My 5 year old dog who is normally very lively, but who has been a bit quiet and not eating much for 2 days just struggled to breathe and then fell down as his legs gave way. He is breathing OK now but obviously not right, heart problem or what?

What about taking him to the vet?

Strangely enough that has occurred to me.

Supercilious git.

Strangely enough that has occurred to me.

Supercilious git.

it might occure to you when he's dead.maybe he will be better off than with an uneducated twit. oh my spelling.

Edited December 29, 201411 yr by meatboy

Take it to the vet ASAP. Its may got rat poisson that sometimes comes in sweet little balls, or may got a snake bite. In any case will need intravenous serum ASAP....

Off food and a bit lethargic for a few days. If poison is ruled out, then my first thought goes to tick disease. Maybe extreme low platelets and red blood cells. This can go unnoticed till the dog pretty much collapses. But, of course, a blood test has to be done to know if that is the cause of the problem. So. you need a vet.

I hope you have been able to take your dog to the vet. Many are closed during these festive days.

My first instinct was for the vet, but the only ones I know do not open till 5 pm (it was then about 10 am) plus I was "home alone" and without transport, the misses being out taking a squad of her relatives, who had descended for a few days, to visit others in the vicinity.

The way he went down I only gave him a few minutes and was in a slight state of shock, and happily surprised that he was still breathing.

Shortly afterwards the gang returned, the misses said that it had happened once before, the MIL and SIL who have a lifetimes experience with dogs gave him a thorough once-over and a bowl of chicken and rice which he put away with some speed, pronounced him fit and genarally told me to stop being a wus and to stop panicking. (They would do well on TV.)

By 5 he was much recovered, and the f...ing vet not being open anyway, went out for his regular evening stroll with his brother and mother. He was soon chasing cats which did my cred no good at all.

Yesterday and today he has been back to his normal self but I think a blood test is called for, thanks for the suggestion.

Well two helpful posts out of four must be a record for TV, thank you umbanda and Nienke. I have been called much worse than a twit before now, but rarely uneducated. Don't know where that comes from or the spelling comment, if I were monkeybrain I would concentrate on grammar and punctuation.

My first instinct was for the vet, but the only ones I know do not open till 5 pm (it was then about 10 am) plus I was "home alone" and without transport, the misses being out taking a squad of her relatives, who had descended for a few days, to visit others in the vicinity.

The way he went down I only gave him a few minutes and was in a slight state of shock, and happily surprised that he was still breathing.

Shortly afterwards the gang returned, the misses said that it had happened once before, the MIL and SIL who have a lifetimes experience with dogs gave him a thorough once-over and a bowl of chicken and rice which he put away with some speed, pronounced him fit and genarally told me to stop being a wus and to stop panicking. (They would do well on TV.)

By 5 he was much recovered, and the f...ing vet not being open anyway, went out for his regular evening stroll with his brother and mother. He was soon chasing cats which did my cred no good at all.

Yesterday and today he has been back to his normal self but I think a blood test is called for, thanks for the suggestion.

Well two helpful posts out of four must be a record for TV, thank you umbanda and Nienke. I have been called much worse than a twit before now, but rarely uneducated. Don't know where that comes from or the spelling comment, if I were monkeybrain I would concentrate on grammar and punctuation.

its now obvious he was missing his mum.being "HOME ALONE"

Edited December 31, 201411 yr by meatboy

It does sound quite weird, though.

A bit off his food for a couple for days, then difficulties with breathing and collapses. Only to be up and about again a few hours later.

A thorough health check at a good vet is indicated, methinks: blood test including kidney and liver, snap-test, maybe checking the heart, ask about possible seizure and what can have caused that, etc.

What kind of dog do you have?

Sounds like heart worm to me. Typical symptoms, which will get wore as they develop.

Possible stomach tumour.

Blood tests for parasites and infections, followed by stomach X-ray shoyld clear up the picture .

Touch his/her stomach and observe if tender at all