Dog Wont Eat/ Very Lethargic

[Justin1234]

My Yellow lab is 6 months old. She is very lethargic and wont eat hardly any food. She had kennel cough about 20 days ago and finished her medicine for it. She also had coccidiosis. She finished her medicine for that also. She is sicker in the morning and sometimes will not even move. Literally it looks like she is dying. When she does play a little she gets tired out extemely fast. We give her pedialyte sometimes, but that just covers it up. She will usually eat a dry food once then will never eat the same kind again. Its almost like once one kind of food hurts her stomach she wont try it again. We have tried Canidae, Califorinia Natural, Evo, and Purina food. Now the only thing she eats are  nibbles of eggs, carrots, and brown rice. She has had to have an IC from the vet twice for not drinking. We were thinking that maybe protein could hurt her stomach/liver? Also she had her rabies shot too early one vet said. More than one vet has just blown it off. Please help.

Also, btw, she came from a very dirty rescue place.

[Aleda M Cheng, D.V.M., C.V.A]

Take her to your vet tomorrow, and also find a holistic vet.

[Justin1234]

Since last night she has had an extemely bad dry, hacking cough. Its like she is trying get something up but she cant.

[Aleda M Cheng, D.V.M., C.V.A]

There are appetite stimulants and anti-nausea medicines that might be efficacious in aiding your dog .  Appetite stimulants include Periactin, Mirtazapine, Steroids, Diazepam, and others.  There are quite a few anti-nausea medications such as: Reglan, Promethazine, Dramamine and many more.  If your dog feels nauseous after eating a certain food she will associate that meal with feeling nauseous and will never eat that food again.  She could be placed on an appetite stimulant and anti-nausea medication simultaneously.

If all else fails a consultation with a holistic veterinarian who is familiar with acupuncture and Chinese and Western herbal medicine may help.  Check with the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association, or the Chi Institute, or Google holistic Veterinarians.

The Chinese herbal formula: Jade Lady (Yu Nu Jian), Happy Earth (Xiao Yan San, and Er Chen Tang), Bao He Wan, or Eight Gentleman, are all good appetite stimulants herbs, and help with nausea.