Aa
new puppy
I just got a 6 week and three day old female chiweenie puppy. I am feeding her kibbels and bits small bite watered down so its easier for her to chew. She just vomited any ideas what could of cuased this? She has been on this food since i got her three days ago.
Very good advice from above, far more than I could have provided or typed without too many typos to read : )
Congratulations on your new dog. When you get the dog settled down you can look on the web for "dogfoodadvisor" and get an evaluation on most dog foods.
That done I suggest you look at the 4 Health brand at Tractor Supply (USA assumed). Both their kibble and canned food is highly regarded and moderate in price. Many will recommend you include canned food with the kibble and I recommend buying only "grain free" kibble. 4 Health may not say that, I now recall, but it does say no wheat, corn.... the stuff that the highly advertised brands full their dog food with.
Is this your first dog? You'll grow to love the little creature.
I too would enjoy a picture...and good luck, take care to keep cleaning and other potentially poisionious substances away from the floor where the dog can reach them... they are almost like having a child... human child.
Congratulations on your new dog. When you get the dog settled down you can look on the web for "dogfoodadvisor" and get an evaluation on most dog foods.
That done I suggest you look at the 4 Health brand at Tractor Supply (USA assumed). Both their kibble and canned food is highly regarded and moderate in price. Many will recommend you include canned food with the kibble and I recommend buying only "grain free" kibble. 4 Health may not say that, I now recall, but it does say no wheat, corn.... the stuff that the highly advertised brands full their dog food with.
Is this your first dog? You'll grow to love the little creature.
I too would enjoy a picture...and good luck, take care to keep cleaning and other potentially poisionious substances away from the floor where the dog can reach them... they are almost like having a child... human child.
While congratulations on your new family member are certainly due, I have to add that she was allowed to leave her mother and litter way too early for a toy dog. No puppy of any breed should be taken away from their mother and litter before the age of 8 weeks, and most reputable breeders of toy breeds keep their puppies with their litters for 12 weeks and sometimes even longer. With a tiny dog it is important to make sure they are eating reliably on their own and not just picking at solid foods because tiny breeds are so much more prone to developing hypoglycemia.
Since your puppy is away from her litter at such a young age you need to do all you can to make it as easy as possible for her to eat. I would buy some puppy milk replacer or, if you can't get that, evaporated milk will work. Buy her the highest quality puppy food you can and soak a couple of cups of it in hot, hot water. When it is thoroughly soft, mash it with a fork until it has the consistency of one of those stuffing mixes (think StoveTop) and is nice and fluffy. Then take about 1/4 cup of it and add a couple of tablespoons of milk replacer or evaporated milk and mix it thoroughly into the fluffed-up puppy food. The taste of the milk will entice her to eat and the fact that the food is completely moistened and mashed up will make it easy for her to eat it. Feed her like this about five times a day. The remainder of the soaked and fluffed food can be stored in the fridge to be used over the rest of the day and the next day. Don't soak more food than you can use in about 2 days, and make sure you keep it in the fridge until you are ready to use it again. Warm it for about 15 seconds in the microwave just to take the chill off before you mix in the milk before feeding it. If the 1/4 cup is too much for her to eat at once feed her less food at a sitting but add a feeding and move them a bit closer together. Otherwise, she should be getting fed about every 4-5 hours.
Chances are your puppy vomited because she is still VERY new to eating solids and her digestive tract is not yet totally functional. This is why you have to make it as easy as you can for her to chew, swallow and digest her food.
Also, since she was weaned so early, it will be necessary for you to make sure she receives proper training from you regarding nipping and chewing. Although there are exceptions to every rule, on the whole, puppies who are weaned too early tend to be chewers and nippers, since bite inhibition is one of the more important things that they learn from their mothers and littermates between the 6th and 8th week of life. In the litter, it's easy for them to learn it since Mom and siblings are speaking to them in their own language. It's more difficult for us to convey that message to them so that they fully get it.
If you have not done so already, you need to make her an appointment at the vet so that she can receive her first shots if they were not given to her by the person you got her from. Remember to take a stool sample with you since it's the rare puppy who doesn't have internal parasites and she will more than likely need to be wormed. If she is carrying a heavy internal parasite load, that can also be responsible for causing the vomiting. She cannot have a rabies shot until she is 5-6 months old, but it is important to have her vaccinated against parvo, canine parainfluenza, coronavirus and distemper. If you live in a suburban setting it is probably wise to avoid having her vaccinated against leptospirosis since, if a puppy is going to react badly to a vaccine, it will likely be the lepto faction of the vaccine that will do it. Unless you live near a lake or pond where wildlife congregate, it's not nearly as important to vaccinate against lepto since it is transmitted via urine and feces of infected wildlife going to the bathroom in standing water that the puppy then gets into.
Post a picture of her! We'd love to see it!
Ghilly
Since your puppy is away from her litter at such a young age you need to do all you can to make it as easy as possible for her to eat. I would buy some puppy milk replacer or, if you can't get that, evaporated milk will work. Buy her the highest quality puppy food you can and soak a couple of cups of it in hot, hot water. When it is thoroughly soft, mash it with a fork until it has the consistency of one of those stuffing mixes (think StoveTop) and is nice and fluffy. Then take about 1/4 cup of it and add a couple of tablespoons of milk replacer or evaporated milk and mix it thoroughly into the fluffed-up puppy food. The taste of the milk will entice her to eat and the fact that the food is completely moistened and mashed up will make it easy for her to eat it. Feed her like this about five times a day. The remainder of the soaked and fluffed food can be stored in the fridge to be used over the rest of the day and the next day. Don't soak more food than you can use in about 2 days, and make sure you keep it in the fridge until you are ready to use it again. Warm it for about 15 seconds in the microwave just to take the chill off before you mix in the milk before feeding it. If the 1/4 cup is too much for her to eat at once feed her less food at a sitting but add a feeding and move them a bit closer together. Otherwise, she should be getting fed about every 4-5 hours.
Chances are your puppy vomited because she is still VERY new to eating solids and her digestive tract is not yet totally functional. This is why you have to make it as easy as you can for her to chew, swallow and digest her food.
Also, since she was weaned so early, it will be necessary for you to make sure she receives proper training from you regarding nipping and chewing. Although there are exceptions to every rule, on the whole, puppies who are weaned too early tend to be chewers and nippers, since bite inhibition is one of the more important things that they learn from their mothers and littermates between the 6th and 8th week of life. In the litter, it's easy for them to learn it since Mom and siblings are speaking to them in their own language. It's more difficult for us to convey that message to them so that they fully get it.
If you have not done so already, you need to make her an appointment at the vet so that she can receive her first shots if they were not given to her by the person you got her from. Remember to take a stool sample with you since it's the rare puppy who doesn't have internal parasites and she will more than likely need to be wormed. If she is carrying a heavy internal parasite load, that can also be responsible for causing the vomiting. She cannot have a rabies shot until she is 5-6 months old, but it is important to have her vaccinated against parvo, canine parainfluenza, coronavirus and distemper. If you live in a suburban setting it is probably wise to avoid having her vaccinated against leptospirosis since, if a puppy is going to react badly to a vaccine, it will likely be the lepto faction of the vaccine that will do it. Unless you live near a lake or pond where wildlife congregate, it's not nearly as important to vaccinate against lepto since it is transmitted via urine and feces of infected wildlife going to the bathroom in standing water that the puppy then gets into.
Post a picture of her! We'd love to see it!
Ghilly
My puppy had a very sensitive stomach when we got her at 7.5 weeks. It's best to feed them whatever their prior owner fed them . . . had this pup been started on solid food by the way?
We had a terrible upstart with food with my young pup---- She was fine the first couple of days but then diarrhea started. I had a situation in which I had no idea what she had eaten prior to her coming to live with us but generally-- if you know that, you keep them on the same food and transition by mixing the old food with new food over the course of several days making the old food less and less of the feed.
In general, kibble and bits is not the most quality dog food from what I've read. And it's not meant for puppies. You need a dog food labeled for puppies specifically. And feed small amounts. Offer water frequently.
Did you do your vet check yet? I went on day two of having our pup and it is an important visit. It might give you peace of mind to since she has now vomited. You'll want such a young pup to get checked.
wishing you luck--- let us know how it goes!
We had a terrible upstart with food with my young pup---- She was fine the first couple of days but then diarrhea started. I had a situation in which I had no idea what she had eaten prior to her coming to live with us but generally-- if you know that, you keep them on the same food and transition by mixing the old food with new food over the course of several days making the old food less and less of the feed.
In general, kibble and bits is not the most quality dog food from what I've read. And it's not meant for puppies. You need a dog food labeled for puppies specifically. And feed small amounts. Offer water frequently.
Did you do your vet check yet? I went on day two of having our pup and it is an important visit. It might give you peace of mind to since she has now vomited. You'll want such a young pup to get checked.
wishing you luck--- let us know how it goes!
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