My dog is lethargic, won't eat, and has ears down. What's wrong?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Loss of appetite and lethargy can be observed with many conditions such as gastroenteritis, dietary indiscretion, kidney disease, pancreatitis, among many other possibilities. I recommend that you have Gracie Mae 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 great day! Hoping for a speedy recovery!

Hi and thanks for posting. Sounds like this is unusual behavior for Ruby and certainly is concerning. There can be a number of things that may be going on here and it is very hard to say what exactly is the cause without examining Ruby in person. I would recommend Ruby sees a veterinarian for a hands on exam as soon as possible to help pinpoint where the problem is. Your veterinarian may also recommend x-rays, blood work, fecal testing, or other tests to aide in an accurate diagnosis.

Poor Mazy! It definitely sounds like something isn't right. There are many different things that could cause decreased appetite and lethargy, so it's hard to say what might be wrong without being able to examine her and run some tests. She could have anything from liver or kidney disease, to heart disease, arthritis pain, a GI problem of some kind, or even some type of cancer. I would recommend taking Mazy to the vet for an exam when you are able to. He/she can do blood work and x-rays if needed to help diagnose the problem and get her started on appropriate treatment depending on what is found.

Unfortunately, her symptoms are very vague - they don't point to one specific illness or disease process. It sounds like her abdomen/stomach hurts. I suggest you take her to the vet for an exam. She is pacing from pain - I'm sure you don't want her to continue to be in pain. At her age I would be worried and it is best to catch this problem early.

Poor Lyl. There are so many things that can cause not eating and lethargy so it is hard to say for sure what is going on. I would make sure her gums are pink - if they are white, yellow or grayish blue then she is in critical condition and needs to go to the emergency clinic. Otherwise, you can try feeding her some plain boiled chicken (no bones) and white rice tonight and see if she will eat it. If not, then I would have your vet take a look at her. Your vet will be able to determine if she is in pain anywhere or if something else is going on. They will be able to do bloodwork and even X-rays if needed. I hope this helps and she starts to feel better really soon!

Poor Princess does sound like something is off! Lethargy and anorexia are both very general signs of illness, and can be caused by things like systemic illness, infection, inflammation, or injury. I see that she isn't spayed, and a major concern for is pyometra. This is an infection of the uterus that is fatal without treatment. Because I can't see her in person to rule out a pyo, I would take her into a vet now. Please take her into an ER vet clinic; if there isn't one in your area, there will be a vet on call for emergencies. The information to reach that vet is found on a clinic's answering machine or website. Best of luck.

It sounds as Julie is suffering from a gastrointestinal condition, possibly an infection. it could also be due to ingestion of a foreign body material. i would recommend taking her to the vet the first chance you get, she will need to be checked first, if the vet thinks it's a simple gastrointestinal infection she will need an anti nausea injection, antibiotics and a special food for a few days in order to get better. if the vet thinks it is more serious she will need a blood test and possibly an ultrasound in order to find out what is wrong.