So I am looking for suggestions for what to ask the vet to do when I go there next week. Since he really has very few actual symptoms I know the vet is going to be like "Where do you want to start."

For the last few weeks I have been thinking something is not quite right about our three year old mixed breed dog. I have no exact thing to pinpoint, but little things have been adding up. First I weigh all the dogs and he has lost 2 pounds, not a lot when you weigh 22lbs, but he is looking a little bit skinnier (he was a healthy weight before, still is I think). We figured that was because he is running around a lot more with the puppy here- but then again she has been here three months and this just happened in the last month.

The last two weeks he has been a little lackluster about his runs- he usually is very excited. Then today in agility class he was totally a nut, not focused or anything. This is very unusual for him. I don't think it is a joint issue because when he is tired he is not afraid to refuse to take a jump and today when I got him to focus he was totally willing to do things, he just didn't seem to be himself.

I have decided it is time to see if we can see whats up. I really don't think it is the puppy- like I said she has been here a while and they get along perfectly.

If it were someone else I would advise them first to test his thyroid and then to do a tick panel. I am skeptical because he had a full thyroid panel done about 7 months ago and we don't have ticks or fleas or mosquitoes in this desert. Every time we have been to non desert places he has been on flea/tick meds and I have never found a tick on him. We have never been to a tick heavy place during a tick heavy season either- so a TBD seems unlikely.

So any ideas?

Have you switched foods recently? Are there any changes in his diet?

Have you or someone in your household been stressed lately?
Sometimes dogs get a little depressed, at times they can feed off of our problems.

What about exercise, do you still provide the same amount?

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When I had the same feeling that something was just not right with Lulu last week and wrote to this forum for advice, I was going to take her to the vet and ask for blood work, xrays, and fecal exam. Her problem ended up being anal glands which I don't think is the case with your dog, but I'm just saying in my mind those 3 things should determine if there is something wrong. Please, though, someone else step in and correct me if I'm giving incorrect advice.

Everything has been exactly the same- since October when we got the puppy.

No one has been stressed or anything like that. He also has been different both with me alone (at class) and with my husband alone (running).

We actually already got a fecal- cause we didn't need to go in for that. We will certainly run blood-work- but considering we ran generic bloodwork and a full thyroid panel 8 months ago I don't expect anything to show up on the primary panel that they run, we are probably going to have to choose something more in depth.

And x-rays- what did you x-ray? It seems a little nuts to get films taken of the whole dog from all angles, but maybe not?

I would tell the vet exactly what you just said - that he has lost a little weight, that he is less eager for his runs and that mentally he seems to be a little bit off. A CBC might offer some clues as to what the problem might be. I hope your little guy is okay!

Just to add- the thyroid panel- he didn't have any symptoms- we just feel with that being such a huge issue with dogs- and considering that 70% of the thyroid is typically gone by the time symptoms are shown that it is a good idea to run a full panel (not just T4) when the dog is around 2-3 years old. Particularly because we have dogs with totally unknown history. Call me paranoid.

Yeah- blood work is certainly in order- and I know I am sorta shooting in the dark here.

I did not end up having to have xrays since her symptoms started to point so well toward anal gland by the time we went to the vet, but I am thinking just chest and stomach. I don't know how much of the dog they can get in a shot, but I figured they could see enough in 2 or 3 at the most. But I may not know what I'm talking about--I don't have a whole lot of experience.