My dog is lethargic, not eating. How can I find affordable vet care?

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.

Poor Sassy sounds like she is feeling quite ill at the moment. It is concerning that she is very lethargic and not eating, and I see that she isn't spayed. I would be extremely concerned that she could be suffering from a pyometra, which is an extremely serious infection of the uterus. A pyometra is fatal without treatment, and Sassy does have to see a vet now. I would see if you can borrow money from friends and family to afford a vet, and I can also give you some resources that may help you afford a vet. You can see if your vet accepts payment plans, if there is a low cost clinic in your area, or you can apply for Care Credit online. There is also an organization called Red Rover that give grants for treatment of sick animals, and you can see if you qualify for one of their grants. Best Friends also has a list of resources that offer financial assistance on their website. http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_pet.html?credit=web_id91754962 https://www.redrover.org https://www.carecredit.com http://bestfriends.org/resources/financial-aid-pets http://lessonsfromaparalyzeddog.com/when-pet-owners-cant-afford-veterinary-bills/ God's Creatures Ministry helps pay for veterinarian bills for those who need help.
 The Onyx & Breezy Foundation has many programs including helping people with medical bills. They are a good resource for information.
 Brown Dog Foundation provides funding to families with a sick pet that would likely respond to treatment, but due to circumstances, there is not enough money immediately available to pay. IMOM is dedicated to insure that no companion animal has to be euthanized simply because their caretaker is financially challenged. Please take her into an ER vet clinic; if there isn't one in your area, there will be a vet on call for emergencies. The information to reach that vet is found on a clinic's answering machine or website.

Poor Brom! It sounds like there is a lot going on with him right now, and he really does need to see a vet as soon as possible. It's serious he's not eating, losing weight, yelping, and having trouble walking. I would see if you can borrow money from family and friends to afford a vet, and I can give you some resources as well. You can see if your vet accepts payment plans, if there is a low cost clinic in your area, or you can apply for Care Credit online. There is also an organization called Red Rover that give grants for treatment of sick animals, and you can see if you qualify for one of their grants. Best Friends also has a list of resources that offer financial assistance on their website. http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_pet.html?credit=web_id91754962 https://www.redrover.org https://www.carecredit.com http://bestfriends.org/resources/financial-aid-pets http://lessonsfromaparalyzeddog.com/when-pet-owners-cant-afford-veterinary-bills/ God's Creatures Ministry helps pay for veterinarian bills for those who need help.
 The Onyx & Breezy Foundation has many programs including helping people with medical bills. They are a good resource for information.
 Brown Dog Foundation provides funding to families with a sick pet that would likely respond to treatment, but due to circumstances, there is not enough money immediately available to pay. IMOM is dedicated to insure that no companion animal has to be euthanized simply because their caretaker is financially challenged. I hope one of these resources helps you afford a vet. Please take him into one asap.

Wow, you have so much going on in your life at the moment! I'm so sorry about the death and the hospitalization of your guardians, please accept my condolences. I feel bad about adding to your burdens, but Raggz truly has to see a vet as soon as possible. There is nothing you can do at home for him, and he needs veterinary attention for his symptoms. I can give you some resources that may help you afford a vet. You can see if your vet accepts payment plans, if there is a low cost clinic in your area, or you can apply for Care Credit online. There is also an organization called Red Rover that give grants for treatment of sick animals, and you can see if you qualify for one of their grants. Best Friends also has a list of resources that offer financial assistance on their website. http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_pet.html?credit=web_id91754962 https://www.redrover.org https://www.carecredit.com http://bestfriends.org/resources/financial-aid-pets http://lessonsfromaparalyzeddog.com/when-pet-owners-cant-afford-veterinary-bills/ God's Creatures Ministry helps pay for veterinarian bills for those who need help.
 The Onyx & Breezy Foundation has many programs including helping people with medical bills. They are a good resource for information.
 Brown Dog Foundation provides funding to families with a sick pet that would likely respond to treatment, but due to circumstances, there is not enough money immediately available to pay. IMOM is dedicated to insure that no companion animal has to be euthanized simply because their caretaker is financially challenged. I hope one of these resources helps you afford a vet for Ruggz, please take him into a vet as soon as possible.

If Pumba was in the trash last night, I would be very concerned that he ate something rotten or may have a foreign body obstructing his GI tract. It's very serious that he is quite weak and unbalanced, and that is not something that can be treated at home. He does have to see a vet, as the cause of the vomiting and severe lethargy. The nose being dry isn't a sign of illness, as a dog's nose can change temperature and moisture level just by being next to a heat source, but a dry tongue can indicate dehydration. If there was a home remedy, I would tell you, but in this case, there is no home remedy, and taking him to the vet is the only option. If paying for a vet is an issue, you can see if your vet accepts payment plans, if there is a low cost clinic in your area, or you can apply for Care Credit online. There is also an organization called Red Rover that give grants for treatment of sick animals, and you can see if you qualify for one of their grants. http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_pet.html?credit=web_id91754962 https://www.redrover.org https://www.carecredit.com

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Buddy. I am sorry to hear that he is not eating or drinking. You will need to schedule an appointment with his veterinarian, ideally today. If he is not eating and drinking, there is a reason. Furthermore, it is easy for him to become dehydrated. He could be experiencing pain somewhere such as his neck, back or joints. He could have inflammation in his gastrointestinal tract or be experiencing a systemic disease that is making refuse his food. His veterinarian will gain information based on his physical exam as to what his problem may be. From there either medications will be prescribed or he will require further testing. In the meantime, try to encourage him to take in some water. Some dogs will even take ice cubes. I hope this information helps!

The cause of Bobby's sudden discomfort is pretty hard to determine without diagnostics or a physical exam. If going to the vet at the moment isn't an option, just make sure that his temperature is normal (rectal temp between 99.5 - 102.5), that his gums are pink / moist, and that his skin has relatively appropriate elasticity. This will give you a good idea of general stability. In terms of at home remedies, depending on the extent and nature of the vomit you might be somewhat limited. Obviously giving oral medications to an animal that is going to vomit them up is not very useful. If you feel that he can keep anything down, medications like pepsid and prilosec are good at treating upset tummies. The use of this plus a 24 hour fast might be the best thing to do for now. However, if matters continue to go in a downward trend, I would encourage you to find means to get Bobby in for an exam at the very least. Hope this makes sense.