My dog is lethargic and won't eat his favorite treat. Is he sick?

It sounds like Moose may have some gastro-intestinal upset. You didn't mention vomiting-- If there's been no vomiting then that is good. However, decreased appetite and the loose stools are concerning. When the colon (large intestine) is inflamed, sometimes they feel like they need to poop even though there isn't anything more coming out. As for what may be causing the GI upset, it could be gastroenteritis which is inflammation of the stomach and or intestines-- this could be from eating something out of the ordinary such as getting into the garbage or eating mulch, etc, or it may be secondary to anything from kidney disease to cancer. I don't see Moose's age listed; if he is older, the concern that there is a more serious underlying problem is higher. If he is a younger dog, gastroenteritis is more likely. Since he seems lethargic, I strongly recommend that you take him in to the vet at your first convenience. If the lethargy is getting worse, or if he starts vomiting or having blood in the stool or vomit, seek emergency care. If you are unable to take him to the vet, you can offer a bland diet (boiled chicken and white rice) for a couple of days and see if that helps. If it is not improving, please get him in for an exam. Thank you for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Moxie. I think that her sudden change in behavior is worrisome. Dogs can slow down as they age. However, she is only middle aged. Plus age changes are gradual. Not as dramatic as you have described. I recommend that she sees a veterinarian. I worry that she is painful somewhere. For example, neck and/or back pain is common in small and medium breed dogs. Arthritis or a soft tissue injury could also explain the signs you are seeing. The veterinarian will carefully examine her. X-rays may be recommended. Based on these results, treatment can be started to help her feel better. In the meantime, keep her quiet and do not give any over-the-counter pain medications as these can be toxic to dogs. I hope this information helps!

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!

These are signs that he is either in a great deal of pain, or is very sick. There could be many possible causes of this, so it's difficult to say what exactly this means, or how easily this can be treated, but it's worth a visit to the vet. The vet will be able to help narrow-down the cause and at-least give treatment to make him feel better. Given his current condition, I reccomend he go to the vet within the next 24 hours. I hope that helps and Bobby gets better soon.

This lethargy and loss of appetite are both signs of illness include dental problems, systemic illness, infection, or injury. Try offering him some boiled white meat chicken (no bones or skin) and white rice. If he refuses to eat this, have him seen by a vet.

He could simply be tired, but if it goes on for more than 24 hours, I'd recommend a check up with his vet to make sure nothing is going on. He could have pulled a muscle or eaten something more than you realized during the visit. If he's not eating, extremely lethargic, or vomiting, I'd go to the vet ASAP.

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.