6 year old schnauzer losing weight

Question
Hi Karen,

I have a miniature schnauzer who will be 6 years old this August. Since last summer he has lost weight and I have been unable to put more weight on him. He has always been a picky eater as well as a bit anxious.  

I visited his vet. in January for his annual check-up. He had lost 2 pounds from his normal weight. We had a geriatric assessment done of his organ functions. Everything came out normal. It was recommended to me to try to keep adding wet food to his diet and that it is sometimes challenging to keep weight on an anxious dog.  He is skinny as he was in Jan. I have an appointment with the vet for heart worm in two weeks.

Life has changed since last summer as we have a baby in the house now. Routines have been kept as regular and consistent as possible. Our mini is still energetic, likes to play and go for walks.

As a person who has experience with miniature schnauzers, have you seen or heard of this type of scenario (loss of weight) occurring with minis? Are there other medical tests I should be asking my vet to perform on our dog or should I be trying to seek behavior modification for anxiety?

Thank you for your help.

Kim  

Answer
Now here is a question for you. Are you sure that your schnauzer is too thin? I find that most people keep too much weight on their schnauzers and think that is the way they should look. I once told a woman, now a friend of mine, that her schnauzer was a bit heavy and needed to lose a bit of weight. When the dog went to the vet the next time, the vet was concerned that the dog had dropped a couple pounds, and when the woman told him what I had said and that she had been dieting the dog, the vet said, "oh, okay..." That dog became more active and felt so much better with the loss of that extra weight that she had been carrying; the dog is now 12, and acts years younger than her age. Schnauzers should always be kept slightly on the thin side; it will add years to their life.

That said, have a stool specimen examined for parasites, and have his teeth checked to be sure that isn't the reason for his picky eating. Schnauzers are prone to tooth and gum problems, and it is important to have their teeth cleaned on a regular basis.

If you think that his anxiety levels are crippling for him, then, yes, I might consider behavior modification. Otherwise, a schnauzer that is energetic, playful, and who enjoys walks sounds perfectly normal to me.

Karen