My senior Maltese is suddenly lethargic and uncomfortable. What to do?

Hi, and thanks for your question. This is a quite generic but concerning presentation. Differentials are many, from any disease that can spread systemically (causing lethargy for example) like infection, and anything that can cause pain/discomfort. The approach must be logic, A check up is needed if signs last for more than 24hours. 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. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

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.

I am so sorry to hear that Daisy is sick. Lethargy can be a symptom of many different problems. However, at her age I worry about things like kidney failure, liver disease, and cancer. I would highly encourage you to have her evaluated by your veterinarian as soon as possible. Many problems can be treated if caught early, but if you wait too long they can be life threatening. The veterinarian will likely recommend blood work and possibly an X-ray to help determine the diagnosis. Best of luck and I hope she improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Poor Charlie! There are several things that can cause him to be lethargic and not eat like kidney or liver disease, an infection, a tumor/cancer, general GI upset, parasites, and much more. Since he has an extensive medical history and he isn't eating well and lethargic, I would strongly recommend to have your vet take a look at him asap. Your vet will be able to do a fecal, blood work and even x-rays if needed. They will be able to recommend the best treatment plan for him to help him feel better! I hope this helps!

Poor Elvis. Lethargy and walking slowly are very non-specific signs so it is hard to say what to look for in particular with no other symptoms to speak of. The knots just above his ball area sounds like his normal anatomy, this is likely his bulbourethral glands. Here is a website link to show where these are located https://www.google.com/search?q=bulbourethral+gland+dog&espv=2&tbm=isch&imgil=pTKQrx81rZCGOM%253A%253B3nBfSDs8qEgTTM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.askavetquestion.com%25252Fanswer_np.php%25253Fid%2525253D1255-swelling-near-dogs-penis&source=iu&pf=m&fir=pTKQrx81rZCGOM%253A%252C3nBfSDs8qEgTTM%252C_&usg=__CSQ66uCaPdvWqN-MksT9gTQire8%3D&biw=1440&bih=803&ved=0ahUKEwjpmf28sKnTAhUlyoMKHQxCDCoQyjcINQ&ei=aZnzWKnBE6WUjwSMhLHQAg#imgrc=2CpxzEy69GEQPM: This is not a sign of illness having these glands visible. However the lethargy is of some concern, so a proper physical exam by your vet would be the next best step. They will check him from head to toe for any abnormalities, including any abnormal heart rate, breathing rate or temperature (which would indicate infection). Make sure to check the house and yard for any toxins that he may have been exposed to. If testing needs to be ran, then the vet will recommend those to gather more clues as to the underlying cause of his illness. I hope things go well.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! When I get a case like this, I treat for pain. An arthritis flare up, sore back, or soft tissue injury can be very difficult to find on an exam but can cause exactly what you are describing. Talk to your vet about doing a week or two of pain medication to see if that helps- many times it will. Best wishes to you and Mylo!

Thanks for visiting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. These symptoms are concerning, especially coming from an older pet lIke Blue. His warm feeling body could indicate an internal infection or inflammatory disorder, and his panting and swollen stomach could indicate underlying heart disease, an infection, or even cancer has to be considered here. I would highly recommend taking him in to your vet to have some testing done as soon as possible. The vet needs to do some bloodwork analysis and an x-ray to find out the underlying cause for his symptoms, since there are several disease processes that can cause the same symptoms. I do hope that Blue is able to make a full and speedy recovery with a diagnosis that is readily treatable. I wish you all the best! Take care.