Dog ate chocolate?

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Time to put dog to sleep?

Species: Dog
Breed: Mutt
Age: 11-15 years
My dog is very old and has been Very skinny the past month, But yesterday he lost control of his bowels and then started throwing up everything he ate. Now today, he is basically ALL SKIN AND BONES and he was drinking only water earlier but he refuses to eat any TYPE of food. now at about 4:00pm he refuses to drink water now and is not getting up at all. My parents are thinking the best option is to euthanize him. It sucks to lose a dog at age 13 without knowing what caused this. Would you have any idea what might have caused this? Possibly parasites or a stomach blockage?


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

I'm very sorry to hear that Dusty is not doing well. Unfortunately, as this was asked as a free question by the time you get this answer it may be too late. (The free questions don't come to me until a few weeks after they are asked.)

The only way to rally answer your question is to have tests done. If this was my case I would likely be running some blood tests which would tell me how serious the problem. The exception, of course is if I could determine something on physical exam such as a large tumor or something else serious like that.

What you have described does not sound good though.

Your vet will be honest with you. They will likely not do euthanasia without doing a thorough exam, and then they will give you their opinion on what needs to be done.

I hope the decisions are not too difficult.

Dr. Marie.

---This question was asked in our Ask A Vet For Free section.---


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Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

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Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.