Lethargy in Dogs

When a dog becomes lethargic, their behavior may be observed to change in ways, such as:

Loss of energy

  • Seems tired and sleepy all of the time

Increased inactivity

  • Shows little or no interest in anything happening around them
  • Does not socialize as before, not interested in joining with humans or other pets
  • Loses desire to play
  • Loss of response to external stimuli

Slow to react to things going on around them

Delayed response when observing new sounds, smells, sights, or being touched.

Related Symptoms

While it is one of the first indications that an animal is not well, the following additional symptoms are often observed to occur alongside lethargy:

  • Loss of appetite
  • Fever
  • Respiratory issues and breathing difficulties shown by:
  • Signs of pain
  • Digging, chewing or nosing a particular spot on body
  • Reluctance to be touched, shown by:
  • Depression
  • Weakness
  • Restlessness

 

Reasons for Lethargy

Any sudden shift in an animal’s behavior points to a problem. When the change involves lethargy, the following health problems could be the cause:

  • Acute gastritis
  • Addison’s disease
  • Anemia
  • Arthritis
  • Bladder infection
  • Bloat
  • Cancer
  • Congestive heart failure
  • Cushing’s disease
  • Diabetes mellitus
  • Distemper
  • Ear infections
  • Glaucoma
  • Hypoglycemia
  • Hypothyroidism
  • Injury
  • Kidney Infection
  • Kidney stones
  • Liver disease
  • Parasites
  • Parvovirus
  • Periodontal Problems

When unrelated to a physical problem, lethargy can be a symptom of:

Boredom

 Depression

  • Dogs can become depressed due to, for example:

 

Age

  • The aging process creates a natural decline in energy levels
  • Older animals also often feel more aches and pain, causing them to be more sedentary

 

Malnutrition

  • Poor quality diets do not provide an animal the energy to stay active or to maintain an ideal body condition.

Treatment

Determining a proper mode of treatment depends on discovering the underlying cause. A veterinary examination will be necessary, and, as well, laboratory tests may be required. Once all of the information is gathered, the veterinarian will be able to make a diagnosis and develop a treatment plan.

Client Tips

The following tips identify steps that you can take to help keep your pet healthy and energetic:

Establish regular veterinary examinations to check for:

  • Presence of parasites
  • Dental needs
  • Indications of medical conditions

 

Feed a nutritionally balanced diet, of the appropriate amount

Provide animal with

 Plenty of regular exercise

  • Mental stimulation
  • Contact with family and other pets to increase socializing opportunities

Keep animal away from any harmful or poisonous substances

A sign of lethargy often points to a medical condition. If there is no known reason for an animal to be suddenly slowing down and disinterested in its surroundings, the first steps to take involve talking to the veterinarian

 

Sources:

http://www.md-health.com/Lethargic-Dog.html

http://pets.webmd.com/dogs/my-dog-weak-lethargic