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Aging Chihuahua weight changes

I have a female chihuahua that was rescued and brought to my home nine years ago by my daughter who has since married and left.  Vet estimates she is at least 13 now.  Her eyes are fogging and her teeth are thinning.  I think she has problems hearing and has chosen to be reclusive.  She likes to stay in her crate and doesn't like to be touched anymore.  She has occasional seizures, usually in the middle of the night when she wakes us with a high pitched howl/screech and we find her on her side with her eyes rolled back in her head and her tongue handing out.  First time was really scarry.  She often refuses to go outside anymore to urinate and will go in her crate if we try to "encourage" it.  She goes fairly often, so we have provided an area with housebreaking pads, but the odor of her urine is extremely potent as well.  I rarely find fecal waste though.  She prefers a dimly lit corner near the doggy door where  we finally put her crate when she started sleeping there on the wood floor, even though I thought it was too cold.  She prefers the crate with a pillow and some large baby blankets.  My concern is her fluctuating weight.  We are feeding her more now than she has eaten for years, but she doesn't eat consistently to maintain her weight and she can go from looking pretty good to appearing emaciated in just a day or so to the point she is unsteady on her legs.  She normally loved the meat dog food in gravy but now it varies.  She likes green beans and raw tomatoes so I offer those frequently.  She like chicken as well.  She likes crumbled bread with gravy or juices from soup, etc.  She'll eat pasta and a few potatoes.  Sometimes I make her a soft boiled egg.  Sometimes she won't eat at all.  It's very traumatic to try to take her to the vet because she doesn't want to be touched or held.  She experienced a very traumatic event at a kennel in 2006 and doesn't like to leave the house.  I don't want her to suffer, but don't really know if she is in pain.  Any advice?
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82861 tn?1333453911
It sounds like kidney failure is a good possibility.  Your vet can do a blood test and urinalysis to confirm it, but there isn't anything to do about it other than treat the symptoms.  On the other had, it could be only a simple urinary tract infection that antibiotics will cure.  She really should have the full "senior" workup done to see how all her organs are functioning at this point in her life.  The point being that you can keep her (and you) as comfortable as possible for as long as possible.
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390388 tn?1279636213
That's a tough call.  First thing would be have her checked out by a Vet. for any health issues that might be going on.

It sounds like she might have some kidney issues.  Your probably not finding much fecal matter if she's not eating.  She probably has cataracts in which the light would bother her.  Try to keep fluids in her.

I used to feed my 16 yr old  Chihuahua Eukanuba kitten food.  This will help to keep her strength up and give her a good balanced diet of what she needs.  If she can't chew it; soak it and mix some "little" favorite tid bits of food in with it.  My little man pictured was almost 17 there.  He got very  very thin.  Keep her warm.  

They are tough little dogs and don't usually show pain.  One day while Poquito was very weak,  I had to leave and came back with the dreaded question on my mind as I had several other times in the past 2 years prior. (that he had always seemed to pull threw and come around again), but this time he couldn't,  he waited for me to come home, I picked him up and held him on my chest for about 20 minutes as he was laying on my chest last July he had a heart attack, let loose and was gone in my arms.   I miss him bad sometimes.  I wish there was a clear cut answer, but, as I said these little guys are tough.  

The best thing to do when they get older like that is to give them all your love, keep them warm, make sure they keep fluids in them and feed them a balanced diet.  I don't know if this helped, but, I know how you feel.  Take Care;

Amy
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