07
Jul
You may not know where the pain is but its a sign that your dog is in distress and is not feeling well. Be sure youre aware of your dogs current mental or emotional state when determining the cause of their lethargy.
The cause is likely fever ingesting poison trauma a physical injury a virus parvo or distemper or an organ disorder liver or kidney disease.
Older dog acting lethargic. If your dog is lethargic and shaking it is most commonly a sign of pain. You may not know where the pain is but its a sign that your dog is in distress and is not feeling well. Sometimes the dog isnt sure what is going on either and is trying to move as little as possible so they dont hurt as much.
Its usually fairly easy to tell if your dog is acting sluggish. Excessive sleep low energy lack of excitement and delayed responses are all overt signs of a lethargic dog says Vetinfo. Exercise intolerance can be harder to spot especially if you dont walk or play with your dog regularly.
Older dogs may feel chronic pain in their joints or back and seem lethargic. When to Take Your Lethargic Dog to the Vet. Lethargy can be a secondary symptom of a simple upset stomach or it could be a sign of a life-threatening illness.
Lethargy in Older Dogs. If your dog is older some things to consider that might be causing your dog to be lethargic include osteoarthritis as well as general pain heart disease diabetes excessive weight hypothyroidism yes dogs can get that too as well as tick-born diseases. Serious infections such as Parvo heartworm disease.
That doesnt necessarily mean he is sick but the first step you have to take if your dog is acting lethargic for more than a day is to call the vet. Then someone like Williams a veterinary technician whos trained to listen to a pet owners concerns will decide when its appropriate to bring the pet in for an examination sometimes immediately other times in a. Your dogs age.
Its also important to think about how old your pet is. As well as spending more time eating puppies also need to sleep more than adult dogs. So if your puppy sleeps 15 20 hours a day for the first few months theres no need to worry.
Similarly as adult dogs get older they start experiencing more aches and pains. A lethargic dog is not interested in hisher normal day-to-day life and is either unable or unwilling to get up out of bed very often. Heshe may be weak and unable to move well or he may be stiff and in a lot of pain when heshe moves.
A lethargic dog usually wont show much interest in food treats or a favorite toy. We are so used to seeing our dogs in perpetual motion most of their lives that the day they start acting lethargic we tend to worryand rightfully so. In the veterinary field the term aint doing right abbreviated in medical charts as ADR is often used to depict abnormal activity in a dog that is simply not doing well.
Dog Weakness and Lethargy. Common Causes and Treatments. A few of the more common causes of weakness or lethargy in dogs include the following.
Any kind of infection – including serious ones such as parvovirus distemper kennel cough leptospirosis and heartworm disease – can make your dog lethargic. Parvovirus is spread through feces. Causes of Shivering and Lethargy in Dogs.
Shiveringshaking and lethargyfatigue are symptoms that indicate your dog is sick andor in pain. The cause is likely fever ingesting poison trauma a physical injury a virus parvo or distemper or an organ disorder liver or kidney disease. A dogs body consists of up to 80 percent water.
It aids numerous body functions including digestion circulation and helping to remove bodily wastes. A dog will become lethargic if the fluid levels in its body drops. If heatstroke occurs and a dogs body temperature becomes abnormally high it can appear weak and depressed.
A dog appearing lethargic and tired for more than 24 hours could simply be a sign that your dog is coming down with a bug. Lethargy and weakness are common symptoms when a pooch isnt feeling very well. The downside to dog lethargy is that the root causes can be somewhat vague.
It is not only important to know possible reasons why your dog hides you also need to know what is usual behavior for your canine. Getting to know their personality and habits is a vital part of forging a strong bond between dog and guardian. The most frequent reasons a dog is hiding and acting strange include.
If shes lethargic or vomiting or if her gums are blue white or yellow rather than pink there may be something more seriously wrong than a tummy full of food. Straddle your pet as shes standing and put one hand on either side of her underside. Apply a gentle squeezing pressure and then release starting at the front and moving back.
It is terrifying to suddenly see your dog having difficulty walking and showing signs such as a head tilt and jerking eye movements. Older dogs can develop quick onset Vestibular Disease without any warning. The vestibular system is the part of the brain that allows us to know where our body is in relation to itself and our surroundings.
Very often well also see pets especially dogs become somewhat lethargic because of muscle soreness after overdoing it exercise-wise at the dog park or the doggie day care facility. We also see pets act a bit too mellow because of psychological issues a change in their routines or schedules changes in your routine or schedule the loss of another family pet etc. Be sure youre aware of your dogs current mental or emotional state when determining the cause of their lethargy.
A lethargic dog may just be a dog thats missing something in its life. A bored lonely depressed or old dog may simply be slowing down due to outside influences. As in the case of my friends dog after a couple weeks the animal learned to compensate for old dog vestibular syndrome and began moving around the house like a normal dog.
Try and keep your dogs feet firmly on the ground and eyes facing the horizon to help the dog gain hisher orientation. Most dogs enjoy running and playing which is why when they are lethargic it can be a major concern. Lethargy in dogs can be a sign of their age but also a variety of health problems like an infection.
If your dog is acting very tired and weak youll want to check out this article. A lethargic dog with labored breathing is concerning. A little panting is perfectly natural and healthy.
If your dog appears to be panting without good cause something is wrong. Typically abnormal panting relates to one or several of these scenarios. The dog is laying around panting when their body temperature is not particularly high.
Other causes include fever congenital heart disease pneumonia anemia and malnutrition. Even parasites like hookworms can cause lethargy in young dogs and cats. And because fleas and ticks drink blood a severe infestation can lead to anemia which can cause an affected pet to be lethargic.
Lethargy in Older Pets.