Why is my dog lethargic, not eating, with pale gums & hard breathing?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Loss of appetite can be observed with many conditions such as gastroenteritis, dietary indiscretion, kidney disease, pancreatitis, among many other possibilities. This could absolutely be due to anemia given her pale mucous membranes. I recommend that you have Snow 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 good night! Hoping for a speedy recovery!

Hi. I am very sorry about Holly being so sick. I am very concerned about her pale gum color. She could have a true emergency going on right now - and she should be seen by a veterinarian right away. Pale gums are related to lack of perfusion or anemia (low red blood cell count). Any of the reasons that cause pale gums are a true emergency and she should be examined right away. Very best of luck to you and sweet Holly.

Hi. The pale gums and weight loss are very serious signs! I don't know the age, or sex, or history, so it's a bit hard to review the most likely possibilities. But with pale gums and weight loss, 8d be concerned about internal bleeding, cancer, immune mediated disease, parasites, k8dney disease, and many more. An exam, lab work, and x-rays will be needed to get down to the the potential cause. I would recommend getting him seen right away.

With a Doberman, I would first want to rule-out heart disease. Dobermans are predisposed to having a heart condition that can cause heart failure, which would present like this. However, the fact that she is a cross makes hereditary heart disease less likely. There are many other conditions that can cause these exact same problems such as intracellular parasites/bacteria, intestinal parasites and blood clotting disorders leading to anemia. Either way, the fact that she is pale and lethargic warrants an urgent visit to the veterinarian. The vet will be able to help narrow-down the cause of this and advise the best treatment. In many cases, these signs can be completely reversible and she can have a good quality of life again. I hope that helps and Sassy gets better soon.

It's difficult to say what is going on based on your description, but if you are seeing very pale gums and lethargy, then this is an emergency. Clarity needs to go to the veterinarian immediately for treatment.

Oh dear! Pale or white gums can be associated with severe anemia, shock, or heart failure - this is a very concerning sign that warrants immediate veterinary attention. A warm dry nose is a pretty non-specific sign that doesn't really mean anything in particular, and a pale or thinning haircoat can be associated with any kind of long-term illness. It sounds like Bae may be seriously ill, so I would recommend taking him to an emergency clinic tonight to be seen. If this isn't possible, then I would take him to your regular veterinarian first thing in the morning. Your veterinarian can do blood work, x-rays, or other testing if needed to help diagnose the problem and see what kind of treatment is needed.

Oh no. Poor guy. If he has unclear lungs and labored breathing, then that means that he likely has either fluid or blood in his lungs. Also a mass in the lungs is also possible depending on what the x-rays looked like. If his gums are pale it either means he is losing blood internally, his red blood cells are being destroyed by an immune mediated condition, or he is in shock. This sounds serious unfortunately and your pet is considered to be highly unstable. I would recommend taking Harvey back in to a vet right away for overnight supportive care (i.e. oxygen, fluid therapy, etct) until the rest of his bloodwork comes back in. Also an ER vet will be able to run tests right away in house to quickly assess his condition so that we can decide on further treatment/care for Harvey. I am so sorry your pet Harvey is so ill and hope that you can diagnose his problem quickly so that you can decide on what needs to be done next. Best of luck and take care.