Why is my dog's belly bloated? He won't eat and home remedies failed.

Poor Coco! That much distension in the stomach can indicate fluid (ascites) in the abdomen or an enlarged abdominal organ like the liver. These problems can develop secondary to heart disease, liver failure, low protein levels, severe GI parasites, and cancer. I'd recommend taking Coco to see a veterinarian right away as he needs blood work and X-rays to know why this is happening. This is a true medical emergency as many of the causes of a distended stomach can be life threatening. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and I am hoping Coco has an easy recovery!

Fluid accumulation in the abdomen is often secondary to heart disease (valvular disease, heart worms, cardiomyopathy) ..or...some type of malignancy. Tumors in the abdominal cavity can sometimes be associated with fluid build up. It is important to do some additional diagnostic tests. Survey radiographs to start, then it may be advised to move on to an ultrasound....either of the heart or if the abdomen depending on radiograph findings. The ultrasound can be particularly helpful in cases like this where fluid accumulation reduces the ability to see vital structures on radiographs. This most likely had nothing to do with a case of overeating. There is likely some disease process that has been going on for some time. I hope you can get some answers soon. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi there. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Sorry that Nexa is having this issue. What you have done so far was perfect! Good job! A distended abdomen can be due to many things. Here is a list of some possibilites: 1. constipation 2. bloat - I agree that after 12 hours this is unlikely 3. abdominal mass/tumor 4. abdominal fluid (ascites) 5. pyometra - infected uterus; common since she is not spayed I would be worried about this even though she seems to be "normal". If it is an "open" pyometra she may not be feeling as ill as if it were "closed". 6. internal parasites (ie: roundworms, hookworms, etc) Those are the ones I can think of off the top of my head. I suggest you get Nexa to your vet for an exam. Some simple blood testing and a couple x-rays could rule in/out most of the things I have listed above. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Poor Max. This bloated belly could be due to intestinal worms. He needs a deworming treatment, and he needs to see a vet now. Please take him into one immediately, and the vet can give the deworming treatment. Best of luck.

I am sorry to hear that Max isn’t feeling well. So many different problems could be causing the signs you are seeing. Some of those are urgent and some of them are not. If the bloating seems to have occurred quickly (like over a few hours), and his decrease in energy has as well then I am more concerned. I worry about the possibility of a bleeding abdominal tumor or possibly a stomach torsion. However less concerning problems such as Cushings or thyroid disease could be at fault as well. I would highly encourage you to seek veterinary care soon, and possibly even tonight if his symptoms are worsening. Best of luck and I hope he improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

I am very sorry to hear about your dog. She definitely needs to go see a veterinarian as soon as possible. Swelling of the abdomen as you describe can be from many causes including fluid buildup in the abdomen (due to things such as heart disease, liver disease, low protein levels due to kidney loss or intestinal loss or severe intestinal parasitism), tumors in the abdomen as well as tumors that are bleeding or oozing into the abdomen. The vet will palpate your dog's belly and may recommend testing including a fecal test to check for parasites and bacteria, an x-ray to look for fluid and tumors, and bloodwork to check protein and red and white blood cell levels.

Hi there. Fank's symptoms indicate severe abdominal pain. This could be due to a hernia, a blockage or infection. I would recommend taking him to your vet asap and have some xrays and blood work performed and get Frank started on treatments. I hope that helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.