Why is my lethargic dog yelping when I touch his stomach or lift him?

He is showing sings of having a painful abdomen, but nothing more specific than that. This could be due to inflamed/painful bowels, a blockage in the stomach or intestine, an inflamed/painful organ (i.e. liver or kidney), or pancreatitis. The fact that he is not vomiting or lethargic indicates that this is not too severe, but things can change quickly in certain circumstances, so my best advice would be to have a vet evaluate him as soon as possible to help narrow-down the possibilities and keep things from getting worse. I understand that you are in a difficult circumstance though, so it's likely not possible to take him to a vet tonight. In that case, it's best to keep him comfortable tonight and take him to a vet in the morning. I recommend calling the local veterinary treatment facility at the base you are stationed at. The staff there can usually suggest good options for transport and you may be able to make an appointment with a vet. You may also check for mobile veterinarians in your area that can come to your house and check him out. I hope that helps and Ares gets better soon.

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm sorry to hear that Sophie has been seeming uncomfortable when being picked up a certain way, and is eating and drinking less. While more common in larger breed dogs, it is possible that she has some "growing pains", or panosteitis, in her long bones, which is painful for her when she is picked up as you are describing. This discomfort may be causing her to eat and drink less, and be less playful too. I'm glad to hear that she is not painful in her chest, abdomen or back. She may be suffering from neck pain, which can be a common occurrence in smaller breed dogs. If she continues to seem uncomfortable, lethargic, and have a decreased appetite and water intake, I recommend having her evaluated by your veterinarian. He/she can perform a thorough physical exam to better localize her discomfort and pain. He/she may also recommend bloodwork to evaluate for any underlying systemic disease that could cause her to have a decreased appetite and act lethargic. Please do not give Sophie any pain medications that are intended for humans, such as Advil or Tylenol, as these can be fatally toxic to dogs. I hope this is helpful!

It could be that Bailey is feeling painful at the moment, and that would cause the lethargy and growling when you try to pick him up. He could also have an upset stomach causing him to feel lethargic and not want his stomach touched. Without further symptoms, I cannot narrow down further I'm afraid, so I would recommend monitoring him tonight. Should these symptoms continue through to the morning or he develops additional symptoms such as vomiting, anorexia, or a reluctance to move, I would take Bailey into the vet.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding your mom's dog. I am glad that she is being seen today as she sounds very painful from your description. If she is a small breed dog, neck or back pain are common sources of pain. The muscles that line the spine can spasm causing the dog intense pain. In worst case scenarios, pressure can be put on the spinal cord resulting in neurological problems. If this is not the case, abdominal pain from GI upset or even constipation could be the source of pain. Her examination should tell the doctor the source of her pain so that treatment recommendations can be made. Keep her very quiet up until her appointment this afternoon. I hope this information helps!

This sounds like abdominal pain, or back pain. Since she’s not spayed you need to be concerned about a uterine infection which could cause lethargy and abdominal discomfort. If she has a bulging disk in her back that can cause pain also. I would take her temperature to check for a fever, and if she has a fever or these symptoms continue then please bring her in for an exam and treatment. They will feel to find where she’s painful and may do an X-ray or blood tests to diagnose the problem. She’s a very small dog so please don’t wait too long since she doesn’t have the body reserves of a bigger dog. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Luna.

This sounds like he’s in pain. He may have eaten something that upset his stomach and has intestinal cramping. Or since he’s still a pup I’m worried he may have eaten a toy or sock that could cause an intestinal blockage. If this continues I would certainly bring him in for an exam and abdominal X-ray. Having an intestinal blockage can become life threatening without treatment. They can also give him pain medication so he’s more comfortable. This sounds serious so I wouldn’t ignore these symptoms. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Boone.

EThanks for visitng Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I am sorry to hear that your pet Simone is ill and in pain. These symptoms are highly suggestive of a condition called pancreatitis. This is a spontaneous inflammation of the pancreas that causes pain when palpating the belly, vomiting, decreased appetite, lethargy and often loose stool with some blood. I would highly recommend taking her in to your local vet right away for testing and treatment. The vet will need to run bloodwork and a pancreatitis test. Other possible causes are a musculoskeletal injury, kidney infection or liver problem. Poor girl. I would take her in as soon as possible so that we know how to move forward and get herbfeeling better quickly. It’s best to feed her small portions of boiled plain chicken and rice or cottage cheese since smaller portions typically don’t cause as much nausea. Feed her small portions of non-flavored Pedialyte diluted with water to help combat dehydration. Best of luck to you and I hope that Simone is able to make a full and speedy recovery. Take care.