We took the Border Collie -Lab mix to the vet earlier this week for her annual checkup. She's going to be 10 on her next birthday and I asked them about her weight... Always ask questions about your pet when you visit the vet. They will rarely offer up information without prompting. In fact, I had the assistant in the exam room re-ask the questions the receptionist had asked in the lobby while we were waiting. In watching the assistant and the vet paw through the charts to ask the questions I could see that neither she or the vet had bothered to look at the answers we had given the receptionist.
Turns out she had dropped to about 52 pounds from the 60 she weighed on the last visit. Now, it is true that she has been exercising a lot more over the last several months now that she and the three year old 90 pound Lab are getting along and playing together. I also have not been giving the two dogs as many treats and we have been watching their food intake because the younger one has weight issues. But eight pounds is a bit much, even in a year.
The vet did blood and other tests which came back normal. Hopefully this weight loss is a natural thing. We'll take her back in three or so months to get re-checked and make sure. The moral of the story is two fold; you know your pet much better than the vet and their helpers, and you have to stay on top of them to make sure your pets get the treatment and examinations they need. The veterinarian service we use enjoys a top notch reputation here in Nashville, but I still had to prompt them to give my pet the care she needed.
