What's Wrong with My Dog

A sudden down turn in a dog's health can make an owner feel quite helpless and searching for answers. Share this visitor's story.

I have a four-year-old Toy Poodle. He is normally very active, wanting to play and follow me around all of the time. For the last three days he has started showing signs of being very sick. He is reluctant to leave his cage, and refuses to jump up on the couch or even go up and down stairs. He whines periodically as he just lies there.

He also whines when I try to pick him up, but whenever I poke and prod him to figure out what is causing him pain, he never yelps or whines. He just starts shaking and panting really hard.

He has begun standing in weird positions. Sometimes he is hunched over. He'll also lay his front paws and chin on he ground, and keep his back legs straight so his bottom is sticking up in the air.

He has also stopped eating. I even tried to get him to eat ham from the fridge, but he refused to even look at it. He would only whine when I would put it up to his mouth. The only thing I can get him to eat/drink is the milk I put in his bowl.

He is not vomiting or having diarrhea, and is he is still urinating and having bowel movements regularly. He also pants heavily on a constant basis.

I took him to the vet today, and his temp was 105 F. The vet examined him, but couldn't find anything wrong. My dog wouldn't whine when she examined his body. She just gave me some pain pills to give my dog and sent me home to see how he does.

My dog has been up all night whining and panting. I have no idea how I should proceed since his symptoms are so varied.

~~ Chelsea

Expert Reply

Hi Chelsea,

I want to state up front that I am not a vet, so I can't venture a diagnosis about such serious symptoms. However, I do have some questions for you and one suggestion.

First:

• I am quite surprised that your vet sent your dog home with a 105 degree temperature. Usually a vet will want to keep a dog this ill overnight on a IV to help stabilize its condition.
• While the dog is there, a vet will usually draw blood in order to look for abnormalities that might point to a preliminary diagnosis and carry out further testing to figure out what is going on. Did your vet do anything of this nature?
• Did your vet take any spinal x-rays or try to look at your dog's heart and lungs with a sonogram? The panting may be related to a fluid build up that is compromising the heart's ability to pump.

Depending on your answers to these questions, you might actually want to take your dog to another vet for a second opinion. A fresh set of eyes on the case may be just what is needed to get a real diagnosis on your dog's illness before the condition deteriorates any further.

I'm sorry I can't give you a definite answer about what is wrong with your dog, but please accept my heartfelt wishes for his full recovery.

~~ Kelly

I have a six-year-old Miniature Dachshund that is normally a happy, healthy and active dog. Over the last couple days she has become lethargic and yelps sometimes when picked up. She won't eat anything and drinks very little. Any ideas?

~~ Cathi

Expert Reply

Hi Cathi,

Your dog is obviously in pain, but there's no way to diagnose the exact cause without letting your vet take a look.

Dachshunds are notorious for developing disc problems in those long backs, and this is one possible source of your dog's pain when you pick her up. However, I'm not convinced that a disc problem would keep her from eating and drinking normally. This leads me to believe that there could be something else wrong.

Has your dog had normal stools over the last few days? If not, she might be constipated or have a bowel obstruction. Either way, if she is barely drinking any water she's going to develop even more problems. I think the best solution is to take her to your vet in order to find out exactly what is wrong and how to treat it.

Thanks for your question, and best wishes for your dog's full and speedy recovery.

~~ Kelly

I wanted to know why my pregnant teacup Maltese/Chihuahua mix is coughing up white foam. What could had caused this to happen? She is in great health, eats regularly and excerises on a daily basis. So, what could be the problem? I'm worried about her.

Thanks~~ Charmin

Expert Reply

Hi Charmin,

This is actually quite normal for a pregnant female, and the vomiting is caused by the surge in her hormones. Just like women, some dogs are more affected by the pregnancy hormones and have a terrible time with nausea, while others breeze through pregnancy with virtually no problems.

The good news is that this stage will probably pass. As long as your dog isn't throwing up her dinners and is still able to drink water, everything should be alright.

Thanks for your question, and best wishes for a healthy litter.

~~ Kelly

What would happen if my dog accidentally ate a 50 mg tablet of Zoloft?

~~ Sheila

Expert Reply

Hi Sheila,

Zoloft is the trade name for a drug called Sertraline. Although this drug is not officially approved for use in dogs, many vets prescribe it for off-label use on dogs that have anxiety or behavior problems.

This means that it's not necessarily bad for your dog, but since calculating the correct dosage depends on your dog's weight, your dog may have received too much if it actually ate the pill.

You might see some side-effects such as:

• Lethargy
• Poor appetite
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Itchiness
• Trembling

If the 50 mg dosage was actually right for your dog's size, then you might just notice that it's simply calm for a day. Under the circumstances, it might be a good idea to check in with your vet to get a professional opinion.

Thanks for your question, and I hope everything will be alright.

~~ Kelly

• Dog Bone Christmas Ornaments
• Beagle Dog Christmas Ornaments
• Funny Halloween Dog Pictures
• Name That Dog Breed Quiz
• Choosing a Puppy Quiz

• Signs Of Dog Pregnancy
• Dog Anal Glands
• Sick Dog Symptoms
• Female Dog Heat Cycle
• Dog Heat Cycle and Breeding