lethargic foster dog

[jtbuko]

Hi! We have a new 4-5 year old foster dog, who was just returned to the agency for being too mellow. She is some kind of hound, and by far the easiest foster I have ever had.

She is slightly but not grossly overweight, is super lethargic inside, but perks up somewhat outside even though she tires easily. She does not seem to be in pain or irritable.

She was treated (month long course of Doxy-blah-blah-blah) for lyme in September.

Her apathy and lethargy concern me and I want to rule out medical issues, but not spend the rescue agency's money (or mine) unnecessarily.

At what point should I push the rescue group to spend $$ getting her thyroid tested? Could it be complications from recent lyme? Other thoughts?

[Oubliette8]

I think I might first concentrate on getting her to a healthy weight. Sometimes being even slightly overweight can make a pet lethargic and certainly makes them tire easily outdoors. This shouldn't require any money from the rescue group (a diet and a little more activity- possibly with lots of encouragement) should help. If that works, then great. If not you might bring her back to the vet and ask about options- what could it be? Do they think its a concern? Does she seem healthy otherwise?

I am assuming that she has been thoroughly vetted for usual issues common to rescue dogs at some point- heartworm, for instance can cause lethargy, but I assume she's had those types of routine parasite checks and blood panels?

I would also say, some dogs are simply not into physical activity much. We had a Basset Hound who much preferred to nap all day. In fact, if you let her outside on a sunny day, her idea of a good time was to plop down in a sunny patch and refuse to move until she got her beauty rest. her weight was great, her diet the highest quality, no health issues save some allergies most of her life. She simply preferred not to exert herself too much. She wasn't even that keen on walks- she'd go, but at her own, slow hound pace. That was just the way she was. Of course, if there was food involved, she was a bit more lively- but only a tad! Some hound breeds are just like that- many sight hounds are also very low energy.

If there's no medical basis for the issue, and the weight loss doesn't help, I probably wouldn't worry much, unless we're talking EXTREME lethargy. There are a lot of people who would enjoy a very low energy dog. It would be a point I'd be sure to advertise to potential adopters- those who want an active pet (like her last family) will know to steer clear, and those looking for more of a homebody will be drawn in.

[somegirl99]

I have two whippets and one is hypothyroid (treated). They are both couch potatoes (at their age they probably sleep 21-22 hours a day).

However, before the thyroid issue was diagnosed and treated, my girl was noticeably more lethargic. She also had noticeable loss of fur (mostly on her abdomen and chest and the insides of her legs) and was always cold and shivering, plus she seemed to gain weight just by looking at food. It was fairly easy for me to tell because I had had her for a few years before the condition appeared.

If you think she has multiple hypothyroid issues, I'd push to get it tested. Otherwise I agree on concentrating on diet and exercise.

Good luck!

[jtbuko]

Thanks for the responses... with each day I am less worried about a possible medical issue. I took her for her first hike and the scents in the woods seemed to activate her, as does the bond she is forming with my daughter. Still spending about 20 hours per day sleeping, but seeming more lazy than lethargic and kinda sorta played a bit today too.

[carrotstick]

We had a foster dog that was lethargic for a couple weeks and then all of a sudden fine. I don't know if she was sick or just really stressed out. She went to her new home all happy and crazy the way she was supposed to be. I'm sure it'll be just a matter of time.