My 7-year-old Pomeranian won't get up. Is this an emergency?

Poor Molly! Yes, you should take her to the vet if she is having eye discharge and seems to be rubbing her eye. Molly may have a corneal ulcer, uveitis, or even just allergies causing these issues. Eyes are fairly delicate structures and problems can progress rapidly, so it's better to be safe than sorry in these cases. Until you can get to the vet, keep an e-collar (cone) on Molly to prevent further rubbing or scratching of the eye, as this could make matters worse. I hope that she feels better soon!

Poor Molly! I'm sorry to hear that she's having this problem. Yes, if she has hit her head hard enough to cause these symptoms, I'm afraid that this is definitely an emergency - head trauma is a serious, life-threatening problem in dogs just as it is in people. Even if her symptoms are due to something else, they are still a sign that something is seriously wrong so I would really recommend having her seen regardless. It would be best to take her to your nearest emergency clinic right away for an exam - the vet there can do some diagnostic testing if needed to determine what's wrong and get her started on appropriate treatment.

Hello. Trembling & lethargy can be signs of pain or a fever from an infection. If you can take her temperature ( any oral or rectal thermometer inserted just a small way into the rectum ) will work. If Molly's temp is above 103 F, you might want to have her seen today. Otherwise, try to keep her from jumping on or off furniture & carry her up & down any stairs in case she has somehow injured a disc in her neck or spine. Hopefully she will be feeling better soon. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Those are definitely concerning symptoms that warrant getting her to the vet as soon as possible. If she's awake and alert, breathing normally, with pink gums like the picture, waiting until first thing tomorrow morning is likely ok, but I can't be sure something serious isn't going on from what you've described. The list of possible causes is long and varies from a minor soft tissue injury, to an orthopedic issue, or something life threatening like a twisted stomach or pyometra (very uncommon in spayed dogs).

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Sofie, I am sorry she isn't feeling well! Sadly the symptoms you are describing are non-specific and can indicate many things. Lethargy, not moving and keeping the eyes closed indicates that Sofie is sick. She could be painful or have a fever. Almost anything can cause the symptoms she is exhibiting ranging from Lyme disease, to cancer, to kidney failure, to nausea, etc. I recommend that Sofie be examined by a Vet today. I hope this helps and I wish Sofie a speedy recovery!

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.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Moo. I recommend that she sees an emergency veterinarian today. It doesn't sound like she is feeling well. Small breed dogs can be prone to neck and/or back pain which can be excruciating to them. These dogs will commonly cry when picked up. The veterinarian will examine her and try to determine the source of her pain. She may also need bloodwork and possibly x-rays. From there, treatment can be started. In the meantime, do not give any over-the-counter pain medications as these can be toxic to dogs. I hope this information helps!