[jessam1629]

I have a 5 year old Boxer that has been lethargic all day and I don't think she has drank anything all day either. I took her temp earlier and it was fine (101.3). I just can't sleep worrying about her not knowing if I should be taking her to the ER vet. Her gums are pink, she doesn't seem to be dehydrated (I lifted her skin and it bounced right back), she didn't eat her breakfast which is sometimes normal but she wouldn't eat dinner either so I ended up cooking her some hamburger and adding it to a little bit of kibble which she slowly ate. She has been laying around all day and when we try to get her up, she moves really slow and sticks at your side. She just seems out of it. I'm hoping someone can give me advice if I'm OK waiting to call her vet in the morning or if this seems like I need to take her to the ER. Any advice would help me a lot!

[starbuck8]

I'm sorry no one was online to try and help you when you asked your question. I'm not sure where you live, but I'm assuming it's morning and you have taken her into the vet already?

I know how horrible it can be to have to wait while you are worried, and don't know what's wrong! I hope it's a simple case of her just not feeling well because of a harmless bug or having an upset stomach.

Please give us an update!

[Alty]

It's best to take her to the vet. Although she doesn't seem dehydrated now, if she doesn't drink she can quickly go downhill.

Like Starby said, it could be just a simple bug, dogs get sick too, just like us, but, they can't tell us what's wrong, so a trip to the vet is never a bad idea.

I hope that everything is okay, please let us know how it goes.

Take care.

[jessam1629]

I took her to the vet this morning and by then she did have a fever, which they still are not sure why. They took x-rays and found that she has been in pain from spondylosis (arthritis of the spine). They gave her pain/anti-inflamatory medication and now I just have to watch her and keep her activity to a minimum. She did drink some water a couple times and ate today after the pain medication so that makes me feel much better. She turns 6 years old tomorrow and I was so afraid that she would be spending her birthday in the hospital. I hoping she feels better fast, she is usually such an energetic dog that loves to play so it's hard watching her lay around. She'll definitely be spoiled even more than usual by a lot of people now though. Happy New Year!

[Alty]

I'm glad that she's drinking, I hope she'll be okay. Poor puppy, lucky though to have an owner who loves her and cares for her.

Keep us updated, and have a very happy New Year! :)

[starbuck8]

Awww, poor little girl. I hope the anti-inflamatory/pain meds help her out. What brand of food are you currently feeding her? I have switched my dog to a new organic food I have just come across. It's all organic, no additives, and is perfect for dogs with arthritis and other medical conditions. I can give you the name if you'd like to check it out. It really isn't more expensive than the others, much better for them all the way around, and even better for dogs that have no immediate health issues.

It has glucosamine and condroitin, along with fish oils, and well I could list all of the ingredients for you later if you're interested. I have arthritis myself, so I don't want my little fur babe to go through that pain.

My dog who is 5 and a half has just been diagnosed with a thyroid condition, so I needed to look into a healthier food for her, and she is also a breed that is prone to arthritis, as well as other health problems, so I want her to be as healthy as she can be in order to ward off the problems before they even begin to affect her.

Happy Birthday, and New Years to your Pup and you! I hope she feels better very soon! :)

[artlady]

Thanks for getting back.. so often here we are just left wondering what ever happened... she sounds like she will be OK... Thanks!

[jessam1629]

Jade is walking around much more and ate her dinner tonight so its looking good for now. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that she continues to get better.

I just switched her food from Canidae (after they changed the formula she never seemed to get full) now I buy her a brand that the store makes called Professional, it's the same quality but I also switched to the lamb and rice for my golden retriever who has allergies hoping it will help her.

Starbuck8, I would be interested in hearing what you just switched to because that could also be helpful for my golden too.

Thanks to all of you for your support!!

[Alty]

I'm glad she's feeling better, I'm sure tomorrow be an even better day.

Remember, when switching food it's best to start slow. Start by mixing half and half (half old food, half new food) and then a little less every few days until you are giving only the new food. Changes in diet can be very hard on a dogs tummy.

Keep us posted, we're here if you need us. :)