Dog refuses to eat or drink and just wants to lie down

When a dog refuses to eat or drink and just wants to lie down, it's a small probability that the dog is experiencing depression and lying down to cope with it. It's more likely that the dog is sick. Depression is common when changing environments, and the dog should improve after getting familiar with the new surroundings for a few days. If the dog refuses to eat or drink due to a disease, there could be many causes, such as viral infections, gastroenteritis, colds, etc., which would present with the dog refusing to eat or drink and just wanting to lie down. You can check if the dog has eaten anything harmful and caused foreign body gastroenteritis. Use a mercury thermometer to measure the dog's temperature by inserting it into the inner thigh for five minutes to see if the temperature is within the normal range. If the dog has a fever or low temperature, take it to the vet for diagnosis.

Cold and fever

After a dog catches a cold, it will have poor spirits and refuse to move, resulting in constant lying down. It may also exhibit symptoms such as reduced appetite, sleepiness, increased temperature, coughing, sneezing, and diarrhea. Additionally, when a dog has a fever, it will likely lie down on the cool floor. To treat this, the owner should measure the dog's temperature and give it pet-specific cold medicine if the temperature is high.

Gastroenteritis (stomach pain)

When a dog has stomach pain due to gastroenteritis or other diseases, it will refuse to eat and lie down on the floor to alleviate the pain. It may also show symptoms such as arching its back, frequently changing positions, seizures, and occasionally releasing painful groans. The causes of stomach pain are numerous, including severe gastroenteritis caused by indigestion, as well as pancreatitis, intussusception caused by parvovirus, pyometra, and peritonitis. If a dog exhibits these pain symptoms, it's essential to visit the vet promptly to identify the cause and receive effective treatment.

Virus infection (infected with distemper or parvovirus)

Infection with distemper or parvovirus can cause varying degrees of loss of appetite and lethargy in puppies, who just want to lie down. Both distemper and parvovirus are highly contagious and fatal diseases, primarily affecting unvaccinated puppies. Therefore, owners should pay attention to this. Distemper virus can cause symptoms such as fever, coughing, and runny nose, and may even lead to seizures in the later stages of infection. Parvovirus can cause vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, and electrolyte imbalance, possibly leading to bloody vomiting or diarrhea in the later stages of infection. If your dog shows any abnormal symptoms, seek veterinary care immediately.

Depression

Depression is common when changing environments and generally improves after a few days of familiarization.