My dog won't eat, breathes hard, has bloody poop. Should I see a vet?

Yes, I would be concerned - especially due to the presence of blood. Vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy and rapid breathing are not specific signs of any one disease process or illness. Many things can cause these symptoms so it is best to get Lucy checked out by your vet. It may not be anything terribly serious but if you have her checked out it willl give you peace of mind. Some potential causes: dietary indiscretion (eating something she shouldn't have, gastrointestinal obstruction, hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, toxin exposure/ingestion, internal parasites, gastric/colonic ulceration, viral or bacterial infection just to name a few. Please get her checked out as soon as you can. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Iris definitely needs to be seen by a vet right away. The cough and bloody stool can be related or unrelated. Coughing in dogs can be caused by pneumonia. upper respiratory infections, heartworm disease, or heart conditions. Bloody diarrhea can be caused by inflammatory bowel disease, viral diseases such as parvovirus, toxin ingestion, or bacterial infections. Sometimes, severe parasitic infections can cause these signs. A vet can perform a physical exam, and will likely need some further diagnostics such as bloodwork and x-rays to determine next steps and treatment. I hope all is well with Iris!

Poor Butter! Since this has been going on for 2-3 days now and she is also vomiting and not wanting to eat much, I would recommend taking her to the ER today to be seen, rather than waiting until next week. The ER doctor can do some diagnostic testing to help figure out what's going on (possibly blood work, x-rays, and/or a fecal exam for parasites) and get her started on appropriate treatment depending on what is found. At the very least, it sounds like she needs to be started on some supportive care and symptomatic treatment (for nausea, diarrhea, etc.) since dogs can become dangerously sick if they have symptoms like this for multiple days that are not resolving on their own.

Poor Jack! It's quite serious that he has bloody poop, which can be caused by a foreign body, trauma to the intestinal tract, intestinal worms, hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, and possibly GI tumors. Jack has to see a vet immediately, so I would take him into one now. If you don't want to assume financial responsibly for him, I would call the SPCA to come and get him. They can get him the medical treatment he needs, and can find him a home.

I'm so sorry that you are going through a difficult time! The decision to euthanize a pet is never easy, and you should consider Charlie's quality of life and if he is in distress. If he is having trouble breathing, does not have an appetite, or is extremely lethargic, he should be seen by a vet right away. At his age, there may be some options to improve his quality of life depending on the underlying causes for his issues. There are many options for saying good bye, some vets offer hospice care and at home euthanasias. I know this is not an easy time, but that you provided Charlie with a life full of love and companionship!

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Daisy. Contact your local rescue groups, humane societies, low-cost clinics in your area and seek help. Persistent vomiting, bloody diarrhea and lack of appetite are emergent clinic signs due to fluid/electrolyte losses. This leads to dehydration, weakness, and further downward deterioration unless the vomiting stops and the appetite returns. I would advise taking Daisy to your vet as soon as possible to have her evaluated. Many causes are possible including intestinal parasites, dietary indiscretion (eating things dogs aren't supposed to), other dietary problems, gastrointestinal inflammation/infection from various sources, toxin exposure, foreign body ingestion, GI ulceration, side effects from drugs or products used, or even problems outside of the gut including pancreatitis, liver/kidney problems, among many others. Your vet can get a detailed history and perform a thorough exam. Once done, a diagnostic plan and preliminary treatment plan can be started. Most likely a minimum database of fecal/blood/urine tests and some x-rays will be advised. Treatment will be focused on the cause but early treatment could include fluids/electrolytes, anti-nausea/vomiting medicines, acid blockers, etc. Good luck with Daisy.

Poor Luna! She could have an infection (parvo, etc) or a parasite. Since she has bloody stool and is lethargic, she should be examined by a vet to determine the cause and treat. Your vet can test a stool sample to help diagnose and then prescribe medications to treat the problem. She might also need some fluids to prevent dehydration. Hope she gets better soon!