My puppy hit his head and is lethargic. When should I see a vet?

Head trauma is always a cause for concern. Since this happened yesterday, there should have been some improvement with your pup if he suffered an injury such as a mild concussion. Sleeping a lot is not so much of a concern since young puppies normally sleep most of the day, but if you also see signs such as unresponsiveness, a head tilt, circling while walking, unequal pupil size, twitching of the eyes, ataxia (wobbly gait) or [vomiting](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/vomiting-1/) then he should be [seen by a veterinarian immediately](https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-handle-a-pet-emergency/). If there is a bump, it may be a seroma (blood filled sac). This can treated by your veterinarian by either draining the area or trying a veterinary anti-inflammatory medication. Do not medicate him with anything OTC without the advice of your veterinarian as [many OTC drugs can be toxic](https://www.petcoach.co/article/7-human-medications-that-are-dangerous-for-your-pet) to dogs.

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. When animals are sleepy after a hit on the head, which is the my biggest concern for what you are describing, it could be that they have a condition called 'cerebral edema'. Your vet will check for this by assessing your puppies mentation, pupil size and shape and responsiveness, blood pressure, heart rate, and the rest of his physical exam. This, if present, is very serious and sometimes can be fixed and sometimes cannot be fixed. Your vet, if they feel that cerebral edema is present, will give a drug called Mannitol, or will give a drug called 'Hypertonic Saline', to try to decrease this pressure. I am glad you brought Bentley to the vet, that is the best place for him. If you are concerned about Bentley then I recommend you call the clinic and get an update on Bentley, as we cannot know his prognosis without knowing exactly what is happening. Best of luck with Bentley, I hope he feels better soon!

Monitor for any vomiting or trouble walking or a head tilt. If you notice any eye movements jumping back and forth or a head tilt, that is a sign of head trauma. If you notice no signs after 12 -24 hours then you have nothing to worry about

I would suggest to monitor him closely for the next 48 hours and record any abnormal sign you may notice. I would especially concern (so that would require an immediate check up) if you notice signs like lethargy, inappetence, vomiting or abnormal behaviour. 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.

He will probably be OK, however I would closely observe him for the next 24 hrs for signs of unusual behaviors, lethargy, or vomiting. If any of this occurs, Jax needs to be taken to a veterinarian or emergency room right away to assess him for more serious complications.

The first question to answer is, if he lost his consciousness when he fell. Being 'knocked out' suggest brain trauma, concussion at least. If he was conscious at all times, then most likely the brain did not suffer any serious injury. Dogs have relatively small brains (compared to human), which are also well protected by the skull bones. Brain injuries are much less common in dogs than in human patients. So, my advice is : as long as Milo is looking normal, he is bright and alert, he is not vomiting, his pupils are of equal size, he is not in any obvious pain or discomfort you should monitor him at home. If he becomes lethargic, weak on legs, crying for no reason or vomiting you need to call your regular vets or your nearest emergency service asap.

If she is remaining sleepy, has poor balance or vomiting I would be concerned about a possible head injury and recommend she be assessed by a vet as soon as possible. Otherwise continue to monitor for food and fluid intake and ensure no rough play for the next 48 hours