My dog ran away and came back acting weird. What's wrong?

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear that but this could just be exhaustion and normal tiredness. They may have been exhibiting breeding behavior if they are male and female dogs resulting in exhaustion or just very tired from roaming while away from your home. I wouldn't encourage any playing. Let them rest up. As long as your dog is eating, drinking and going to the bathroom normally then I wouldn't be too concerned but if any seems different, the best bet is to have your veterinarian evaluate them. They can perform a physical exam, take their temperature, and advise any tests (fecal, blood, xrays, ultrasound, etc) which would help them with a diagnosis. Or they may just prescribe some medication if that is indicated. Good luck with your dog and I hope things return to normal soon.

I am so sorry to hear that your pet has a fever of unknown origin I’m assuming. The vet has to run labs to try and find the source of the fever. Has she had any testing done? Bloodwork and urinalysis would be the first place I would start. If she has a high white blood cell count, then antibiotics can be started on her to treat for a suspected infection, which can then be assumed to be the source of the fever. Fever in pets doesn’t happen randomly, and in most cases antibiotics prescribed by your vet are needed. I would highly discourage you from using any over the counter human fever reducer medicaiton, as these can be quite toxic in pets. It’s best to feed Ava as normal and offer her plenty of access to water until she can be seen by your vet. I hope this helps. Best wishes in getting Ava’s fever to come down. I hope she feels better soon. Take care..

Since her symptoms are vague, an exam with your veterinarian would be recommended. An eye exam may diagnose infection or corneal injury. Base line lab work (CBC, chemistry panel, thyroid panel, urinalysis, fecal exam) should be done to assess major organ function, thyroid function, to diagnose intestinal parasites or systemic infection. Your vet can provide supportive care or medications if indicated. In the meantime, make sure she continues to eat and drink and keep her as stress free as possible. It may be that she needs some time to readjust to your home or she may miss your mum.

Shaking can be a sign of pain, fever, nausea or dehydration. If you haven’t had your dog examined by a vet since he ran away I think you should to make sure he isn’t painful or dehydrated. They can also take his temperature to make sure he doesn’t have a fever.

I am very sorry to hear that Amber is not herself, For the time being I would continue to monitor at home. She may be feeling slightly under the weather, and more signs are to follow soon. Or perhaps, something has simply frightened her and she will return to herself in a few hours. If you notice vomiting, diarrhea, inappetence or lethargy please post another question so that I may help you further. In the meantime, try to help Amber feel more secure by trying the following; I am very sorry that you are experiencing these issues with Amber. I will suggest a few tactics to help you both have some peace. The key is to helping Amber feel safe and secure at home, increasing exercise to help with stress and also increasing mental stimulation. Increased exercise especially a long afternoon or evening walk Chew toys Puzzle toys Interactive games like fetch and hide and go seek Leaving the TV, a fan or a White House generating machine on DAP- dog appeasing pheromone releasing diffusers http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=32887 Thunder coats Here are some further resources to help you, but also feel free to ask me any for their questions here on the forum. https://www.petcoach.co/article/10-ways-to-stimulate-your-dog-s-brain/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/7-ways-to-make-sure-your-dog-feels-safe-in-your-home/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/10-signs-your-dog-is-stressed/

Poor Grace! If you can't find an obvious cause for anxiety, it's best to have her checked out for pain as pain can make pets behavior this way as well. Pain can be in many forms including back pain, pain from the pancreas or bladder pain. Since she can't talk and tell you why she is acting this way, it's best to play it safe. Try to keep her quiet and keep the house quiet and non-stimulating and pay close attention to her eating/drinking/bathroom habits until you get her in for her exam. I hope she starts feeling better quickly and please feel free to post any additional questions.

I would be concerned that Bell hasn't returned to normal after 12-24 hours. While heat injury is possible usually dogs have issues sooner than now such as seizures, diarrhea, bruising and/or collapse. She could have a problem with her GI tract, something stuck in her esophagus or even a respiratory issues causing her changes. If she continues to cough, seems lethargic/lack of energy, or has any vomiting, diarrhea or continues to have a decreased appetite today she needs to be seen by a veterinarian. I would try calling your veterinarian today as they sometimes have an oncall service or an emergency veterinarian on call to answer questions as well.