My 7-year-old German Shepherd has diarrhea, lethargy, panting. ER?

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Mila. Poor girl. It could be she has an infection causing the diarrhea, but it could also be something else like worms. Given that she has had it for a couple of days and is now lethargic, it's time to see a vet. I'd take her into one first thing in the morning to get this diagnosed and treated. I hope this helps!

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I'm so sorry to hear about Sadie. This sounds very serious. Anytime there is fluid in a body cavity, the situation is serious. I would need to know more to give a better answer but in a German Shepherd dog of this age, one thing is likely and that is a tumor of the spleen. These are called hemangioma or hemangiosarcoma or it could even be a hematoma or benign growth on the spleen that is bleeding. These are usually a surgical emergency especially if they are bleeding into the abdomen. Depending on what type of Other reasons for fluid to accumulate in the belly would be heart disease, liver disease, other tumors or masses in the abdomen, kidney problems. A tap of the abdomen (abdominocentesis) would reveal what the fluid is and maybe how to proceed. I would advise taking Sadie back to your vet or taking her somewhere else for a second opinion if you want to try to do something with her. And I would advise this as soon as you can get her there. Not sure if surgery is an option and that would depend on her condition and what you do comfortably afford for her. I'm so sorry again and I really hope that she gets better very soon.

If lethargy is not present, you could try, as a first approach to start feeding with a bland diet based on boiled chicken and rice in small portion every 6 hours for the following 48hours. Then gradually reintroduce the normal diet over 5 days. I would definitively recommend a veterinary check up if the signs persist or you notice more vomiting, lethargy or inappetence. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

I’m sorry Delilah isn’t feeling well. Many things can cause these symptoms. However because she is an older German Shepherd I would be concerned about a possible bleeding mass in her abdomen. These are common in shepherds. However many other problems such as heartworm disease, diabetes, liver or kidney disease, and anemia from other problems would also be on my list of concerns. I’m glad you are going to have her seen tomorrow. If she gets worse tonight you can always take her to an emergency clinic if you are concerned. Best of luck and I hope she improves soon.

Hi there! I'm so sorry to hear about George's troubles. Diarrhea can be the result a of a few things - eating something unusual or not good for dogs (dietary indiscretion), toxin ingestion, bacterial or parasitic infection, metabolic diseases, obstruction, etc. Based on George's history of having to go to the emergency hospital before for this, I wouldn't wait much longer. He may have a very sensitive gastrointestinal tract and need more intervention than other dogs when he has an issue like this. Another reason I'd have him seen is because he is shaking and lethargic. He could feel painful (maybe he swallowed or ate something strange) and need some help there too and because he's starting to become lethargic. Also, gastrointestinal illnesses can sometimes encourage pancreatitis to develop (inflammation of the pancreas) which can be painful. Also to keep in mind is that the longer diarrhea continues the more likely it is for a patient to become dehydrated, even if they're drinking. I know my answer is pretty long, but I hope it explains why George may need to be seen right away by a doctor. Again I wouldn't wait much longer based on his history. He also seems like he's uncomfortable since he's shaking, so after a few more hours, if there's jo improvement, I'd take him in. Best of luck!

I am sorry Chingo is not feeling well. With Chingo being older I would recommend taking him to the vet for a good exam and some basic testing like blood work. IT is possible that parasites, gastric upset or even infection has caused the diarrhea. However with his older age I would be concerned about possibly a more sever underlying disease. You can try an over the counter probiotic with a bland diet for 24-48 hours of boiled chicken and white rice. However if the diarrhea does not improve Chingo really needs to go to a vet. I hope that helps

I am sorry to hear that your dog isn’t feeling well. Many different problems can cause the signs your are seeing. These include Addison’s disease, kidney disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and exocrine pancreatic Insufficiency , and even cancer. EPI is common in shepherds and this could certainly happen in young dogs. Ideally an examination and blood work should be done by a veterinarian for a diagnosis. If that is the problem then adding pancreatic enzymes such as Prozyme and feeding a bland diet such as hills i/d can make a big difference. Best of luck and I hope you get an answer soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.