My senior dog had a stroke, won't eat, and is very sick. What to do?

I'm sorry your dog isn't doing well! I would be concerned that she may be in pain, and she could have a neurological problem causing her inability to walk. It's quite serious that she hasn't eaten for four days and can't get up. I work for a home euthanasia service, so I frequently encounter the question of when to put an animal to sleep. I always recommend looking at the dog's quality of life. When a dog can't stand up and isn't eating, their quality of life has declined to a point where humane euthanasia should be considered. She will be starving from not eating, and that will be painful to her. It's also probably distressing she can't get up. In this case, I personally don't think it would be fair to wait it out. You can have her seen by a vet tomorrow to see if there are pain medications to give her to see if that helps her get up and medications to stimulate her to eat. If those don't work, then letting her go peacefully is the most kind option for her. I'm sure that's not something you want to hear, and I'm very sorry that she is doing so poorly.

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!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Oreo. I recommend that she sees a veterinarian soon. It sounds like she is experiencing multiple issues. If she is painful, she will experience difficulty with her mobility. This can also affect her appetite. The veterinarian will examine her and determine the source of her mobility issues. Laboratory work may be recommended to determine if there is another cause of her decreased appetite and if she is healthy enough for pain medications. In the meantime, carry her as much as possible. Do not give any over-the-counter pain medications as these can be toxic to dogs. I hope this information helps!

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Hydro really needs to see a veterinarian. If not eating or drinking then the cause for that needs to be addressed first. While aspirin is occasionally used in dogs it has a very low index of safety and should absolutely not be given to a dog who is not eating- as it can potentially cause fatal G.I. ulceration. There are no other otc pain medications safe for use in dogs at all. Please take Hydro to the veterinarian asap. Good luck and I hope he's better soon.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Without seeing Trixie it’s hard to be sure what’s going on. It sounds like vestibular disease. This is an inflammation of a nerve that runs near the ear. When this happens the pet has a head tilt, can’t stand or walk well and is dizzy. I would recommend keeping her calm and away from anything dangerous, like stairs, until you can get her to the vet. You don’t need to give her any medications and it’s ok if she doesn’t eat for a couple of days. Keep water close by. Good luck and kisses to Trixie!

Unfortunately, there are no safe OTC pain relievers for dogs. Many are toxic for dogs and can be fatal if given. I'm not sure what kind of surgery your dog has, perhaps a spay, but she should likely not still be in pain three days before taking out her staples. It's also concerning that she won't eat, which could also be due to pain. This pain and anorexia could be an indication of a post surgical complication. Her symptoms are serious enough that she needs medical treatment now. There will be a vet on call for emergencies in your area. The information to find that vet is found on the clinic's answering machine or website. You can also see if there is an ER veterinary clinic in your area. Please take her into a vet asap.

Unfortunately, yes cancer is painful to dogs. Dogs are quite good at hiding their pain, so they often do not show many outward signs of being in pain until they are very sick and quite painful. I'm sorry she is so sick :-(