My dog is lethargic, not eating, and breathing hard. Is it stress or mice?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I'm sorry to hear Oscar isn't feeling well. I would recommend Oscar be evaluated by a veterinarian; hat is a large number of times that he has vomited, and with him not feeling well, I would recommend he be seen. There is the possibility that he ate something in addition to the mouse; and if the mouse caused such GI upset, he may need some medications to get his GI system normalized. I would recommend he be evaluated by his veterinarian, have any necessary testing done (xrays, etc) and start any treatment that he may need. Good luck!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Yes, he should see a veterinarian. He may not be eating due to dietary indiscretion from eating the bird or mouse or it could even be due to a gastrointestinal obstruction. I am afraid that if he is not drinking water he may be becoming dehydrated. They would be able to check for these possibilities and most importantly start him on medications to make him feel better. Good luck and have a great day!

Thanks for reaching out about Peanut and including photos. Lethargy is just a general sign of multiple illnesses. A veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan, even if just palliative. Offering water via a syringe could help combat dehydrate, and likewise, softened/wetted food could give calories. This sounds like a respiratory problem, whether infectious (bacterial, viral), metabolic or heart problems, needs to be determined. Good luck.

Hello, although he must have been very stressed during the episode, its unlikely that he continues to be stressed now. He could how ever be breathing like you are describing due to pain especially if Max was seriously injured during the encounter. I would recommend having him assessed to ensure he does not have any serious or painful injuries that would require medical management. Hope this helps and best of luck!!!

Max sounds like he is very ill and he likely has an internal illness or organ malfunction that is causing his overall lethargy, heavy breathing (can be a sign of pain, underlying lung disease, heart disease or infection) and unwillingness to move. This sounds serious and there isn't much you will be able to help him with at home, he needs to be seen by your vet. For an older dog I worry about things that may not be treatable and also major illness that can take its toll if not identified quickly and treated quickly. He likely needs bloodwork analysis and chest radiographs to start. Once his underlying illness has been properly identified then the vet can discuss treatment options with you, if available. I am so sorry that Max is so ill, but the next best thing is to take him in and make a decision concerning his quality of life and likelihood of having a positive outcome with treatment. I wish you all the best and hope that things do work out for your pet Max. Best wishes and take care.

Hello and thank you for your question regarding Chester. It is so difficult to keep our dogs away from dead animals, isn’t it? It’s like candy to them. I realize that there are so many things that can run through your head as to what can go wrong after ingesting a dead mouse that died of an unknown death. We begin to think of all of the worst case scenarios. Because Chester 65 pounds, the likelihood that it will cause any gastrointestinal ripping or damage is unlikely. The mouse could, however, cause gastrointestinal upset like diarrhea and vomiting if there was putrefaction in the rodent. your concern about whether a mouse that died of pesticides or rat bait poisoning could be an issue is a valid one. If the mouse did in deed die of poisoning then Chester can be affected by this within 24 to 72 hours. I do think it would be best to take him to a veterinarian as soon as you can to at least have some blood work performed to check if there has been any evidence of toxicity. The veterinarian may also want to take an abdominal x-ray just to make sure that nothing else is happening in the intestines. Nine times out of 10 these tests will show nothing abnormal and your dog will be fine. But it is always better to error on the side of caution. I hope this is helped.

Oh no, poor Macy! Lethargy is a very general sign of illness in dogs, and it could be caused by a systemic illness, respiratory disease, infection, inflammation, or injury. I would monitor her for now, and if she continues to be lethargic, or appears to have trouble breathing, then I would have her seen by a vet immediately.