Fatigue in Dogs: Razzle Goes Listless. What Would You Do If It Was Your Dog?

Lethargy, weakness, or fatigue in dogs are vague symptoms. However, they can mean that your dog is seriously ill.

Dogs are normally bundles of energy and joy. Naturally, a day of fun can make your dog tired. But what if they become more listless and fatigued than is reasonable for the amount of activity?

Fatigue in Dogs: Razzle Goes Listless. What Would You Do If It Was Your Dog?

Potential causes of weakness and lethargy in dogs include:

  • infections
  • fever
  • heart issues
  • liver issues
  • diabetes
  • low blood sugar levels
  • anemia
  • severe dehydration
  • severe pain
  • poisoning

However ambiguous symptom unexplained fatigue might be, it means your dog’s health is in trouble. Even with the absence of other obvious signs, I’d see a veterinarian as soon as possible.

Cookie looked more tired than it made sense when she had a bout of pancreatitis. Jasmine was listless when she suffered from pain in her neck.

Razzle’s story

Razzle was a 5-year-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.

You can see how lovable and loved Razzle was. Such a wonderful boy. Every day he was busy playing and giving love.

First symptoms

One Friday afternoon, Razzle became a bit listless. Maybe he had a little bit too much fun? Or perhaps he felt a little under the weather?

His parents weren’t sure how concerned they should be.

Razzle keeps getting worse

But as the weekend went on, Razzle kept getting quieter and weaker. By Monday morning, he was barely able to stand and looked jaundiced.

That’s when his parents realized something was seriously wrong. Concerned that they waited too long, they rushed Razzle to a veterinarian.

Razzle’s condition was life-threatening

Immediately, Razzle required intensive, aggressive treatment. If he received medical help any later, he could have died.

Can you figure out what was wrong with Razzle? Do you know what conditions can cause severe lethargy and jaundice? What would you do if Razzle was your dog?

Read Razzle’s story.

Related articles:
Symptoms to Watch for in Your Dog: Jaundice (Icterus)
Symptoms To Watch For In Your Dog: Lethargy

Further reading:
Dog Weakness and Lethargy: Causes and Treatments

Categories: Conditions • Diagnoses • Dog health advocacy • Lethargy • Listlessness • Real-life Stories • Symptoms

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Jana Rade

I am a graphic designer, dog health advocate, writer, and author. Jasmine, the Rottweiler of my life, was the largest female from her litter. We thought we were getting a healthy dog. Getting a puppy from a backyard breeder was our first mistake. Countless veterinary visits without a diagnosis or useful treatment later, I realized that I had to take Jasmine's health care in my own hands. I learned the hard way that merely seeing a vet is not always enough. There is more to finding a good vet than finding the closest clinic down the street. And, sadly, there is more to advocating for your dog's health than visiting a veterinarian. It should be enough, but it often is not. With Jasmine, it took five years to get a diagnosis. Unfortunately, other problems had snowballed for that in the meantime. Jasmine's health challenges became a crash course in understanding dog health issues and how to go about getting a proper diagnosis and treatment. I had to learn, and I had to learn fast. Helping others through my challenges and experience has become my mission and Jasmine's legacy. I now try to help people how to recognize and understand signs of illness in their dogs, how to work with their veterinarian, and when to seek a second opinion. My goal is to save others the steep curve of having to learn things the hard way as I did. That is the mission behind my blog and behind my writing. That is why I wrote Symptoms to Watch for in Your Dog, which has turned out being an award-winning guide to dog owners. What I'm trying to share encompasses 20 years of experience.

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