My dog hasn't moved in a week and smells. Is this an emergency?

If Little is doing as poorly as you describe, this is a medical emergency and she needs to see a vet right away. She could be seriously injured and in pain, and it's concerning that she won't move and has trouble walking. There is nothing you can do for her at home, she has to have veterinary care right away. 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.

It's very kind of you to take some interest in a stray. These dogs are often discarded and have no where to go and nothing to eat or drink. I can't really say if there is anything wrong with this dog at all based on the picture. However, if it truly hasn't moved much in weeks, my guess would be that it's probably not feeling that great. If you have an opportunity to have it checked by a vet, I think it would be a good idea.

Unfortunately lethargy is a very common sign of many illnesses, which can include systemic illness, infection, inflammation, or injury. While it's good that she's eating, going to the bathroom, and walking normal, I think for your piece of mind it would be a good idea to take her into a hospital tonight. This has been going on for two days, and I believe you would feel better having her checked out. I'd take her in. Happy holidays.

It's hard to advise you with this small amount of information, but if Bob is not moving or responding to commands or treats, I would take him in to your nearest emergency veterinary clinic for evaluation. They will check him out, and likely run blood work as a starting point.

I am very concerned about your dog's condition and highly recommend a veterinary visit. There are a few general categories that fit with what your dog is showing at home. One would be weakness due to a nerve problem in the back end. This can happen if a disc has moved out of place in the spine and is pressing on the spinal cord. This can cause dogs to have trouble walking and placing their feet in an appropriate way. Some have the appearance of walking on their toes. Otherwise they are able to place weight on the back legs but stagger or sway when walking. This can be an emergency situation if the disc slips more into the spinal cord and causes paralysis. Another type of weakness that causes trouble getting up is if there is a lack of proper blood circulation. The lower level of blood in the body causes them to be lethargic due to the decreased oxygen circulating throughout the body. In an older dog, the most common cause of this is with a tumor or mass on the spleen that has ruptured. The spleen holds a large amount of blood and if it has a rupture, the blood leaks out into the abdomen. In addition to the lethargy, we often see pale gums and a pot belly appearance due to the pooling blood. An x-ray or ultrasound would help determine if this is occurring. These are the two most common reasons for such a dramatic change in her appearance. There is also the chance of her eating something she shouldn't. The best thing for her would be to have an exam as soon as you are able to determine what is causing her signs. The vet may recommend bloodwork or an x-ray. Unfortunately. older large breed dogs can lose nerve function in their back legs due to age changes. There is little we can do to help this aside from keeping them comfortable. Due to how sudden the signs showed up, this is less likely, as it is often a more gradual change.

If I'm reading this correctly, the last time Nypsy ate was a few days before October 3rd, which means she has not eaten in about two weeks. That is extremely serious and I would consider this a medical emergency. She's slowly starving, and she needs veterinary care now. You need to take her into an ER vet right way. Best of luck.

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. If Peach is unable to walk, she may have either a neurologic disease (such as intervertebral disc disease or a polyneuropathy) or a musculoskeletal disease (polymyopathy, arthritis, etc) that is preventing her from wanting to stand or walk. It is not normal for dogs to not urinate at least daily. Some dogs can go a day or two without defecating, but urination should happen multiple times a day. Lack of urination can be caused by or even due to kidney disease, which can rapidly become fatal if a dog does not pass urine. I do not know of her exact clinical status, but if Peach is unable to stand or walk for weeks now, and has been lethargic and not urinating/defecating, you may have to consider her quality of life. Meaning, do you believe that Peach is enjoying each day as she should. If not, is it time to consider something like humane euthanasia. I hope this is helpful.