Expert: Charlotte Sherrell, DVM - 8/13/2008

Question
i'm not sure what's wrong.  my dog is a 6 year old, 18 lb, beagle-dachshund
mix. lately she's been rather lethargic.  she used to get excited about going
on walks, but now she just kinda follows suit.  she still goes, and happily i
think.  she's just not excited.  in addition, when i came home tonight, she was
panting heavily and drank 24 oz of water (2 1/2 bowls full), which is a lot
more than i've ever seen her drink.  her water bowl was filled this morning
before i left for work.

even after drinking, she continued to pant heavily.  she stayed inside all day
(except for a few walks for bathroom breaks), so i don't think it would have
anything to do with heat.  just looking to get some possible advice.  the
lethargy started a couple of days ago, and the thirst/panting just started
today.  i plan on giving her another day or two, but wanted to know if this is
something serious that would warrant immediate attention.

Answer
Scott -

You should have your dog evaluated by a veterinarian.  The heavy panting and the lethargy are red flags that something is wrong.  Both the thirst and the lethargy are signs that she may be diabetic.  There can be several other possible disease scenarios, but you must first have her seen by her vet.

Have her examined by a doctor as soon as possible. The longer you wait the worse the symptoms will become and the more difficult ( and expensive) it will be to stabilize her.  The veterinarian may recommend bloodwork and radiographs (to further examine heart and lungs) and then should be able to give you a diagnosis.


Best Regards,

Charlotte Sherrell, DVM