Q. hardly eating, sluggish, heavy panting

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Dr. Brown

Veterinarian

Thank you for connecting with us. Did the lethargy and loss of appetite occur all of a sudden? You can first try adding toppers or flavors to his diet to make it more enticing. Unfortunately, if lethargy or the loss of appetite persists, an appointment with a vet for a differential diagnosis is required in this case. This is because neither lethargy nor loss of appetite is a specific disease or diagnosis itself. In the clinic, your vet is likely to carry out CBC, serum biochemistry, and urinalysis to first look out for any abnormalities and evaluate his overall health condition.

Furthermore, does he pant for the entire day? Did he carry out any strenuous activities or was left in a hot temperature for a long time? It is very normal for dogs to pant after strenuous activities or when they are exposed to a hot temperature for a significant amount of time. This is because panting is one of the main measures dogs use to regulate their body temperature. However, if it is excessive, it is likely to be a medical condition. In this case, you need to bring him to the vet ASAP for a differential diagnosis.

You can first check his gum and see whether it is pale. Pale gum is often associated with an insufficient supply of oxygen and could be an indication of cyanosis or anemia. You should also check his CRT(Capillary Refill Time) which should be less than 2 seconds in general. If not, this is an emergency and you need to bring him to the vet ASAP. Bloodwork is likely to be carried out to look out for any abnormalities in this case.

If you have any additional questions, please don't hesitate to come back to us!

Thank you.