My dog is sick: dry nose, warm body, lethargic. When to see a vet?

Thank you for contacting PetCoach with your question about Winston. The good news is that a dry, warm nose isn't considered a sign of illness. This is because a dog's nose can go from wet and cold to warm and dry just by laying in the sun or next to the heat source. The lethargy is a little more concerning. It's a very general sign of illness, and can be caused by systemic illness, infection, inflammation, or injury. If Winston is eating and drinking, and his only symptom is lethargy, you can watch him for now. Keep him warm and comfortable. Should this lethargy continue over the next 48 hours, or he develops other signs such as coughing, vomiting, diarrhea, sneezing, nasal discharge, or anorexia, he will have to see a vet. If paying for a vet is an issue, you can see if your vet accepts payment plans, if there is a low cost clinic in your area, or you can apply for Care Credit online. There is also an organization called Red Rover that give grants for treatment of sick animals, and you can see if you qualify for one of their grants. Best Friends also has a list of resources that offer financial assistance on their website. http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_pet.html?credit=web_id91754962 https://www.redrover.org https://www.carecredit.com http://bestfriends.org/resources/financial-aid-pets http://lessonsfromaparalyzeddog.com/when-pet-owners-cant-afford-veterinary-bills/ http://www.dogheirs.com/resources-affordable-veterinary-care/ Check out these resources to see if one can help you. Best of luck.

Your pet needs to be seen by a vet right away. Even with no other symptoms, extreme lethargy is very concerning. Your dog may have eaten something that disagreed with her, swallowed something that has caused an obstruction, has parasites, is coming down with some kind of infection, there are a number of possibilities. Your vet will do an exam and labwork to determine the cause of your pets symptoms and give you some treatment options based on those results.

Unfortunately these symptoms can signal many many conditions. Just like people, there are many conditions that can make pets feel sick. This could range from an infection to cancer. Also like us, diseases are best addressed early and this may result in a better prognosis. I recommend to have her examined by the veterinarian within the next 24 hours. The doctor will need to learn the underlying cause in order to give appropriate treatment. Bring in a stool sample in case the doctor needs to test it. I hope Blu starts feeling better quickly! Please feel free to post any additional questions.

I'm sorry Maisy isn't feeling well at the moment. Don't worry about the temperature of her nose, as it's not considered a sign of illness in dogs. That's because a dog's nose can change from cold to warm just by sitting next to a heat source or lying in the sun. The sneezing could be caused by a respiratory infection or allergies. I would monitor Maisy for now, and should the sneezing continue over the next 24-48 hours, she become lethargic, her appetite diminishes, and/or she develops other signs, I would have her seen by a vet.

The nose of a dog is not used as an indication of illness. A dog's nose can change from cold and wet to warm and dry just by laying in the sun or sitting near a heat source. He may still be sleepy from his nap, and given that he just started this behavior, I would monitor him for now. If he's still lethargic in the morning, I would have him seen by a vet for a health check.

Those are a lot of symptoms, and it would be best to schedule a vet visit for your pup for a complete exam and to narrow down possible causes. Allergies, irritation, urinary infections, getting into something irritating, underlying illness or metabolic disease, etc can all be possibilities, so an exam is needed to try and figure out the problem. Be sure to make note of any other symptoms you are seeing, how long these have been ongoing, etc, as they will help your vet better determine what course of action to take.

Since she has been under the weather for a week or so I think it's a good idea for her to be seen by your vet. She may just be adjusting to her new environment and missing her friends, but any abrupt change in behavior is a good reason for her to be examined. It could signal a developing condition or oncoming illness and by getting her seen now you'll be on top of whatever is happening before it progresses.