My dog is lethargic and not pooping. When should I worry or see a vet?

Poor Luckie! She doesn't have a fever, as a dog's normal temperature is between 38.3-39.2C. The nose isn't used as a sign of illness in a dog, as their nose can go from wet to dry just by sitting in the sun or laying next to a heat source. Lethargy is a very general sign of illness in dogs, and it could be caused by a systemic illness, infection, inflammation, or injury. She could be panting because she is in pain or stressed out, and the hard tummy could be hard due to constipation (unlikely because she is pooping regularly) or an upset stomach. Given that she doesn't have a fever, is eating and drinking, and going to the bathroom regularly, I would monitor her for now. If she is still lethargic in 24-48 hours, or she develops other signs such a vomiting, diarrhea, and anorexia, I would have her seen by 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.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Mags! Can you take her temperature rectally? Anything 103 F or higher is a fever. Causes of a fever are: Lyme disease, immune conditions, infection (urinary, joint, lung) or pending GI upset. If she isn't better by the morning she should be seen by your Vet. I wish you the best!

Poor girl. Vomiting more than 1-2 times and lethargy are major concerns for an internal illness such as kidney disease, liver disease, pancreatitis or even a viral infection. It is imperative that you take Baby to your local vet for diagnostic testing to determine what her internal illness is so that we know how to best help her. Anything you give her by mouth will likely be vomited back up, so I would not recommend offering her anything but water and getting her to a vet asap. Hopefully this is something we can treat her for and get her feeling better soon. I hope that your furry friend Baby feels better soon! Best wishes and take care.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Winnie. Yes, I recommend that she sees a veterinarian if she is still not eating and drinking. I worry that she will become dehydrated being such a small dog. Based on her exam findings, treatment can be recommended or diagnostics if necessary. For example, fluids can be given under the skin to rehydrate her and anti-nausea medication to control any further nausea and vomiting. I hope this information helps!

Those are normal temperatures for dogs. If the puppy is lethargic and not eating then he needs to visit a vet. I would be worried that he could have a viral disease like parvovirus. I do think you should be a bit worried about him.

Given the lack of clinical signs besides lethargy and inappetence, there is not much else to go on here. I would consider obtaining a rectal thermometer tomorow and checking for a fever (above 102.5), which might suggest the presence of an infection or inflammation. If you detect a fever, I would definitely suggest getting Rusty to the vet sometime soon. If there is no fever, but his condition does not get better by Monday he should be taken in for an examination regardless. You can certainly try and feed Rusty something that would normally be considering irresistible just to see if he will accept it, rather than just his normal dog food. Anyway, hope this helps and that Rusty is feeling better soon. It is entirely possible that he might just feeling a little under the weather or maybe could have eaten something he shouldn't have that upset his stomach. If this is the case, the symptoms should pass with short time.