Why is my dog lethargic at home after acting fine at the vet?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Lack of energy can be the sign of many things that go from just being tired to actually representing a problem like due to pain for example. If he is otherwise fine, I recommend you keep a close eye on him for now. If there is no improvement within the next 2-3 days, have him evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck and have a great day!

I’m sorry Buddy isn’t feeling well. The good news is that his blood work looked good! Sometimes with real nebulous Symptoms such as what Buddy is displaying it can be difficult to pin point the cause. When he is sleeping standing or sitting it makes me suspect that laying down is uncomfortable. This makes me wonder is his belly or his back is uncomfortable . Young dogs certainly have a reputation for eating things they shouldn’t and an intestinal foreign body would be high on my list of concerns. Also I see a lot of back pain in these types of cases as well. Sometimes serial examinations are helpful because you find things on a repeat examination that maybe wasn’t as evident the day before. If he doesnt seem to improve then I would encourage you to have a follow up appointment soon. An x-Ray of his abdomen may be recommended. Best of luck and I hope he improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Loss of appetite and lethargy can be observed with many conditions such as gastroenteritis, dietary indiscretion, kidney disease, pancreatitis, among many other possibilities. I recommend that you have Dexter evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check for these possibilities and others depending on the findings on exam. Treatment would be based on findings. Good luck and have a great day! Hoping for a speedy recovery!

Hello, and thank you for your question. It is concerning that his lethargy has been persisting for so long. It is difficult to say what this could be, but some dogs are hardy enough that the only symptom they may show of being ill is lethargy. I would certainly recommend having him checked out by a vet to be sure we are not missing a medical issue. They can perform a full physical exam to check for any areas of pain or infection, and may recommend additional blood tests or x-rays depending on what is found on the physical exam. For example, some problems I commonly see after grooming visits are skin or ear infections. If this is detected by the vet, they can recommend medications to help clear the issue. If he physically checks out fine, it is possible this may be a purely behavioural issue, in which case the vet can also provide advice on how to help as well. I hope this helps, and that Chewy is feeling better soon!

Oh my. Poor guy. He sounds like he really didn’t feel well. There is likely an internal illness or organ malfunction (ie kidneys, liver pancreas) going on. I would highly recommend having Alex seen by your local vet for baseline bloodwork to start. This will look for possible organ malfunction and signs of infection as well. Once we know what the underlying problem is, then we will know what Alex needs to hopefully improve his conditon. He is an older dog so it’s important to get him checked by your vet at the first sign of illness. I hope that Alex feels better soon. Best wishes and take care.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It sounds that your cat had a thorough investigation at your vets. Some cats are lethargic and less playful when they have fever (I guess that was checked by your vet) or painful condition, for example muscle pain, joint pain, spinal pain and more. If his activity is not back to normal in 2-3 days I would suggest trying a short course of anti-inflammatory medications.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! While this can be due to the move, I am suspicious that this could also be something else as it has been a bit longer than expected. Loss of appetite and lethargy can be observed with many conditions such as gastroenteritis, dietary indiscretion, kidney disease, pancreatitis, among many other possibilities. I recommend that you have Ginger evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check for these possibilities and others depending on the findings on exam. Treatment would be based on findings. Good luck and have a great day! Hoping for a speedy recovery!