My German shepherd mix is older (we think he's 12-13 years old) and currently, sick. He only weighs about fifty pounds when healthy.

About two weeks ago I noticed he was ambulating substantially slower than usual. For about a month he has been crying when trying to get up from a laying or sitting position, or moving his head or neck quickly, as in playing tug of war with his rope. I took him to the vet to discuss options for treatment and pain management depending on what the vet thought. Vet didn't think it sounded like a joint disease (big name, can't remember it), and since ordinarily he was prone to galloping around like a springtime rabbit, vet thought maybe arthritis was manifesting. He prescribed an anti-inflammatory med, and tramadol for pain.

The next morning as I was preparing to dose Rocket for the second time since the vet visit, I noticed he was really favoring his left shoulder when he walked. I had thought it might have been an issue with his neck or spine, but the left shoulder/limping was really pronounced. The meds seemed to help him with pain, but like the literature noted, the tramadol "may cause drowsiness." I believe it also made him constipated. He sleeps on a blanket. Since he only seemed to want to sleep and not get up, he didn't make it out to relieve himself in time. It is difficult to persuade him to get up anymore, and getting him outside can be a challenge. I try to encourage him to move around to help alleviate the muscle cramping/constipation/poor circulation I worry he might be vulnerable to from inactivity. My husband and the kids try to call him to get him up but he will only try to get up for me. :(

So a couple days into his med regimen, he lost all interest in eating and will only drink water. He has only eaten two mouthfuls of food in four days; nothing in the last two days. I even tried to get him to eat some juicy mild sausage and he just looked at it. He is refusing all food and will only drink water. Plus he's begun vomiting, I don't know what, mostly water and bile. He puked again last night, only this time it had blood in it. When his problems with the meds started I adjusted him to half doses to see if he'd start eating again, but when I saw blood in his vomit I discontinued the meds until he sees the vet. He is scheduled to see the vet first thing after the vet finishes up surgery with another client tomorrow. This morning he got up to go outside and seemed better at moving around, but went straight back to his blanket after peeing. He didn't seem the least bit perturbed at moving, going down the stairs, or peeing. Still no interest in food even with no meds though. It's a tricky thing trying to manage his doses vs. his visible symptoms.

Thoughts on the topic appreciated. I'm afraid of the lack of appetite.

ETA:
Vet thought after blood work, urine test, and abdominal/chest x-rays, that there were three possibilities to explain his abnormally high levels of white blood cells. They were: Two kinds of a rare, weird leumemia variant, and/or a possible tumor exerting displacement on Rocket's stomach and intestines. He showed me the x-rays and I okayed him to consult with a specialist over the x-rays. Rocket's kidneys and liver were working great, lymph nodes not enlarged, heart and lungs checked out good, and there did not appear to be a UTI. Sepsis was not mentioned. For his age, surgery might have been feasible, but invasive, and if malignant, probably not a good prognosis. Definitely not a good prognosis if leukemia. Advised to keep him comfortable as possible till we heard back from the specialist the next day.

He was still walking when we left the vet's clinic at 2:30 pm. Vet discarded treating the arthritis angle, and sent us home with anti-nausea meds and Pepcid for GI tract protection in the hope of continuing to try to get Rocket to eat. He would not eat no matter what I tried. Sliced turkey lunchmeat, peanut butter, sauteed ground beef, chicken broth...no interest. None whatsoever. Just wanted to drink water. So I let him drink water.

Last night,  no effort to get up anymore; last three times he peed it was me holding him by the torso and chest to let him stand long enough. Fortunately the movement to get him outside didn't make him cry, and I carried him back into the house each time. This morning at 3:30 am, after the last bathroom break, I sat on the floor with him to keep him company like he did so many times in rthe past for me and my kids, and waited for my husband and son to wake up. Of course they were upset at Rocket's decline. My son and I took him back to the vet at 9:00 when their office opened (LEO husband had to go to work). My son left the exam room before the needle went in when I told him it was okay to leave, as I would stay with Rocket so he could see, smell, and hear me. He thumped his tail on the exam table while I petted him and told him he was a good dog. He went peacefully and calmly. Son came back in when he regained his composure and said his goodbyes as well.

Rocket was the sweetest dog I ever had the privilege to own. Goodbye, Rocket. I love you. Thank you, Arfcom, for letting me vent. And thank you to Joker for advice. Much appreciated.

Had one of our older dogs (lab/pit mix about 50lbs) start to get really finicky about food as she hit the 12 year mark, and also had arthritis pretty bad from an early age, but kept pretty quiet as far as whimpering unless it was really bad.  She was on tramadol for the last few years, but never had any kidney/liver issues (can't recall which they monitored for with the pain killers).

She progressed from missing a meal every week or so to where she would go a day or two with no interest in food.  Sometimes, just changing to a new dry food, or introducing some canned food would get her interested in eating, but as the years went on, she got more picky.  For the last few months of her life, I was giving a mix of ground beef and rice (mixed together in a bowl right after cooking so the rice got the beef fat to flavor it up), as well as chicken, and that seemed to hold her interest right up to the end.

did you tell the vet he was vomiting blood and not eating for days? it's either emergency time or time to have the poor thing put to sleep

Is Rocket moving his bowels at all? Constipation and obstruction are two very different things. Something like eating a sock or washcloth can obstruct his lower GI tract and lead to no eating. If he is moving his bowels but is constipated (tramidol will do that) then add some canned pumpkin to his food. That should get things moving within a day or so.

If you dosed him with Tramadol on an empty stomach it is not surprising he does not want to eat. It upsets their stomach and makes their head woozy. Similar effects if you take vicodin or oxy on an empty stomach. Most dogs will try to sleep it off. Depending on the dose, it can take up to 24 hours to work it's way out of their system. If he happens to have a low thyroid, as many older dogs have, it can take longer than that.

Has the vet done a full physical and X-rays? One thing I would worry about is cancer. One of my goldens acted similarly then came up lame on her front leg. An X-ray showed infiltration of cancer into her shoulder joint. Unfortunately palliative care was the only option for me as the cancer had spread at that point.

My prayers for Rocket, hoping whatever is bugging him passes and he feels better soon.

Daughters old Basset is behaving the same way - won't eat (A Basset that won't eat is sick!), won't drink.   She has a large mass growing at the base of her tail.

Biopsy of the mass just indicates lots of white blood cells but it could be cancer, could be an infection.  Because she isn't eating or drinking the vet delayed surgery to remove the mass.

Last week it got really bad even after some time on strong antibiotics.  They ended up taking her in for fluids via IV.  After three or 4 IV treatments she has regained some of her old self and is eating and drinking again.

I think they took her to the vets in the AM and left her for a while while they administered the IV, then picked her up later in the day.

She was over last night for a while and was a little slow and not terribly enthusiastic, but she otherwise she was looking pretty good for a 12 y/o Basset.

Tramadol is an opioid so that could definitely explain the constipation issues.

Thanks for the prayers, 98redline.

Yes, he is moving his bowels now. I got him to eat about a half a cup of food last night, and he continues to drink lots of water. Last night when I took him outside, he went from constipated to really loose stools, so I'm pretty sure it was the tramadol messing with him. He looked better this morning but I'm afraid wobbly is his new normal.

He's too darn skinny since this all started. He's always been a ridiculously fit dog, as in, if he turns sideways you can't see him; he disappears, but now it's just pathetic. I am making it my mission to get him to eat more and fit in as much attention to him as I can.

Has any blood work been done recently?  Drinking a lot or even more than normal can be a sign of curious health issues, especially at his age.  I'd be much more concerned about an underlying disease process rather the just arthritis.

You know, I was relieved when I got him to eat a little two days ago, but since then he is just laying around and barely sniffing the food, even tries to evade it. Still drinking water, ambulating ok but slowly, and I think what I'm dealing with is a dog on a hunger strike. Problem is, he can't afford to lose any weight. He's at bare minimum now! I wonder if they prescribe Marinol to dogs?

Considering your point, I think it's time to take him back in to see the vet. I'm torn between the possible outcome. My son is in school right now and if I am advised to put Rocket down, I don't look forward to breaking the news to my son. I guess I'll have to cross that bridge if I get to it. I went through the whole "circle of life" thing with him when his pet rat died and he about went clinically depressed. he was much younger then. I think if the vet tells me I should consider putting Rocket down, I think I will try to delay it till my son can be there with Rocket, as long as Rocket is not in pain. if you weren't familiar with the history, you'd think he is content from just looking at him.

Still, I am going to leave work early and take Rocket to see the vet. Thanks for your input.

I'm sorry OP for your loss.

Yes--sorry for your loss. Loosing a family "Buddy" is awful tough--I don't care what anyone says.

I'm in my 70s, and whenever we loose a dog, it tears me up no end.

so sorry for your loss

sorry for your loss

 Sorry man.

Very sorry :(

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Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and condolences. I knew I'd have to say goodbye to Rocket some day; I just never thought it would happen so quickly.

My deepest sympathies.  

very sorry for your loss