My 2-month-old puppy is lethargic and has a warm tummy. Is she sick?

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Chops. I'm concerned that his belly being warm can be due to a fever. I think he needs to see a vet as soon as possible for his illness, and if you can take him into one today, that would be great for him. Best of luck.

Is he normal otherwise? Does he seem lethargic/low energy? Good appetite? Normal stools? Buy a digital thermometer and take your puppy's temperature rectally. It's not hard, although puppies can be squirmy, so you may need some help holding him. Use a little something like baby oil to lubricate the end, and just stick the tip in his anus. Normal temperature for a puppy is no more than 102.2 Fahrenheit. (Also, if you're getting a reading of less than 99 Fahrenheit, that's not accurate). If your puppy's temp is higher than this, or if he's not acting perfectly normally, please take him in for a vet visit.

If her breathing is normal and gums are normal pink, then there is a good chance this is just a worm overload. Sometimes it takes 2 treatments done 2 weeks apart to get rid of worms in young puppies. Ascites would almost always cause a pet to be lethargic and act ill. As long as her energy is good and everything else is fine, it is ok to monitor her for now and have your vet check her for parasites when they get back out of town. If she seems ill at any point, then its best to take her to another local vet for a check up. Best of luck with your young puppy Lady Jane moving forward. Take care. : )

Poor Luckie! She doesn't have a fever, as a dog's normal temperature is between 38.3-39.2C. The nose isn't used as a sign of illness in a dog, as their nose can go from wet to dry just by sitting in the sun or laying next to a heat source. Lethargy is a very general sign of illness in dogs, and it could be caused by a systemic illness, infection, inflammation, or injury. She could be panting because she is in pain or stressed out, and the hard tummy could be hard due to constipation (unlikely because she is pooping regularly) or an upset stomach. Given that she doesn't have a fever, is eating and drinking, and going to the bathroom regularly, I would monitor her for now. If she is still lethargic in 24-48 hours, or she develops other signs such a vomiting, diarrhea, and anorexia, I would have her seen by a vet.

I am concerned about Tyson feeling so cold. If you have a rectal thermometer, you can take his temperature. Normal is 100-102. If it is low, he should see a vet immediately. Also, you can place a small amount of honey or caro syrup on his gums in case he is hypoglycemic. Other potential causes for his illness include intestinal parasites (even if he was already dewormed once, they are still possible), GI blockage, bacterial or viral infection, food intolerance, among a few other possibilities. Any puppy that is lethargic or has vomiting and/or diarrhea should see a vet if the symptoms last more than 24 hours as they can get dehydrated very quickly.

It's impossible to know if this is significant or not without more history and likely a physical exam. If Stormy has been running around playing all day, this is likely normal because she is tired. If there is not a good reason for her to be tired, she is likely sick. If you suspect Stormy is ill, I recommend to have her examined by her veterinarian if it lasts beyond 24 hours or if she starts getting worse. I hope this helps.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Cornelius may be tired from the trip indeed. Other common causes of lethargy in a puppy include fever, ongoing infection, abdominal or musculo-skeletal pain and more. As long as Cornelius had something to eat and drink and is resting comfortably, you should monitor him at home. However, if he is still lethargic tomorrow morning, you should take him to your local vets for an appointment.