My dog is lethargic after eye infection treatment. Is this normal?

It is impossible for us to predict if this is a normal response to a sedative / pain medication, progression of the condition or a different issue entirely without knowing exactly how much and what type of injectable pain relief he was given. I recommend you contact with the vets office and inform them of the change in his status and they can confirm id this is a temporary and expected response to a strong opioid pain killer or if he needs to be reassessed

Hi, and thanks for your question. This is a quite generic but concerning presentation. Differentials are many, from gastrointestinal diseases (infection/inflammations often dietary related) to any disease that can spread systemically (causing lethargy for example) like infection, and anything that can cause pain/discomfort. The approach must be logic, starting from offering different kind of food. A check up is needed if inappetence lasts for more than 24hours. A more aggressive treatment is certainly needed after diagnosis has been correctly established. 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. Please find the time to give us a feedback about the consultation as that will be used to improve our service.

Great question! Unfortunately, I don't have a great answer. If your dog is eating and drinking normally and the issues that necessitated her hospitalization have resolved, I would be far less concerned. Until she has completed the courses of medication, it is ultimately impossible to determine if her lethargy is secondary to medication or due to illness. Consider calling your vet to discuss if any of the medications can be discontinued or if any doses can be reduced to limit potential lethargy. I hope that all goes well!

I recommend continuing with the medications. It can take several days to see the full effect. You can try applying artificial tears throughout the day in addition to those medications to help. If Chance's eyes become cloudy, red, has any discharge then have your veterinarian take a look as those can be signs of an ulcer.

I hate to hear that Scout has an anal gland infection. I would recommend to call his veterinarian and discuss the lethargy. The lethargy could be a reaction but could also be due to the abscess. I would not advise to stop the medication without talking to Scout's doctor. Make sure you are giving the medication with food. I hope he starts feeling better!

I believe you made an additional post about your dog stating that she woke up, moved around, and went back to sleep. That's a good sign. I answered that question, and it I said that depending on the medications she was given, this lethargy could be a side effect of them. Without knowing exactly what medications she was given, I can't say when the pain relief would wear off. I would monitor her for now, and if she's still like this in the morning, I would take her into the vet for an exam.

This treatment could cause lethargy, it's quite common and this is one of the reason restriction is a must. if she becomes too lethargic you might need to take her to the ER, especially if you notice abnormal breathing.