My dog has a bloated belly, is lethargic, and has red eyes after a heatwave—what could it be?

A dog’s bloated belly may be caused by pregnancy, indigestion with gas, or ascites. Pregnancy is usually easy to spot, often with a swollen vulva and enlarged nipples. If the bloating is from indigestion with constipation and gas, the abdomen is usually fairly hard; consider an X-ray at the clinic, and at home you can give active probiotics or digestive aids to help release gas and aid digestion, with circular belly massage.

Finally, based on your description—a swollen belly with reduced appetite for several days, limb weakness, and low spirits—ascites is more suspected. With ascites the belly feels softer to the touch and slapping it produces a clear water sound. Ascites has many causes, commonly cardiac, hepatic, or low-protein related. It is recommended to take the dog to the clinic for relevant tests and follow the vet’s treatment.