Why is my senior dog not eating, lethargic, and won't stand?

Refusing food can be caused by a huge number of things. Urine gets much darker when a patient is dehydrated. So, since Cody is not eating or drinking normally, we would expect his urine to be darker than normal. Dehydration alone can make a dog nauseous and refuse to eat. Dehydration can also make a number of conditions worse. I would recommend having your vet examine Cody ASAP to see if they can figure out what is causing Cody not to eat. They may need to check some blood work to figure that out. Depending on what they find, at the very least, they will be able to give him fluids to correct his dehydration which will make him feel better and maybe give him anti-nausea medication which may allow him to start eating again. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and that Cody feels better soon. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Loss of appetite and lethargy can be observed with many conditions such as gastroenteritis, dietary indiscretion, kidney disease, pancreatitis, among many other possibilities. Not urinating can be a separate issue and could be due to an obstruction or just simply to a lack of drinking. I recommend that you have Harley evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check for these possibilities and others depending on the findings on exam. Treatment would be based on findings. Good luck and have a great day! Hoping for a speedy recovery!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Your dog appears to be young (under a year) from what I can tell based on the pictures and information you provided. The most likely diseases are as follows: 1. Parvo, a virus that primarily attacks the immune system and intestines of dogs and is very lethal if left without supportive care. 2. Intestinal parasites which can cause intestinal blockage and even anemia (depletion of red blood cells). 3. Other viruses with varying severities. This is not an exhaustive list, just the most common things for a puppy. They will all lead to dehydration and other secondary issues which can all be severe enough to cause death. Whatever the underlying disease, he looks very ill and needs attention from a veterinarian immediately. I would recommend taking him to your nearest emergency veterinary hospital as soon as possible. I hope this helps and your dog gets better!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Loss of appetite, lethargy and pain can be observed with many conditions such as gastroenteritis, dietary indiscretion, kidney disease, pancreatitis, among many other possibilities. These are serious signs and a veterinary evaluation is needed to know what is causing these and what would be best to treat it with. I recommend that you have Oscar evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check for these possibilities and others depending on the findings on exam. Treatment would be based on findings. Good luck and have a great day! Hoping for a speedy recovery!

I am so sorry to hear that your dog is so unwell. From what you are describing it sounds possible that he could have ingested a toxin, have a urinary tract infection, an infection of the prepuce, or an issue with his kidneys. Because he is so lethargic and not eating I would suggest a trip to the veterinarian as soon as possible to a diagnosis and appropriate treatment. If you can collect a urine sample to bring in that would be helpful. In the meantime you can try the following at home; Keep up fluids with; Pedialyte flavourless mixed with water 50/50 Low sodium chicken broth Encourage eating; Chicken boneless and cooked Low fat ground beef cooked Best of luck and ask any further questions you have here, we are here to support you. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I’m sorry Buddy isn’t feeling well. The good news is that his blood work looked good! Sometimes with real nebulous Symptoms such as what Buddy is displaying it can be difficult to pin point the cause. When he is sleeping standing or sitting it makes me suspect that laying down is uncomfortable. This makes me wonder is his belly or his back is uncomfortable . Young dogs certainly have a reputation for eating things they shouldn’t and an intestinal foreign body would be high on my list of concerns. Also I see a lot of back pain in these types of cases as well. Sometimes serial examinations are helpful because you find things on a repeat examination that maybe wasn’t as evident the day before. If he doesnt seem to improve then I would encourage you to have a follow up appointment soon. An x-Ray of his abdomen may be recommended. Best of luck and I hope he improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Hi and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I recommend that you take your dog to see a veterinarian. It sounds like he needs immediate care if he is not eating, he is lethargic and may have a fever. This sounds like a serious condition that needs to be addressed sooner rather than later. Your veterinarian will perform a full physical exam and determine what additional testing may need to be done (xrays, bloodwork) to give you a better idea of what treatments are needed. Good luck.