My dog is lethargic, moaning, and walking slowly. Does she need a vet?

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Mitzi. Poor girl. It sounds like she may be sick if she is eating less and having some diarrhea. I can give you a home remedy for her to see if that helps. Feed her a bland diet of boiled white meat chicken (no bones) and white rice in small amounts several times a day for a couple of days. Then slowly add back in her normal diet. If the diarrhea continues on the bland diet, she refuses to eat the bland diet, she starts vomiting food, stops drinking water, starts vomiting water, or becomes very lethargic, she will need to see a vet right away. I hope this helps!

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Pixie. This is a tough question. If she has a fever that could certainly cause a decreased appetite and increased water intake. I see she is spayed so that rules out a uterine infection. It's difficult to say what is going on without an examination. She could be experiencing anal gland swelling/pain/possible infection or the problem could be somewhere else. I would advise watching her very closely today. If she gets worse, I would advise an immediate vet evaluation. Worse meaning she stops eating, doesn't want to move, or other signs develop. If you look at her rear end and you see a lot of swelling/redness at the 4:00 and 8:00 positions around the anus, then she is having some problems with her anal glands. You could make her soak in some warm water and Epsom salts with her butt down in the water for 10 minutes a few times per day until you get her to the vet. If an anal gland is infected, it may open up and rupture before you see your vet. Again, closely monitor her. A history and physical exam may tell a lot about what is going on especially if this is anal gland related. Good luck with Pixie and have a great holiday.

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear that Moka is having problems. Yes, any pet that has persistent signs especially vomiting and diarrhea should be evaluated immediately. Once dehydration and electrolyte imbalance develop, they will just continue to get weaker and weaker unless treated. Reasons for vomiting/diarrhea are many and range from intestinal problems or problems with other organs in the body causing the signs. Intestinal worms, dietary indiscretion (eating things she is not supposed to eat), dietary intolerance/sensitivity, a foreign body (especially in younger dogs), infection, inflammation, toxins, pancreatitis, kidney/liver problems, etc. Your vet can do a physical exam and some tests which could include a fecal exam, blood work, x-rays, ultrasound, etc. to try to determine what is causing the problem. Once a diagnosis is made they will advise a treatment plan to address the issue. Your vet can also address the itching of her muzzle and whining which may or may not be related. I hope this is just temporary and it resolves quickly for you and Moka.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. It is possible that Bonnie ate something that caused these symptoms. However, regardless of what caused these symptoms, I would recommend having a veterinarian examine her. She may be dehydrated and in need of fluids, which the veterinarian can evaluate her for. I would also recommend having her blood tested to see if there are any abnormal values that need to be addressed. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further. Please take the time to mark this question as helpful or not as it helps us to improve on the quality of our answers to other pet owners. Thank you kindly!

Hi there! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The symptoms you describe are concerning for something serious causing her pain or discomfort from something. I advice that you have Meg evaluated by your veterinarian for a thorough examination and further diagnostics to be followed by therapy if indicated based on findings. At the very least, if she is confirmed to be in pain or discomfort, she could at least be started on pain control medications. Good luck!

I am sorry that Mia isn’t feeling well. But yes, I agree that you should have her evaluated by a veterinarian. The symptoms you describe concern me about diabetes and kidney disease among other possibilities. I would not wait it out and she could become much more sick if not addressed soon. Best of luck and I hope she improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Hello Jaz. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Sorry to hear that Shirley is not well. She really needs to be examined by a veterinarian. Unfortunately, her symptoms are too vague for me to give you any idea about what might be going on with her. If she seems relatively normal other than the diarrhea and some lethargy she can probably wait to see the vet until they are open. Keep doing what you are doing with the water but I recommend you withhold food until you take her to the vet.