Ask Dr. Paola- Help! My Dog is Really Thin! (May 4, 2026)

Welcome to our “Ask Dr. Paola” sequence, the place each Monday we deliver professional recommendation straight from Dr. Paola Cuevas (MVZ) to assist our readers higher perceive their canine’s well being and well-being.

Whether or not you’re a brand new pet dad or mum or a seasoned canine lover, Dr. Paola is right here to supply solutions to your most urgent questions. From diet suggestions and preventive care to troubleshooting widespread behavioral points, Dr. Paola is able to supply insights that may hold your furry good friend completely happy and wholesome. Keep tuned for professional steering on a spread of matters that matter most to you and your canine, so you may make knowledgeable choices and supply the absolute best care to your canine companion. ‎Have‎ a ‎question? Send it in here!

Assist! My Canine is So Skinny I Can Really feel His Ribs!

“My Schnauzer-schnoodle Sammie is sort of 8 years previous. He has gotten actually skinny. He eats just a bit bit. He will get an hour stroll on daily basis. He’s very skinny, and I can really feel his ribs. How can I get some weight on him? His food regimen is Ollie twice a day. Minimal treats.“ – Kathleen

Expensive Kathleen.

When a canine like Sammie begins to drop some weight and his urge for food drops, it’s the physique asking us to look slightly deeper reasonably than merely providing extra meals. Feeling his ribs extra simply tells us he’s losing both fat and muscle, which isn’t anticipated in a secure grownup canine. At this age, modifications like this are sometimes linked to dental discomfort, digestive inefficiency, or metabolic circumstances that have an effect on how the physique makes use of vitamins, even when the diet itself is balanced.

The kindest and handiest subsequent step is a veterinary go to with a full bodily examination, together with a cautious take a look at his mouth, together with bloodwork and a urinalysis. These enable us to grasp what his physique wants as an alternative of guessing. Within the meantime, you may gently help him by making meals extra inviting, barely warming his meals to reinforce the odor, and providing smaller, extra frequent parts. Conserving his each day walks regular however not overly demanding helps defend his power reserves when you work towards solutions, so he’s supported each nutritionally and bodily throughout this transition.

Sincerely,

– Dr. Paola

If you would like actual time solutions to your questions, you may discuss to one among our veterinarians on-line. Click on on the picture or button beneath:

Assist! My White Canine Has Purple Hair in Non-public Spots!

“Daisy has reddish hair round her privates, and it’s darkish within the creases. Additionally appears like she ate one thing reddish round her mouth. She is white. Not bloody undecided what prompted it.” – Rita

Hello Rita,

What you might be noticing with Daisy is one thing I see very often in white-coated canine, and it may well look alarming at first look. That reddish discoloration across the mouth and close to her privates is mostly associated to saliva staining of the fur. Canines naturally produce compounds referred to as porphyrins, and when saliva sits on the hair, particularly in lighter coats, it may well depart that rust coloured tint over time. The darker areas within the creases are often the place moisture lingers, which may result in staining and generally delicate yeast overgrowth.

Despite the fact that it appears uncommon, this isn’t usually one thing to fret about, particularly since you aren’t seeing recent redness or discharge. It’s extra associated to moisture and repeated licking in those areas. A delicate routine could make an enormous distinction right here; calmly cleansing and drying these areas helps scale back buildup and hold the pores and skin wholesome. It’s also useful to concentrate to how a lot she is licking, since a rise could be a signal of irritation or underlying discomfort. If the pores and skin begins to look thickened, develops an odor, or the licking turns into extra frequent, having your veterinarian take a better look will assist hold her snug and prevent progression.

Variety regards,

– Dr. Paola

Assist! My Canine Doesn’t Cease Barking!

“How do I cease extreme barking?” – Linda

Hey Linda,

Excessive barking is never only a “dangerous behavior,” as it’s often your canine’s approach of speaking that one thing of their surroundings or emotional state wants consideration. Frequent drivers embrace boredom, anxiousness, alerting to sounds, or realized consideration searching for. If we focus solely on stopping the noise, it’s straightforward to overlook the rationale behind it, and the conduct tends to return as a result of the underlying want continues to be there.

The best method is to determine the set off after which train a peaceful different that’s persistently rewarded. For instance, in case your canine barks at passersby, you may start pairing that set off with a reward for quiet conduct, serving to them be taught that staying relaxed is extra useful. Assembly their each day wants is equally vital, together with mental enrichment, structured routines, and appropriate exercise, since an under-stimulated canine usually makes use of barking as an outlet. If the barking feels intense, sudden in onset, or tough to handle, a one-on-one teletriage session with Pangovet could be a useful subsequent step to raised perceive your canine’s triggers and information you thru sensible, life like methods to handle and modify the conduct whereas protecting their well-being on the middle.

Greatest needs,

– Dr. Paola

This text is part of our weekly Ask Dr. Paola sequence

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