Why is my old lab panting, not eating, eyes shut? Should I go to ER?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Dakota! I would have her seen by a Vet today due to her age. There are many things that can cause an older lab to stop eating and start panting. I worry about heart failure, pneumonia, cancer or anemia from a bleeding mass in the belly. Even a fever can cause these signs. I would have her examined and see if chest and belly X-rays needs to be done. They may also recommend blood work as well. I hope this helps and I wish Dakota the best!

Thank you very much for providing the pictures of Grace. I agree that she does appear to be thin in comparison to other dogs of her breed and age. When an 11-year-old Labrador presents to me with symptoms of being thin, bleeding, panting, and not eating, I begin to get very worried that something serious is wrong. Some of the diseases that I am worried that she may have are as follows: diabetes, Cushing’s disease, cancer, or other infectious diseases. I strongly encourage you to contact a veterinarian as soon as possible to schedule a full physical exam and possibly diagnostic testing like blood work and x-rays to see just what is causing her symptoms. I hope this helps and I hope she gets better.

Panting heavily when it is not hot in the environment is usually a sign of pain or discomfort. If Mia has had a poor appetite for a few days, it is possible that she has a chronic condition such as liver or kidney disease that can be diagnosed on routine screening bloodwork. Unfortunately at age 12, especially for a large breed dog, serious/not curable conditions such as cancer (usually diagnosed on chest/abdominal X-rays) is a possibility as well. Less scary possible causes of the panting could be discomfort from pancreatitis which is often caused by table food and treated with fluid therapy +/- anti-nausea medication, or pain from arthritis which can be treated with pain meds pending screening bloodwork to rule out pre-existing liver/kidney issues. Especially since Mia seems uncomfortable, it would be best to bring her to your vet for an evaluation. Good luck!

I'm sorry Odie isn't doing well! He could be in pain, causing him to be very lethargic and not moving a lot. Pain would also cause him to pant and eat less. His pain could be caused by arthritis, which is common in senior dogs, or hip dysplasia. There could also be other medical illnesses causing his symptoms, such as heart disease or cancer. I would have him seen by a vet today for a physical exam, geriatric blood test, urinalysis, and possibly chest and hip x-rays. These tests will determine what is causing his symptoms so he can be treated as needed.

If you didn't take her in, I would do so immediately. It does sound like something that shouldn't wait. Sometimes ER clinics are linked to specialists and can get the ER pets in with them sooner. In older animals with neurological signs, yes tumors become higher on the list of possibilities

It is very concerning that Romo is suddenly lethargic, and now won't eat or drink as well as heavy panting. At his age, these signs could be symptomatic of a serious illness such as heart disease, systemic illness, or organ failure. Any breathing problems should be considered an emergency. Given his older age and the sudden onset of symptoms, the best thing to do is having him seen by a vet as soon as possible. The vet can diagnose what is causing his symptoms and how best to treat him.

Drooling can be a sign of pain or nausea. IF she is feeling bad then she may need to see your vet. they can check her mouth and teeth for any wounds or sores or abscesses or look for any pain anywhere else. If she is not eating or having diarrhea, then that is a sign it is from nausea and they can provide medicine for that. You can try boiled chicken and rice to see if she is interested in that food and see how she handles that.