My dog won't eat or drink and is lethargic. Could it be stress?

I'm glad to hear that Bentley is still playful and acting normally, even though he hasn't been eating and drinking normally. It is possible that both the stress of leaving his sister and your family, as well as moving to a new home may be contributing to his change in appetite. You can try tempting him to eat with a bland diet of boiled white meat chicken and white rice for a few days (1.5 cups per day, divided into smaller meals). After a few days, transition to his normal dog food by mixing the two foods together over another 5-7 days. It may also be worth looking into calming pheromone collars or diffusers (Adaptil is one example - https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/dog/dog-health-and-wellness/dog-calming-aids/adaptil-adjustable-calming-dog-collar) to try to help Bentley's stress level. If he still refuses to eat in a few days, it is worth a trip to the vet to assure that there aren't bigger medical problems occurring. I hope this helps and that all goes well!

Hi there and thank you for attaching pictures to your question. Cliff is a very handsome dog but certainly looks uncomfortable in the photos. He appears stiff and his eyes certainly are suggesting that he doesn't feel very well or that he is painful. The symptoms you're describing are certainly very concerning. With his age is there anything different or concerning that he could have eaten? Do you feel like his abdomen is distended or uncomfortable? I would recommend having him evaluated by a veterinarian soon as possible. The symptoms you are describing and the way he looks in the picture certainly could be pain related, but the question is whether or not this is something that can be easily addressed with medication or whether other intervention is needed. I hope this helps and that Cliff is feeling better soon.

Oh no. Poor guy. When you are dealing with a pet like Stitches with non-specific symptoms such as not wanting to eat or drink, the best thing to do is to get him examined by your vet and get him checked out. He could have a number of things going on internally that have to be evaluated via bloodwork so that we can identify the problem quickly and know what specific treatment he needs to feel better. I would recommend taking him in to your vet right away for testing and treatment. I do hope that your pet Stitches is able to make a full and speedy recovery soon! Best wishes and take care.

It sounds like Velvet went on a very long hike (good on you for doing it too!), and it could be that she is very tired from such a long hike. It is concerning that she is very lethargic and won't eat or drink. I would try to tempt her to eat by soaking her food in gently warmed low sodium beef or chicken broth, or by offering her small amounts of boiled white meat chicken (no bones) and white rice. Should she refuse to eat this, then I would have her seen by a vet for a health check.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Castiel. He is likely stressed from your absence and it has affected his appetite. However, being a small dog, I am worried about him becoming dehydrated from not drinking. He will need to see his veterinarian to ensure there is not another cause for his inappetance. In the meantime, give him lots of love and attention. You can try offering low sodium chicken broth to see if that will encourage him to drink. I hope this information helps!

Hi, and thanks for your question. This is a quite generic but concerning presentation. Differentials are many, from gastrointestinal diseases (infection/inflammations often dietary related) to any disease that can spread systemically (causing lethargy for example) like infection, and anything that can cause pain/discomfort. The approach must be logic, starting from offering different kind of food. A check up is needed if inappetence lasts for more than 24hours. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

If he has lost weight and is lethargic than he should be examined by a vet to determine the cause. He could have a dental problem, infection, parasite, metabolic/endocrine disease, etc. and your vet can run lab work and take an x-ray, if needed, to help determine the cause. If it caused by stress and anxiety from losing your other dog than your vet can prescribe an anti-anxiety medication, like Prozac or Trazodone to see if that helps.