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Why is my dog's stomach hard and groaning for days? Is she in pain?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Shih Tzu | Female | unspayed | 7 years and 2 months old

Hello..my dog has a very hard stomach and is making groaning noises all the time...this has been going on for a few days. She's not happy

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on June 26th, 2016

I"m sorry Maisey isn't feeling well! More likely with a very hard stomach, she is groaning because she is in pain. Stomach swelling in dogs can also result from the dog eating too much all at once, internal bleeding due to trauma or a ruptured mass, intestinal obstruction, or tumors. Peritonitis and ascites (fluid in the abdomen) can also cause a swollen stomach, as well as Cushing's disease. I recommend you get Maisey into your vet as soon as possible. This has been going on for a few days, and it's clearly not going to resolve on it's own. She needs medical attention from a vet, who can diagnose and treat the problem.

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6Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Other Answers

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    Answered By David Elbeze, DVM, MRCVS

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    A hard stomach/abdominal area is usually a sign of a gastrointestinal condition and pain. It could be a foreign body stuck in the stomach, pancreatitis or a gastrointestinal infection. As it has been several days already, I recommend taking her to the vet ASAP in order to sort it out.

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