When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more.
You know your dog better than anyone. So, when they move more slowly than usual, skip a meal, or just seem “off,” you feel that instant nag of worry.
Table of Contents
Dogs can hide illness surprisingly well, and many sick dog symptoms start quietly. Knowing what to watch for can help you recognize when something may be wrong and decide whether to monitor your dog, call your vet, or seek emergency care.
If Your Dog Seems Sick, Start Here
Not every change in your dog means something is seriously wrong. What matters is how severe the symptom is, how suddenly it appeared, whether it’s getting worse, and whether other symptoms are happening at the same time.
A dog who has one soft stool but is still eating, drinking, playing, and acting normally may simply need close monitoring. But a dog who suddenly stops eating, hides, becomes unusually clingy, falls behind on a normal walk, or starts drinking much more than usual is telling you that something has changed.
When You Can Monitor At Home
It may be reasonable to watch your dog closely for a short period when the symptom is mild and they otherwise seem like themselves. Keep an eye on their appetite, water intake, energy level, bathroom habits, and behavior so you can spot improvement or any new symptoms.
If the problem persists, keeps returning, or your dog starts acting differently, contact your vet rather than continuing to wait.
When To Call Your Vet
Call your vet if your dog has a significant or unexplained change from their normal behavior, even if you can’t pinpoint exactly what’s wrong.
You should also call if:
- They stop eating or are eating significantly less than usual
- They’re drinking or urinating noticeably more or less
- Vomiting or diarrhea is repeated or accompanied by other symptoms
- They’re unusually tired, weak, hiding, restless, or clingy
- They limp, tremble, or resist being touched
- A symptom is getting worse instead of better
- Several symptoms appear together
Multiple changes can be especially important. A skipped meal in an otherwise happy, energetic dog is different from refusing food while also vomiting and lying around unusually quietly.
When It May Be An Emergency
Some symptoms shouldn’t be monitored at home. Seek emergency veterinary care immediately if your dog:
- Struggles to breathe or has labored breathing
- Collapses, cannot stand, or suddenly loses coordination
- Has a seizure
- Cannot urinate or repeatedly strains without producing urine
- Has pale, white, blue, or gray gums
- Develops a suddenly swollen, hard, or painful abdomen
- Has severe or uncontrolled bleeding
- Has repeated vomiting or diarrhea with weakness or collapse
- May have eaten a toxin, medication, or dangerous foreign object
Puppies, senior dogs, and dogs with existing health conditions may also need veterinary attention sooner because they can become seriously ill more quickly.
When in doubt, call your veterinarian or an emergency clinic. They can help you determine whether your dog can safely be monitored at home or needs to be seen.
10 Warning Signs Your Dog May Be Sick
Dogs can’t tell us where it hurts, and some instinctively mask pain or weakness. Often, the first clue that something is wrong is simply a change from what’s normal for your dog.
These 10 signs don’t always mean your dog is seriously ill, but they’re worth paying attention to, especially when they appear suddenly, get worse, or happen together.
1. Lethargy: When “Just Tired” Isn’t Normal
Every dog has lazy days. True lethargy is different. Instead of simply sleeping more, a lethargic dog may seem disconnected from the routines and activities they normally enjoy.
Maybe they don’t get up when you grab the leash, ignore a favorite toy, stay curled up when someone comes home, or start falling behind on walks they normally handle with ease. What matters most is whether your dog’s energy has noticeably changed from their normal.
Signs to watch for include:
- Sleeping or resting significantly more than usual
- Moving slowly or seeming reluctant to get up
- Losing interest in walks, play, or greeting family members
- Falling behind or stopping frequently on normal walks
- Taking longer to respond when you call their name
- Hiding or choosing to spend more time alone
Lethargy can accompany many health problems, including pain, infections, digestive illness, and other underlying conditions. On its own, it doesn’t tell you what’s wrong, which is why other changes happening alongside it matter.
When To Call Your Vet
Mild tiredness may be reasonable to monitor if your dog is otherwise eating, drinking, and behaving normally. Contact your vet if the lethargy is sudden, significant, persists, or comes with other symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, coughing, trembling, or signs of pain.
2. Sudden Changes In Eating Or Drinking Habits
You probably have a pretty good sense of what’s normal for your dog at mealtime. If they suddenly skip dinner, turn down a favorite treat, or start emptying the water bowl much faster than usual, pay attention.
A change in appetite or thirst can happen for many reasons, from stress or an upset stomach to dental pain or an underlying illness. What matters is a noticeable change from your dog’s normal habits, especially if it persists or appears with other symptoms.
Watch for:
- Refusing meals or eating noticeably less than usual
- Turning away from favorite treats
- Drinking much more or less water than usual
- Needing to urinate more often along with increased thirst
- Chewing slowly, dropping food, or seeming uncomfortable while eating
- Suddenly seeming much hungrier than usual
Loss of appetite can occur with nausea, fever, pain, dental problems, gastrointestinal illness, and many other conditions. Increased thirst and urination can also accompany health problems such as diabetes, kidney disease, and certain hormonal disorders.
Look at how your dog is acting overall. A dog who skips breakfast but is still energetic, drinking normally, and eager for treats is a different situation from a dog who refuses food and spends the morning hiding or vomiting.
When To Call Your Vet
A single skipped meal may be reasonable to monitor in an otherwise healthy adult dog who is acting normally. Contact your vet if your dog continues refusing food, has a significant or unexplained change in thirst, seems painful while eating, or develops other symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, drooling, or weakness.
Seek veterinary care sooner if your dog cannot keep water down, becomes weak or severely lethargic, or you suspect they stopped eating after swallowing a foreign object or getting into something toxic. Puppies, seniors, and dogs with certain medical conditions may also need care sooner.
3. Vomiting & Diarrhea: The #1 Sick Dog Symptom Vets See
An occasional upset stomach can happen. Dogs eat grass, steal food, and sometimes get into things they shouldn’t. But repeated vomiting or diarrhea, blood in the vomit or stool, worsening symptoms, or a dog who seems unwell overall deserves more attention.
Vomiting and diarrhea can also cause dehydration, with puppies, senior dogs, and small dogs potentially becoming dehydrated more quickly.
Watch for:
- Repeated vomiting (more than once or twice in a day)
- Very watery or frequent diarrhea
- Blood in vomit or stool
- Black, tarry stool
- Vomiting shortly after eating or drinking
- Being unable to keep water down
- Refusing food or water
- Lethargy, weakness, or abdominal discomfort along with stomach symptoms
There are many possible causes, including a sudden diet change, eating something unusual, parasites, infections, pancreatitis, toxins, or a swallowed foreign object. Vomiting can also occur with emergencies such as canine bloat or an intestinal blockage.
Look at how your dog is acting overall. One episode of vomiting or a soft stool in an otherwise energetic adult dog may be reasonable to monitor closely. Repeated episodes or stomach symptoms combined with weakness, pain, or a major behavior change are more concerning.
When To Call Your Vet
Contact your vet if vomiting or diarrhea is repeated, persists, contains blood, or occurs along with loss of appetite, lethargy, fever, or signs of pain. Call sooner for puppies, senior dogs, small dogs, or dogs with existing medical conditions.
Seek emergency care if your dog repeatedly tries to vomit but nothing comes up, develops a swollen or hard abdomen, collapses or becomes extremely weak, cannot keep water down, or you suspect they swallowed a dangerous object or toxin.
4. Changes In Urination Or Bowel Movements
Changes in your dog’s bathroom habits can provide important clues about their health. Peeing more often, suddenly having accidents, straining to go, or producing stool that looks noticeably different are all worth paying attention to.
Sometimes the change is subtle. You might notice your dog asking to go outside more often, squatting repeatedly but producing very little urine, or suddenly having accidents despite being reliably house-trained.
Watch for:
- Urinating much more or less often than usual
- Frequently attempting to urinate but producing only small amounts
- Straining or appearing in pain while urinating or having a bowel movement
- New accidents in a house-trained dog
- Blood or an unusual color in the urine
- Constipation or difficulty passing stool
- Blood, mucus, or a significant change in stool appearance
Urinary changes can occur with problems such as a urinary tract infection, bladder stones, kidney disease, or other urinary conditions. Changes in bowel movements can have many causes as well, from diet and dehydration to gastrointestinal illness.
Pay attention to thirst and bathroom changes together. A dog who suddenly starts emptying the water bowl and also needs to urinate much more frequently should be evaluated by a veterinarian.
When To Call Your Vet
Contact your vet if your dog develops persistent changes in urination or bowel movements, repeatedly strains, has blood in their urine or stool, seems painful, or develops other symptoms such as vomiting, lethargy, or loss of appetite.
Seek emergency care if your dog repeatedly tries to urinate but cannot pass urine, becomes weak or distressed while straining, or develops a painful or swollen abdomen.
5. Sudden Behavior Or Personality Changes
Sometimes the first sign that a dog doesn’t feel well is a change in how they act. A normally social dog may start hiding in another room, while an independent dog may suddenly become unusually clingy and follow you everywhere.
Pain or illness can also make a dog restless, anxious, irritable, or less tolerant of being touched. That’s why a sudden behavior change shouldn’t automatically be dismissed as a training problem or a bad mood.
Watch for:
- Hiding or withdrawing from family members
- Sudden clinginess or constantly following you
- New or unusual aggression, growling, or snapping
- Restlessness, pacing, or difficulty settling
- Whining or vocalizing more than usual
- Irritability when touched, picked up, or groomed
- Appearing confused, disoriented, or unusually startled
- Losing interest in normal interaction or activities
These changes can have many causes. Pain is an especially important one to consider. A dog with a sore joint, dental pain, abdominal discomfort, or another painful condition may avoid contact or react defensively when someone touches the uncomfortable area.
Illness can affect behavior in other ways, too. Nausea or fever may cause a dog to withdraw, while vision or hearing loss can make them more easily startled. In senior dogs, new confusion or changes in sleep and social behavior can also occur with cognitive decline.
When To Call Your Vet
Contact your vet if your dog develops a sudden or unexplained personality change, especially if it persists, becomes more pronounced, or occurs with changes in appetite, energy, movement, or bathroom habits. New aggression also warrants a veterinary evaluation to rule out pain or illness.
Seek emergency care for behavior changes accompanied by a seizure, collapse, severe disorientation, inability to stand or walk normally, loss of consciousness, or other sudden neurological symptoms.
6. Eye & Ear Changes
Red eyes, unusual discharge, constant head shaking, or a new smell coming from your dog’s ears can be easy to brush off at first. But eye and ear problems can be painful and sometimes worsen quickly, so changes are worth catching early.
Eye changes to watch for:
- Redness, swelling, or irritation
- Cloudiness or a sudden change in appearance
- Yellow, green, or thick discharge
- Squinting or keeping an eye closed
- Excessive tearing
- Rubbing or pawing at the eye
- Bumping into things or seeming to have trouble seeing
- Yellowing of the whites of the eyes
Ear changes to watch for:
- Frequent head shaking or ear scratching
- A foul or unusual odor
- Brown, black, yellow, or excessive discharge
- Redness or swelling
- Tilting the head
- Rubbing the ears against furniture or the floor
- Pain or sensitivity when the ear is touched
Eye changes can result from irritation, injury, infection, dry eye, glaucoma, or other eye problems. Ear symptoms commonly occur with ear infections, allergies, foreign material, or parasites.
When To Call Your Vet
Contact your vet promptly if your dog is squinting, holding an eye closed, pawing at the eye, or develops significant redness, swelling, cloudiness, or discharge. Ear pain, persistent head shaking, odor, swelling, or discharge also warrants a veterinary exam.
Seek emergency care for a significant eye injury, sudden loss of vision, a bulging or severely swollen eye, or eye or ear symptoms accompanied by severe loss of balance or other sudden neurological signs.
7. Persistent Coughing, Wheezing, Or Sneezing
A simple cough might seem harmless, but respiratory symptoms can tell you a lot about your dog’s health. Some causes are mild, like seasonal allergies or kennel cough. Others are far more serious, involving the lungs, heart, or airway.
Pay attention to the sound of your dog’s breathing, whether it’s a dry cough, hacking cough, honking sound, wheeze, or nasal congestion. Each can point to a different issue.
Watch for:
- Frequent or persistent coughing
- A dry, hacking, wet, or “goose honk” cough
- Wheezing or whistling sounds
- Rapid or shallow breathing
- Panting excessively or while at rest
- Frequent sneezing or nasal discharge
- Coughing during or after exercise
- Getting tired or falling behind more easily than usual
Respiratory symptoms can have many causes, including kennel cough, respiratory infections, allergies, heart disease, heartworms, or tracheal collapse. Irritants or something lodged in the nose or airway can also trigger sudden symptoms.
When To Call Your Vet
Contact your vet if coughing persists or keeps returning, your dog develops nasal discharge or wheezing, or you notice changes in their breathing or ability to exercise. Coughing accompanied by lethargy, loss of appetite, or fever also warrants a call.
Seek emergency care if your dog is struggling to breathe, breathing with obvious effort, has pale, blue, or gray gums, collapses, or appears unable to get enough air.
8. Skin & Coat Issues
Itching here and there is normal. But when your dog can’t stop scratching, develops bald spots, smells different, or suddenly has red or irritated skin, something may be going on.
Skin and coat changes are often easy to spot, but watch your dog’s behavior, too. Repeated licking, chewing, rubbing, or scratching can be a sign that they’re uncomfortable even before you see an obvious problem.
Watch for:
- Frequent scratching, licking, or chewing
- Red, inflamed, or irritated skin
- Hot spots
- Hair loss or bald patches
- Scabs, bumps, sores, or crusty areas
- Dry, flaky, or unusually greasy skin
- A strong, yeasty, or unusual odor
- A dull or noticeably changed coat
Common causes include allergies, fleas, mites, and bacterial or fungal skin infections. Hormonal disorders and other underlying health problems can also cause persistent changes to the skin or coat.
When To Call Your Vet
Contact your vet if itching is persistent or intense, your dog is damaging their skin from scratching or licking, or you notice hair loss, sores, swelling, discharge, odor, or signs of infection. A skin problem that keeps returning also deserves an evaluation rather than repeated at-home treatment.
Seek urgent veterinary care if your dog suddenly develops facial swelling, widespread hives, difficulty breathing, collapse, or other signs of a severe allergic reaction.
9. Limping, Stiffness, Or Trouble Moving
Dogs don’t have to cry or whimper to be in pain. Sometimes the first clue is hesitating at the stairs, refusing to jump into the car, moving stiffly after a nap, or falling behind on a walk they normally enjoy.
Even subtle mobility changes matter, especially when they’re new. Limping and stiffness can result from a minor strain or sore paw, but they can also be related to joint, spinal, or neurological problems.
Watch for:
- Limping or favoring one leg
- Stiffness, especially after resting
- Difficulty getting up or lying down
- Hesitating on stairs
- Refusing to jump onto furniture or into the car
- Falling behind or stopping during walks
- Dragging the toes or walking with an unusual gait
- Crying out or reacting when moving or being touched
- Weakness in the front or hind legs
Possible causes range from sprains and paw injuries to arthritis, hip dysplasia, luxating patella, spinal problems, or neurological disease. The severity of the mobility change and how your dog is acting overall can help determine how quickly they need care.
When To Call Your Vet
Contact your vet if limping or stiffness persists, keeps returning, is getting worse, or appears painful. Sudden or significant limping, refusing to put weight on a leg, or crying out in pain warrants a prompt call.
Seek emergency care if your dog suddenly cannot stand or walk, drags one or more limbs, develops severe weakness or loss of coordination, or has difficulty moving after significant trauma.
10. Unexplained Weight Loss Or Weight Gain
A few pounds can be surprisingly difficult to notice, especially under a thick or fluffy coat. But weight loss or gain that happens without an obvious change in food or activity can be a sign that something is affecting your dog’s health.
Watch for:
- Ribs, spine, or hip bones becoming more noticeable
- A collar or harness suddenly fitting differently
- Loss of muscle along the back or hindquarters
- A newly rounded or enlarged abdomen
- Puffiness or swelling
- Weight loss despite a normal or increased appetite
- Weight gain without an obvious increase in food or decrease in activity
Unexplained weight loss can occur with digestive disease, diabetes, kidney or liver disease, parasites, chronic infections, and other illnesses. Unexpected weight gain may be associated with hormonal disorders, reduced activity due to pain, medication, or fluid accumulation.
Because gradual changes can be hard to see day to day, regular weigh-ins can help you catch a trend earlier. Your vet can also help determine whether a change is significant for your dog’s size and body condition.
When To Call Your Vet
Schedule an exam if your dog is losing or gaining weight without an obvious explanation, particularly if the change continues or occurs alongside increased thirst, appetite changes, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, or changes in bathroom habits.
Seek veterinary care sooner if the apparent “weight gain” is actually a suddenly enlarged or swollen abdomen, especially if your dog also seems painful, weak, restless, has trouble breathing, or repeatedly tries to vomit without bringing anything up.
Emergency Symptoms: When To Go To The Vet Immediately
Most sick dog symptoms give you some time to call your vet and discuss the next step. Others can signal a life-threatening problem that needs immediate veterinary care.
If your dog shows any of the following, contact your vet or the nearest emergency hospital and seek care right away.
Emergency Warning Signs
- Trouble breathing: Labored breathing, gasping, choking, or pale, blue, or gray gums
- Collapse or severe weakness: Fainting, inability to stand, loss of consciousness, or sudden extreme weakness
- Seizures: Especially a prolonged seizure, repeated seizures, or failure to recover normally afterward
- Sudden loss of coordination: Inability to walk normally, severe disorientation, or dragging one or more limbs
- A swollen or hard abdomen: Particularly with pain, restlessness, drooling, or repeated attempts to vomit without bringing anything up
- Inability to urinate: Repeated straining or attempts to pee with little or no urine produced
- Severe vomiting or diarrhea: Especially repeated episodes accompanied by weakness, collapse, significant blood, or inability to keep water down
- Severe bleeding or major trauma: Uncontrolled bleeding, deep wounds, being hit by a vehicle, serious falls, or other significant injuries
- Suspected poisoning: Known or suspected exposure to a toxic food, medication, plant, chemical, or other dangerous substance
- Dangerous foreign-object ingestion: Swallowing something that could cause choking, obstruction, or internal injury
What To Do Immediately
If you think your dog is having an emergency:
- Call your vet or the nearest emergency hospital and let them know you’re coming.
- Describe what happened and when symptoms started.
- Follow the veterinary team’s instructions while you prepare to leave.
- Don’t give human medications or induce vomiting unless a veterinarian or poison expert specifically tells you to.
- Bring relevant packaging or labels if your dog may have eaten a medication, food, chemical, or other substance.
- Transport your dog as safely and calmly as possible, especially if they’re painful, weak, or having trouble moving.
What To Track Before Calling Your Vet
When your dog is sick, a few details can help your veterinarian understand what’s happening and how urgently your dog may need to be seen. You don’t need to figure out what’s wrong yourself. Just pay attention to what has changed.
Before you call, make a quick note of:
- When symptoms started: Did the change happen suddenly or gradually? Are symptoms getting better, worse, or staying the same?
- Appetite: Are they eating normally, eating less, skipping meals, or refusing even favorite treats?
- Water intake: Are they drinking more or less than usual? Are you filling the water bowl more often?
- Bathroom habits: Note changes in how often your dog urinates or has a bowel movement, along with straining, accidents, blood, or unusual urine or stool.
- Vomiting or diarrhea: Keep track of how often it happens and what it looks like, including color, consistency, and any blood or unusual material.
- Energy level: Are they still interested in walks, toys, meals, and family, or are they sleeping more, hiding, or falling behind?
- Signs of pain: Watch for limping, trembling, whining, panting at rest, a hunched posture, guarding part of the body, or resisting touch.
- Recent exposures: Think about new foods, table scraps, garbage, medications, household chemicals, toxic plants, mushrooms, pesticides, standing water, ticks, wildlife, or anything your dog may have chewed or swallowed.
Photos and videos can help, too. If it’s safe to do so, record unusual coughing, breathing, limping, shaking, or behavior. A photo of vomit, stool, swelling, or another visible change can also give your vet useful information if the symptom is gone by the time your dog is examined.
Don’t delay urgent care to document symptoms. If your dog is showing any of the emergency warning signs above, getting veterinary help comes first.
What To Do If You Think Your Dog Is Sick
When your dog starts showing symptoms (even mild ones), it’s normal to feel unsure about the next step. Should you wait and monitor? Call your vet? Head straight to urgent care? The answer often depends on how quickly symptoms appeared and how much they affect your dog’s daily behavior.
A good rule of thumb: If your dog doesn’t seem like themselves, pay attention. Subtle changes often matter more than dramatic ones.
If you suspect your dog is sick:
- Observe closely for 12–24 hours (unless symptoms are severe).
- Track changes in appetite, thirst, and bathroom habits.
- Note any vomiting, diarrhea, coughing, limping, or unusual behavior.
- Avoid giving OTC human medications, as many are unsafe for dogs.
- Check your dog’s gums and hydration (sticky, pale, or tacky gums can be a red flag).
- Have an emergency vet in mind if symptoms worsen.
If symptoms appear suddenly, involve multiple systems (e.g., vomiting + lethargy), or last longer than a day, call your veterinarian. Many illnesses can be diagnosed quickly with basic tests like bloodwork, urinalysis, X-rays, or heartworm/tick screening.
If you’re unsure what your dog’s symptoms point to, using this article as a simple symptom finder for dogs can help you decide what needs monitoring and what needs a vet visit. However, the earlier you involve your vet, the easier it often is to treat the problem.
How Pet Insurance Can Help
Unexpected illnesses can become expensive quickly, especially when your dog needs emergency care, diagnostic testing, hospitalization, or specialist treatment. Pet insurance can help offset eligible veterinary costs, making an already stressful situation a little easier to manage.
Coverage varies by provider and plan, and pre-existing conditions generally aren’t covered. Our best pet insurance guide compares options, costs, and coverage to help you find the right fit for your dog.
How To Help Keep Your Dog Healthy
You can’t prevent every illness, but you can make some health problems less likely and give yourself a better chance of spotting changes early. One of the most useful things you can do is learn what’s normal for your dog, from their appetite and bathroom habits to their energy level and behavior.
A few habits can help:
- Keep up with routine vet care. Regular wellness exams can uncover changes before they cause obvious symptoms. Your vet can also recommend an appropriate vaccination schedule based on your dog’s age, lifestyle, and risks.
- Stay consistent with parasite prevention. Fleas, ticks, heartworms, and intestinal parasites can cause symptoms ranging from itching and digestive problems to lethargy and coughing. Ask your vet which preventives are appropriate for your dog.
- Take care of their teeth. Dental disease can cause pain, difficulty eating, bad breath, and infection. Regular brushing and veterinary dental care can help keep problems from progressing.
- Feed a complete and balanced diet. Good nutrition supports your dog’s overall health, while sudden diet changes or foods that aren’t appropriate for dogs can cause problems of their own.
- Pay attention to gradual changes. A little more thirst, slower walks, weight loss, new accidents, or subtle behavior changes may be easier to recognize when you know your dog’s usual patterns.
- Know your dog’s individual risks. Age, breed, lifestyle, medications, and existing health conditions can affect which symptoms deserve closer attention.
Prevention isn’t about catching every possible problem before it happens. It’s about knowing your dog’s normal well enough to recognize when something has changed.
How To Comfort A Sick Dog
When your dog isn’t feeling well, the way you care for them at home can make a huge difference in their comfort and recovery. Sick dogs may become more sensitive to noise, movement, temperature, and handling, so a quiet, comfortable environment can help them rest.
Here’s what you can do to make your pup as comfy as possible:
- A quiet resting space away from noise
- Fresh, accessible water
- Soft, bland foods (only if approved by your vet)
- Warmth (small dogs and seniors chill easily)
- Gentle reassurance
- Short potty breaks
- Minimal handling if they seem painful
Follow your dog’s lead. Some sick dogs seek extra closeness and reassurance, while others prefer a little more space and quiet than usual.
Frequently Asked Questions
When your dog isn’t acting like themselves, it’s normal to have a hundred questions. Below are answers to some of the most common concerns pet parents have when they’re worried about their dog’s health.
If you don’t see your specific situation here, respond in the comments — we (and other readers) are always here to help.
How Do I Know If My Dog Is Sick Or Just Tired?
A tired dog will usually still respond normally to you, show interest in food or favorite activities, and perk up after resting. A sick dog may seem unusually sluggish, withdrawn, uninterested in normal routines, or simply “not themselves.” Pay particular attention when low energy appears suddenly or alongside other symptoms.
What If My Dog Throws Up Once? Is That Normal?
A single episode of vomiting may be reasonable to monitor if your dog is otherwise acting normally, eating and drinking, and seems comfortable. Call your vet if vomiting happens repeatedly or is accompanied by blood, weakness, lethargy, abdominal pain, diarrhea, or an inability to keep water down.
Should I Wait 24 Hours Before Contacting A Vet?
No. You don’t need to wait 24 hours if you’re concerned about your dog. Call sooner if symptoms are sudden, significant, getting worse, or occurring together.
Trouble breathing, collapse, seizures, inability to urinate, pale, white, blue, or gray gums, or a swollen, painful abdomen are reasons to seek emergency veterinary care rather than wait and monitor.
Can Dogs Hide Pain?
Yes. Dogs may not cry, whimper, or otherwise make pain obvious. Subtle changes such as limping, moving more slowly, hiding, irritability, trembling, reluctance to be touched, or loss of appetite can all indicate discomfort.
Knowing your dog’s normal behavior can make these quieter changes easier to recognize.
Can Stress Or Anxiety Make My Dog Sick?
Stress and anxiety can cause physical and behavioral changes, including digestive upset, appetite changes, restlessness, excessive licking, and changes in bathroom habits. However, don’t assume a new symptom is caused by stress, especially if it persists, worsens, or is accompanied by other signs of illness.
Is Diarrhea Always An Emergency?
No. A mild episode of diarrhea in an otherwise healthy adult dog who is eating, drinking, and behaving normally may be reasonable to monitor closely.
Contact your vet if diarrhea is frequent, persistent, contains blood, or occurs with vomiting, loss of appetite, pain, weakness, or lethargy. Puppies, seniors, and dogs with existing health conditions may need care sooner.
Can My Dog Get Sick From Eating Something Outside?
Yes. Trash, spoiled food, plants, mushrooms, pesticides, and even sticks can trigger vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, or poisoning.
If symptoms start shortly after your dog ate something questionable, call your vet or the poison hotline at 1-855-764-7661.
What Symptoms Suggest My Dog Might Have An Infection?
Possible signs include lethargy, loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, coughing, nasal or eye discharge, and changes in the skin or ears. Depending on the type of infection, you may also notice swelling, pain, unusual odors, or changes in your dog’s behavior.
These symptoms can have many causes, so your veterinarian may need to examine your dog or run tests to determine whether an infection is responsible.
How Long Should I Monitor Mild Symptoms At Home?
There isn’t one safe waiting period that applies to every dog or symptom. A mild symptom may be reasonable to monitor for a short time if your dog is otherwise eating, drinking, comfortable, and behaving normally.
Call your vet sooner if the symptom persists, worsens, keeps returning, or another symptom appears. Puppies, seniors, and dogs with existing health conditions may also need veterinary attention sooner.
What About Puppy Illness?
Puppies are particularly prone to severe symptoms because their immune systems are still developing. Make sure you get all of your puppy’s vaccinations on time and know when it’s safe to introduce your puppy to other dogs. If a puppy seems ill, don’t hesitate — call your vet immediately.
