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My dog is breathing heavy, not eating, and very tired. What's wrong?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Large (61lb +) | Female | 3 years and 8 months old

My dog is breathing heavy'she is not eating her food and isn't moving around as much as she did before she lying down most of the day what could it be ?

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Anna M., DVM

Veterinarian

Published on July 9th, 2017

Poor Jasmine! These symptoms are pretty generalized so it is difficult to speculate on why Jasmine isn't feeling well; lethargy and a decreased appetite could indicate nearly any medical problem. It is the heavy breathing that has me the most concerned. This could indicate a number of serious issues such as a heart condition, ruptured mass, pneumonia, or severe pain. I recommend having Jasmine seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible.

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Other Answers

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    Answered By Dr. Massimo Orioles, DVM, Cert AVP, MRCVS

    Veterinarian

    Published on May 22nd, 2017

    This is a quite generic but concerning sign. Differentials are many, from gastrointestinal diseases (infection/inflammations often dietary related) to any disease that can spread systemically (causing lethargy for example) like infection, and anything that can cause pain/discomfort. The approach must be logic, starting from offering different kind of food. A check up is needed if inappetence last for more than 24hours. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

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    Answered By Kevin Sanada, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on February 27th, 2018

    This is not specific to any disease, but indicates that something is either directly upsetting his stomach, or generally making him feel nauseous and painful. In puppies, I worry about a foreign body ingestion and impaction causing these signs. In order to discover the cause of this problem you will need to take Ceaser to a veterinarian for an evaluation. They can help narrow-down the cause of this and provide treatment to at-least make him feel better. Considering his current condition, I recommend taking him to a vet as soon as possible. If you have further questions or need further clarification, then you may consider having an online consult with one of our vets on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. This way, you can send unlimited pictures and have a text conversation with a vet. I hope that helps and Ceaser gets better soon.

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