, I do not want to put him through at his age through chemotherapy. We love him
Weight loss and muscle loss in an older dog, together with soft stools covered in mucus, do suggest a problem with the intestines. Possibilities include inflammatory bowel disease, poor digestion or absorption, or a growth such as the mass seen in his colon. Malabsorption is possible, but it's a description rather than a diagnosis.
Ask your vet whether further tests would help, such as an abdominal ultrasound, blood tests that check digestion and absorption (including B12 and folate), or a biopsy of the colon, which is the only way to know whether the mass is cancer. If you'd rather not do invasive tests, ask about a diet trial and comfort-focused care.
For his appetite: if he refuses the prescription food, ask your vet for a different prescription brand or flavor, since several exist. Warm the food slightly, offer small meals more often, and don't fill him up on human foods. Your vet can also prescribe an appetite stimulant. Weigh him every week or two so you can track any change.
Don't add supplements without your vet's advice. If his B12 is low, your vet can treat that, and some dogs with colon problems do better on a highly digestible or added-fibre food. Choosing not to pursue chemotherapy is a valid, caring decision. Comfort-focused (palliative) care can keep him eating and feeling well for as long as possible.
See mucus in dog poop and our dog poop chart.
This is general information, not a diagnosis. Please follow your own vet's advice.
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