My old dog is very lethargic with many health problems. What can I do?

I am so sorry to hear that Daisy is sick. Lethargy can be a symptom of many different problems. However, at her age I worry about things like kidney failure, liver disease, and cancer. I would highly encourage you to have her evaluated by your veterinarian as soon as possible. Many problems can be treated if caught early, but if you wait too long they can be life threatening. The veterinarian will likely recommend blood work and possibly an X-ray to help determine the diagnosis. Best of luck and I hope she improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Poor Lyl. There are so many things that can cause not eating and lethargy so it is hard to say for sure what is going on. I would make sure her gums are pink - if they are white, yellow or grayish blue then she is in critical condition and needs to go to the emergency clinic. Otherwise, you can try feeding her some plain boiled chicken (no bones) and white rice tonight and see if she will eat it. If not, then I would have your vet take a look at her. Your vet will be able to determine if she is in pain anywhere or if something else is going on. They will be able to do bloodwork and even X-rays if needed. I hope this helps and she starts to feel better really soon!

I am so sorry to hear that your pet has so many major issues that are debilitating and causing her to have a poor quality of life. I do think that if her condition cannot be improved with medications then it is someting you should discuss with your veterinarian. Humane euthansia, although it is probably not something you want to consider, should be considered if Sophie is not able to helped with medical management. However, there are pain medications that can be tried to see if they make a difference. You can discuss with your vet about trying Tramadol and/or Gabapentin to help with pain management. Probiotics can also be tried to help with her diarrhea, as well as a high fiber diet such as Royal Canin Gasrointestinal High Fiber (Rx). It sounds like she may have cancer involving her nervous system, which is why she can't maintain her mobitliy well. Poor girl. I hope that you can come to terms with her condition and maybe there is more you can try with her. Best wishes with Sophie. We are also available for a private consultation if you need to discuss more about Sophie's condition and futher care recommendations. Take care.

It sounds like he is experiencing typical geriatric changes. There is not much we can do to restore hearing if caused by aging. The energy definitely slows down as they age. A daily canine multi vitamin may help. If you haven't been getting his blood checked once a year I would consider this and go see your vet to have this done as there certainly are diseases that can cause shadow to feel lethargic and sleepy. In regards to going up stairs, it sounds like arthritis may be slowing him down a bit. I would consult your vet about pain medications that you can give shadow to help with arthritis. Dasuquin for dogs is a great product along with omega 3 fish oils to aid in reducing inflammation. Welactin is a great fish oil product you can get over the counter. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction! Please contact me with any additional concerns you may have!

It's possible there is still some underlying pain, or even an internal issue causing Nala's symptoms. You didn't mention if any tests had been done beyond a basic exam, so getting bloodwork, X-rays, etc may be a good next step for figuring out the cause of her problems. If your vet can't find anything, seeking out a second opinion or a specialist may be another step. You've listed Nala as ten years old, so she is well into her senior years as well. Older dogs can sometimes suffer incontinence and brain changes as they age which can sometimes cause the symptoms you are seeing. Medication and prescription diets can sometimes address this, as well as lifestyle changes at home. However, if Nala is truly feeling unwell, or completely listless, speaking with your vet about quality of life is best.

Hello, sorry to hear about Lily. It sounds like your veterinarian was suspecting some form of neck injury that could be causing this. The signs could be explained by an injury to her spinal cord, especially one from a slipped disk. Which would in certain situations improve with he medications you were prescribed. However, other causes of this could include some form of metabolic disease (hypothyroidism, diabetes, liver disease, or kidney disease). Finally, other infectious diseases should also be considered. Ideally, to screen for any of these diseases, Lily should be evaluated by her veterinarian if she is not improving and likely have additional diagnostics including bloodwork, x-rays, and potentially an abdominal ultrasound performed. Please call your veterinarian to discuss any option for payments or financing Lily's care. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Old age isn't a disease, so I would be concerned that Turner's lethargy and anorexia is caused by a medical problem. The problem is that these symptoms can be caused by many things such as heart disease, liver disease, kidney disease, diabetes, and cancer to name a few. Keep an eye on him tonight, and if he's still this way in the morning, take him into the vet. Try to tempt him to eat with some boiled white meat chicken (no bones) and white rice. You can also try soaking his dog food in gently warmed low sodium beef or chicken broth. Best of luck, I hope this helps!