My dog has a swollen stomach and won't eat or drink. Is it serious?

First off, I'm very sorry your lost your grandmother! Please accept my condolences for your loss. I see that she isn't spayed, and I would be concerned Bailey could have a pyometra. This is an infection of the uterus that is fatal without treatment. It would cause her to not eat and have a swollen stomach. She needs to see a vet immediately, this is not something you can treat at home. Please take her into a vet now. Best of luck.

These symptoms are very concerning for a possible organ enlargement in the abdomen or even heart disease (causes fluid build up in the belly). I would highly recommend taking Buttons in to your vet for some testing (bloodwork and radiographs) to determine the exact cause of her illness. Once we know what is going on internally then we will know what type of treatment she needs to hopefully get better. I hope Buttons is able to turn around. Best wishes and take care.

Not eating for so long is very concerning. Brownish vomitus likely contains blood, and a swollen tummy can be a sign of liver failure, a tumor, a serious infection, pancreatitis, or an intestinal blockage or bloat. By now this is an emergency and I strongly recommend you take Brooklynn to a vet or Pet ER right away. The vet will need to do x-rays and some blood tests, possibly and ultrasound to find out what the problem is.

I am very sorry to hear about your dog. She definitely needs to go see a veterinarian as soon as possible. Swelling of the abdomen as you describe can be from many causes including fluid buildup in the abdomen (due to things such as heart disease, liver disease, low protein levels due to kidney loss or intestinal loss or severe intestinal parasitism), tumors in the abdomen as well as tumors that are bleeding or oozing into the abdomen. The vet will palpate your dog's belly and may recommend testing including a fecal test to check for parasites and bacteria, an x-ray to look for fluid and tumors, and bloodwork to check protein and red and white blood cell levels.

Not eating for 3 days is serious for a puppy. They are not able to regulate blood sugar like an adult and they don't have the same reserves either. The swollen belly could be related and could indicate parasites, a blockage, an infection or a heart condition. I recommend to have your puppy examined today by the veterinarian. Bring in a stool sample to the appointment. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

If she hasn't vomited again and doesn't seem uncomfortable, you can try giving a 1/4 portion of food or even boiled chicken and rice to see how she handles it, and then gradually increase back to her normal meals. If she seems in distress and is very painful or bloated, or is trying to vomit/pass stool and can't, or begins to vomit a lot after eating, I would bring her into your vet right away for care.

Poor Coco! That much distension in the stomach can indicate fluid (ascites) in the abdomen or an enlarged abdominal organ like the liver. These problems can develop secondary to heart disease, liver failure, low protein levels, severe GI parasites, and cancer. I'd recommend taking Coco to see a veterinarian right away as he needs blood work and X-rays to know why this is happening. This is a true medical emergency as many of the causes of a distended stomach can be life threatening. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and I am hoping Coco has an easy recovery!