Why is my dog doing the downward dog pose so often? Should I worry?

I am sorry to hear about Kira. Going down on her front legs with her bottom up in the air is most often a sign of abdominal pain and can be a cause for concern. You may be able to tell that her belly is bothering her if by pressing on the abdomen. If she continues this behavior it would be reason to seek veterinary care ASAP. It can be a sign of pancreatitis, a twisting of the stomach or intestines, an intestinal blockage, severe stomach ulcer, and more. If this behavior continues or she begins to vomit or retch, or becomes weak or pale, or begins breathing heavily I would recommend taking her in to the emergency vet.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Marvin! Sadly I agree! If Marvin is going in the prayer position (downward dog) that indicates abdominal pain. With vomiting that makes me worried about a foreign body or pancreatitis. Very bad gas can cause abdominal pain. I would take him in for X-rays and blood work. I hope this helps and wish Marvin the best!

Prolonged bowing / prayer poses is typically an indicator of abdominal pain in dogs / cats. The pain can be stemming from a primary gastrointestinal issue or from an organ system like the kidneys, pancreas or liver. Diagnostic blood work and / or radiographs are typically needed in order to best rule in / rule out certain possibilities and plan for the best therapeutic approach. Hope this makes sense.

Hello! That crouched stance is usually a sign of either back or abdominal pain, which can also cause decreased behavior. I would recommend having him get a physical exam from a veterinarian. If they are able to localize simple arthritis pain, they may be able to give him some anti-inflammatory or pain medications. If they are worried about a serious back problem or abdominal pain, they will likely recommend x-rays to look at his intestinal tract and spine and possibly bloodwork to check his major organ functions. Then, they can make additional testing or treatment recommendations based on what they find. I hope this is helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

In my experience, dogs don't tend to change positions in order to obtain more comfort when they have pancreatitis (unlike people who definitely do this). When dogs are in pain, they simply tend to lay on whatever side of their body that causes them the least amount of discomfort. If you have any reason to believe that Milo could currently have pancreatitis, I would encourage you to have him checked out by a veterinarian, and to have blood drawn and an ultrasound performed. Hope this helps!

If your dog is lying in the "prayer position" - front end down and rear end up - while acting uncomfortable, it's usually a sign of abdominal pain. It sounds like your pup isn't feeling well for some reason. You can try offering her a bland diet of plain boiled chicken and rice for today to help settle her stomach. If this doesn't help, or if she develops any other symptoms such as vomiting, not wanting to eat, or acting lethargic, then I would recommend having her examined by a vet as these can be signs of a serious GI problem such as pancreatitis.

Poor Ty! I would first start with some probiotics like purina fortiflora or proviable to help get good bacteria into his gut. You could also try a sensitive stomach diet. I believe science diet makes a one. You could call your vet to see if they can recommend an antacid like Pepcid over the phone. Since I have not seen him, I cannot recommend what is safe for him. The licking of the behind could be his anal glands. If you want to attempt to empty these on your own, you can watch some you tube videos to help guide you. I would also put a cone collar on him to prevent him from making his rear end raw. You can also try Benadryl to help with the itching. See link below. If he isn't improving, I would strongly recommend to have him seen as he may just need some antibiotics to settle his tummy. I would just be honest with your vet that you want to do minimal diagnostics and ask for a quote before you even see the doctor. This will help them and you figure out the best plan for you and Ty. I hope this helps!