My dog is panting, not eating or drinking. What should I do?

Normal temperature in dogs can be up to 102.5 degrees so I don't think he has a fever, but the heavy panting and increase in water intake can indicate he is in pain or has an issue such as metabolic disease causing distress and symptoms. It would be best to bring him to your vet, especially if he also has sores or skin issues in addition to these symptoms. Your vet will likely want to do some tests such as bloodwork to help determine the cause of all his symptoms and get him on the right treatment plan.

It is very concerning that Romo is suddenly lethargic, and now won't eat or drink as well as heavy panting. At his age, these signs could be symptomatic of a serious illness such as heart disease, systemic illness, or organ failure. Any breathing problems should be considered an emergency. Given his older age and the sudden onset of symptoms, the best thing to do is having him seen by a vet as soon as possible. The vet can diagnose what is causing his symptoms and how best to treat him.

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I would recommend a visit to the vet. A week of inappetance, lethargy, and now panting is concerning for many different conditions, some fatal without treatment. Concerns would be a foreign object stuck in his gut, severe gastritis, heart disease, infection/sepsis, etc. Lethargy and inappetance (not eating) are vague clinical signs that can be associated with many disease conditions. Your vet will do an exam, and likely run some bloodwork, and might have to take some x-rays. Best of luck with Alfie, I hope he feels better soon!

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It sounds like Marley is pretty sick, and I'm worried about him as well. Not eating or drinking can be signs of a systemic illness that is causing him to feel ill. Examples are liver disease, kidney disease, hormonal imbalances, and even cancer. Walking hunched is an indication of back pain and/or abdominal pain. He may be panting despite the normal room temperature because of this pain or discomfort. For all of these reasons, I would recommend having Marley evaluated by a veterinarian as soon as possible. They will likely recommend blood work, a urinalysis and abdominal x-rays to look for evidence of underlying disease that could make him unwilling to eat or drink. These tests may also give some insight into why he is walking hunched over and sensitive to you touching him. They will also allow your veterinarian to develop the most appropriate treatment plan to get him feeling better as quickly as possible. I hope this is helpful, and best of luck to you and Marley.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is hard to say what's going on with Hunter without seeing him. It could be stress related to the hurricane or there could be a medical condition. Panting is usually a sign of stress or pain. I would keep offering food and water and if he is still not eating in another 24 hours, I would find a vet to take him to (I would take him sooner if he starts vomiting or having diarrhea). I am not as concerned with his appetite as I am with his water intake. I hope this helps! Good luck and kisses to Hunter!

Panting heavily when it is not hot in the environment is usually a sign of pain or discomfort. If Mia has had a poor appetite for a few days, it is possible that she has a chronic condition such as liver or kidney disease that can be diagnosed on routine screening bloodwork. Unfortunately at age 12, especially for a large breed dog, serious/not curable conditions such as cancer (usually diagnosed on chest/abdominal X-rays) is a possibility as well. Less scary possible causes of the panting could be discomfort from pancreatitis which is often caused by table food and treated with fluid therapy +/- anti-nausea medication, or pain from arthritis which can be treated with pain meds pending screening bloodwork to rule out pre-existing liver/kidney issues. Especially since Mia seems uncomfortable, it would be best to bring her to your vet for an evaluation. Good luck!

Hello there. Sorry Eron is having this issue. This is not an emergency service so if you are really worried about him you should always take him to a veterinarian right away! That being said, dogs can pant for many reasons. 1. Cooling themselves off 2. Pain, injury 3. Underlying medical condition like heart disease, thyroid disease, cushing's disease, respiratory disease, etc 4. Stress 5. Excitement So, it may nothing or it may a sign of something serious. You know your dog best. If he seems like he can't get comfortable and he seems stressed then you should get him to a vet right away. If he seems otherwise comfortable and he is just lying there panting he is probably fine and you should continue to monitor him and if he keeps doing it then you should have him checked out by your vet. Like I said, you know him best and if you are worried then you should have him checked out. I hope this helps. Best wishes! Dr. Amber