dog falling over

Question
Hello and thanks for taking the time to answer my question. my dog simon (10+ years old, age estimated former stray i've had for 10 years#. the past 1 week, he's been falling over. he refuses to lay or sit down, he stands in 1 place and sways until he eventually falls down and closes his eyes for a minute or two and stands back up #24/7!!#. he does have fleas and is itching a lot, can fleas be fatal? could he be anemic from the fleas? recently re-started on advantage after a couple months off. he eats wet food ~1/2 can/day #usually grazes on dry, but have not seen him eat that in awhile). he whines constantly and sleeps very little.
Thanks, Carrie

Answer
Carrie -

Please take your dog to be examined by a veterinarian as soon as possible.  I doubt seriously that fleas are the reason why your dog is falling over.

The fact that you stated that you have not seen your  dog eat in a while concerns me.  Why are you waiting to take him to a doctor?  If he is so sick that he is whining  constantly then he needs to be seen by a doctor.  If your dog is so uncomfortable that he has so stand all the time he certainly needs to be seen by a professional. A ten year old dog may be affected by arthritic joints that may prevent him from wanting to sit down.  A vet can perform a physical exam to determine why your pet is not wanting to sit down.  Liver problems, kidney problems or heart problem may be the reason that your pet is not feeling well.

It seems to me that your problem is more than just fleas - take my advice and run with your dog to a vet as soon as possible.

Best Regards,

Charlotte Sherrell, DVM