My dog is trembling, breathing fast, and sick. What should I do?

Yes, please take her in right away. This sounds like she is in a lot of pain. Dogs pant a lot and tremble when they are in pain. Since she’s not spayed she could have a uterine infection that can become life threatening, or many small dogs get intervertebral disc disease which can cause the symptoms you are seeing. They will need to do an exam and possibly lab tests or X-rays to get a diagnosis, then they can give pain medication and the appropriate treatment. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Roxie.

I sam so sorry that she’s not doing well. From what you describe, I’m very concerned about her and you need to seek emergency veterinary care immediately. Call your vet’s office even if they are closed—they likely have a recording for either how to contact the vet in case of an emergency, or information for the nearest vet clinic. There are many possible causes for what’s going on, but it sounds like at the very least she needs some IV fluids and some lab work and possible X-rays may be needed. I am so sorry there isn’t something I can suggest you do for her at home at this point, but if she’s just lying there, she seems cold, and her breathing is labored, you have got to get her to a vet. Any treatment you attempt to provide at home is only going to delay effectively addressing the problem. Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach, best of luck with her.

Poor Bow. These symptoms suggest that she either has anxiety from something that scared her or she is having a sudden pain response from somewhere in her body. If the panting episode is continuous and seems labored, she has dulled responses, +/- white or pale gums, or if she seems to be in pain, then I would rush her to the ER vet to have her looked over. However if she is alert, has a normal mentation (aware of her surroundings), panting and shaking are intermittent and not continuous, and if she slowly improves over the next hour as you try to slowly coax her out of her hiding spot, then I would wait it to until morning. Especially if she has a history of anxiety or a recent event (i.e. Thunderstorms, guests over, loud noises, etc) can be seen as a possible cause for her current state. I hope your fur baby is able to make a full and speedy recovery. Hopefully she just got spooked and will return to her normal self after she has time to settle down. Best wishes.

I would recommend that you have Bella examined by a vet as soon as possible. Open mouth breathing in a dog that is in a cool, comfortable environment can be caused by heart disease, lung disease, anemia, severe pain, among a few others. Rapid heart rate can also be caused by these things. When you get to the vet, they will do a physical exam and may recommend x-rays to make a diagnosis.

Sasha is so cute, but I'm sorry she's doing poorly! If she is limping, she is breathing heavily, trembling, and panting a lot, this can be a sign she is in pain. This would explain why she couldn't even go up the the stairs. If she's finally laying down and isn't showing any of this signs you described in your post, I would keep an eye on her for now and make an appointment for her with the vet in the morning. Now if these symptoms you are describing are continuing, then I think having her seen by a vet now would be best. In this case, please take her into an ER vet clinic; if there isn't one in your area, there will be a vet on call for emergencies. The information to reach that vet is found on a clinic's answering machine or website. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. If you are noticing an increased respiratory rate and her belly becoming larger, I would recommend having a veterinarian examine her so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I would recommend having x-rays done to help determine what the cause of these symptoms could be. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I'm sorry to hear Bella isn't behaving normally. Non-specific signs like you are seeing are a little difficult to pinpoint the source of; shaking can be due to pain, nausea, anxiety, or another underlying issue. I would recommend having her evaluated by her regular veterinarian to see if they are able to find anything that could explain what is going on, and if any further needs to be done for her. Good luck!