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Why is my dog lethargic, stiff, sore, and refusing to eat or drink?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Beagle | Male | unneutered | 1 year and 1 month old | 30 lbs

My 1 year and one month old 30 lb Beagle has been acting strange today. He is lethargic, slow to eat (I have to break his food up in to even smaller pieces), not drinking, and acts as if he is stiff and sore. His stool was somewhat runny, but nothing out of the ordinary. He is hesitant to even climb stairs as he seems to be in pain while moving. We did just drive to Nashville yesterday and stayed the night here, but that is also common for us to do. Any advice as to what thecause may be?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Jennifer Ladd, DVM

Answered By Jennifer Ladd, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on March 18th, 2017

This sounds very peculiar especially in such a young pup. I would be worried that he has a fever, and it would be important to check. If so, I would be suspicious of polyarthritis due to sepsis, lyme disease or other tick born diseases. Common conditions I see in young pups are pancreatitis, gastrointestinal parasites, and gastroenteritis. A good physical exam would be helpful. A painful abdomen, a positive fecal exam etc would help to narrow down what is going on.
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