My dog is suddenly stiff, slow, not eating, and losing weight. Help!

I am very concerned about your dog's condition and highly recommend a veterinary visit. There are a few general categories that fit with what your dog is showing at home. One would be weakness due to a nerve problem in the back end. This can happen if a disc has moved out of place in the spine and is pressing on the spinal cord. This can cause dogs to have trouble walking and placing their feet in an appropriate way. Some have the appearance of walking on their toes. Otherwise they are able to place weight on the back legs but stagger or sway when walking. This can be an emergency situation if the disc slips more into the spinal cord and causes paralysis. Another type of weakness that causes trouble getting up is if there is a lack of proper blood circulation. The lower level of blood in the body causes them to be lethargic due to the decreased oxygen circulating throughout the body. In an older dog, the most common cause of this is with a tumor or mass on the spleen that has ruptured. The spleen holds a large amount of blood and if it has a rupture, the blood leaks out into the abdomen. In addition to the lethargy, we often see pale gums and a pot belly appearance due to the pooling blood. An x-ray or ultrasound would help determine if this is occurring. These are the two most common reasons for such a dramatic change in her appearance. There is also the chance of her eating something she shouldn't. The best thing for her would be to have an exam as soon as you are able to determine what is causing her signs. The vet may recommend bloodwork or an x-ray. Unfortunately. older large breed dogs can lose nerve function in their back legs due to age changes. There is little we can do to help this aside from keeping them comfortable. Due to how sudden the signs showed up, this is less likely, as it is often a more gradual change.

Hello. Limping & a lack of appetite may be a sign of some metabolic problem or an infectious disease. Tick fever is one thing that comes to mind that can cause lameness & illness at the same time. The weight loss is concerning because this indicates that this may be a chronic problem. Before things get any worse for your sweet girl, it would be best to have her evaluated by your veterinarian at your earliest convenience. The sooner you can find out what is causing her symptoms, the sooner you can get her back to feeling better. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I would definitely recommend some blood work, if this hasn't been done recently. Older dogs are prone to a number of health issues that can cause decreased appetite along with being less active - chronic kidney disease and hypothyroidism are two possibilities that are both very common. In many cases, these issues are treatable (at least to some extent) once a diagnosis is made, so it's well worth checking for them if you can - hopefully, there are some things you can do to make him feel better for as long as possible, even though he's getting older.

Poor Girl! Without seeing her, I cannot say whether or not it is serious, but I am definitely concerned. She could have gotten bit by something or broken a bone and be in a lot of pain, both of which could make her not want to eat. I would try to have her seen by your vet as soon as possible so they can determine what is wrong before she gets any worse. I worry if she got bit by something poisonous that it may be more difficult to treat later if she gets worse. Your vet will be able to do blood work and even x-rays if needed to help her feel better. I hope this helps and she starts to feel better really soon!

It definitely sounds like Lola is having a hard time getting around. This can be a common change in dogs that have arthritis, but the sudden onset has me concerned that something more serious could be going on. Possibilities include meningitis, intervertebral disc protrusion or rupture, muscle spasm, among many other things. Lola needs to be seen by a vet as soon as possible for a full physical exam. The vet will pay particular location to muscles, the back and may do a neurologic exam to assess for any deficiencies. Bloodwork may be recommended to screen for internal causes of sudden pain, such as infection or kidney disease. Based on diagnostic results, your vet will be able to prescribe appropriate pain medications. Unfortunately there are no over the counter pain medications that are safe for Lola. You can try to raise her food and water bowls up to a more comfortable level, and have plenty of soft bedding for her to lay on on the floor.

Poor Lady! It sounds like something is definitely wrong. These are very concerning symptoms, but unfortunately they are also very vague and could be caused by almost any kind of serious illness. Some possible causes would include liver or kidney disease, pancreatitis, pyometra (a life-threatening uterine infection that is common in unspayed female dogs), or ingestion of something toxic. I'm afraid this sounds like it may be a life-threatening problem, so I would really recommend taking Lady to an emergency vet immediately for an exam. He/she can do some diagnostic testing if needed to help determine what's wrong and get her started on appropriate treatment for her illness.

I'm not sure how old Daisy is, but she could be suffering from arthritis, may have degenerative joint disease, or could have injured herself. It is concerning that she is having trouble walking, and that indicates she could be in a lot of pain. Given those symptoms, I feel it's best to have her seen by a vet today. The vet can diagnose what is causing her trouble walking, and can treat it while also giving her some pain medications. Please do not give Daisy any human pain medications, as many are toxic to dogs and can be fatal if given.