Worried about my Goldie

[Vivisays]

I have a 9 year old male goldie, who has been in good health generally. However, over the last couple of months, he has occasionally (once a month, increasing to once a week) been lying down during his walk. He’s always conscious, doesn’t seem to be in pain but can’t be persuaded to get up for several minutes, often 5-8 minutes. Then he carries on like nothing has happened. I took him to the vets, who did bloods and an abdominal scan. Bloods showed some inflammation. Scan showed nothing obvious, only they did see two small lesions on the spleen, which the vet says could be absolutely nothing but may indicate the beginning of something more serious, so wants to rescan in six weeks. Vet doesn’t think the findings say anything about why he keeps lying down. I’m at a complete loss. Just wondered if anyone had come across anything similar in their golden retriever dogs? Thank you.

I don’t have any advice I’m afraid but came here to give your post a little bump and empathise. Does your goldie still eat and drink well? Maintain weight?

Does he get out of breath more easily that he used to? Has your vet ruled out a heart condition? Is he stiff after lying down (i.e. after lying down for a long time, such as first thing in the morning)? Has his thyroid been checked?

Is it always in the same place on the walk? Is it on the way back? Wondering if it’s behavioural rather than physical. My 12 year old GR doesn’t lie down but will slow to a snails pace on the way home because she doesn’t want to go in (even though she’s 12 and needs a lie down!)

Also I presume the vet checked his joints - any sign of sore hips or knees? Usually that presents as lameness though rather than laying down.

Yes, goldies can be amazingly stubborn. My dog will lie down when he wants to go a different route or when we are leaving his favourite part of the walk. He will refuse to walk if he wants to cross the road so he can walk past a house where a cat lives. He is getting more stubborn as he gets older (also 9).

Thanks all. Not thyroid, this has been checked, not arthritis; he does get a bit stiff but vet checked movement in all his joints when sedated and it isn’t this. Not cardiac apparently. Not behavioural- happens anywhere & everywhere and he isn’t at all stubborn in personality. No lameness. Eating & drinking normally and seems fine most of the time. Vet said it’s a matter of ‘ruling things out’ and mentioned possibility of an MRI, of which the nearest one is 2.5 hours away 🤷🏼‍♀️

I hope the MRI gives you an answer and I hope it's all okay. Dogs are so precious.