Our dog, around 12 at the time and usually very perky, woke up one morning with similar symptoms...vomiting, lethargic, no appetite, wouldn't go out to pee/poo. My parents took him to the vet, and found out something was going on with his lungs. They gave him meds that seemed to work for a day or two but the symptoms returned. One night, he started convulsing and foaming at the mouth, then he passed away. It just may be his time. I'd take him to the vet and try to keep him as comfortable as possible.

If he is old, and does not seem uncomfortable, leave him be. If he dies, he dies. Me, I'd want to die at home peacefully, not get dragged in for $100's of tests and then have my family told I needed really expensive and ineffective treatment.

Agree with PP. Take him in today if you can. Just so you can sleep a little better knowing there isn't something terribly wrong with him.

You know your dog best. My dog only acted like yours is when she was gravely ill. I hope yours is not, but if I were you I would rather take him in during daylight hours than wait until a crisis in the middle of the night (been there- I don't recommend it!)

OP here. Thanks for the replies. He's been sleeping most of the day but he is able to get up to go pee/poop (which he has done both). He ate some chicken and rice but threw it up, but he is drinking water. We have a friend who can watch the kids tmw morning so if he does not seem better we will take him in then. His gums look normal, I think, and he seems comfortable and not unhappy. It almost feels like it would be meaner to drag him out in the heat to be poked and prodded. At this stage of the game we wouldn't put him through anything invasive anyway, so if this is indeed the end we would just make him comfortable, which I think he is anyway. It may be nothing much but I have a bad feeling, considering how old he is and the fact that he never, ever gets sick (unlike our other dog who gets stomach ailments pretty regularly). Thanks again for the answers and information.

Sounds like hemangioma sarcoma... Very much hoping you took him to the vet. Better safe than sorry.

That doesn't sound like he's dying to me, but maybe a vet could do something to make him more comfortable. Maybe instead of going to an Emergency Vet like Friendship which is hugely expensive, go to Banfield at Petsmart? They're open weekends (at least the one in Bethesda is), and you can usually get an appointment easily, and they're cheap. If it's a simple stomach bug they could probably help him out.

I would take him to the vet for a checkup, but is it possible he ate something outside, like a dead mouse,etc?

If in doubt take the poor thing to a vet. Better to spend 75-100 dollars to be told he is fine than to have him suffer.

Look at his gums. Are they white? bad sign. Nose dry? A dog that does not eat usually needs to go to the vet. Does not mean he is dying, though.

OP add chicken broth to his food to get him hydrated. Or try ice chips. I think he might just be sick. It sounds like you are jumping the gun. Hopefully he just has a tummy ach.

Anonymous wrote:Does he have diarrhea? There's a bug going around, and they give the dogs Flagyll. But if he doesn't, I'd wait a bit.

This does not sound like he's one step from the grave.

OP here. No diarrhea, I don't think. Thanks for the response, I'm hoping that I'm overreacting.

Try and keep him hydrated. If he keep vomiting or his gums, tongue, or nosse are dry, take him in. Dehydration can get bad and lead to renal failure in the elderly- dogs and humans alike.

Does he have diarrhea? There's a bug going around, and they give the dogs Flagyll. But if he doesn't, I'd wait a bit.

This does not sound like he's one step from the grave.

I have a 75-lb hound mix. I'm not 100% sure how old he is as we got him from a shelter, but he is at least 12. We've had him over 10 years and he is totally a member of the family. He has definitely slowed down over time but seemed fine for an old dog. The other day he threw up a few times (very unlike him -- he has a stomach of steel) but then was OK. This morning he wouldn't get out of bed to eat (also very unlike him). We finally got him up but he ate like 2 bites of breakfast and went back to his bed. (He usually wolfs it down.). I gave him a small treat and he did eat that, and we are making some chicken and rice to see if he will take it.

Anyway my question is, at what point should we take him to the emergency vet? I hate to drag him out (and, frankly, rack up a thousand dollars in after hours vet fees), but if he's really ill we obviously want him cared for. He does not seem uncomfortable, he's just lying on his bed, which is mostly what he does nowadays anyway. And of course our babysitter and all of our close friends are out of town for the weekend, so DH and I would not be able to take him in together. F*ck.

Is it possible this is something minor and he will get better on his own? Or does this sound like the beginning of the end?