UMBILICAL HERNIA

My 4 month old lab puppy was fine this morning and tonight i noticed she had a quarter sized bulge on her stomach.

What would cause a hernia to develop so fast.



Hi
That's unusual, hernias are usually a defect the puppy is born with.

True hernias are rare and often include defects in the chest wall. They're serious, needing surgery and often impacting the puppy's health.

The more common defect referred to as a 'hernia' is really more of a delay in the closing of the abdominal walls. It usually fixes itself as the puppy grows and they rarely need surgery. There's generally no effect on the puppy's overall health, unless the hernia becomes 'strangulated' (that is some intestine becomes pinched between the muscle walls).

I would imagine that if this is a hernia, it's a delayed closure and that your puppy may have had it for some time, it's just not been noticeable. I've personally never heard of one developing later on.

It could be that a bit of your pup's intestines has become trapped (or pinched) by the muscle walls. If you cannot gently push the bulge back through the opening (best tried with pup lying on his back), there could be a problem.

If this is the case, or if the swelling seems tender or causes pain to your puppy, you need to have him seen by a veterinarian right away. This kind of complication can lead to serious consequences if not treated quickly.

Even if your pup seems unconcerned by this, and there doesn't seem to be any pain etc. associated with it, I would suggest you have your vet take a look to be on the safe side. It's possible this isn't a hernia at all, but it's impossible for me to tell and as I'm not a vet I would really encourage you to have a professional examine your pup.

Best of luck with him!

how to stop parasite

When my puppy poops little white warms or white moving things come out, along with its poop.

I would like to know how to prevent this from happening. Is there a certain medicine for the puppy or is it going to go away with time?




Hi
No, worms won't go away by themselves. In fact, if left untreated they can make your puppy very, very ill.

There are different types of puppy worms, some more common than others. There are specific medications for each type of worm, but you need your veterinarian to take sample of your puppy's poop and test it, that way he can tell what kinds of worms he's suffering from and prescribe the right medication.

The medications that you can buy in the stores are usually only for one type of worm, and they're not very effective. They can also have unwanted side effects and be harmful to your puppy if not used correctly.

I'd suggest you take your puppy to the veterinarian as soon as possible so that he can be treated. It's not an expensive treatment, and works very quickly and effectively, but it's definitely necessary.

Best of luck.

puppies teeth

by deb
(NY)

How old are puppies when they start losing their baby teeth?



Hi Deb
Generally puppies start to lose their teeth around 3 - 4 months of age, they will have replaced them with all their adult teeth by about 6 months.

You can find out how to take care of your pups' teeth on my DOg Dental Care page.

Good luck with your pup.

gassy puppies

I was reading your article about constipation problems in puppies and it's funny you described exactly what I experienced this weekend with my puppy and I did take him to the vet.

He checked him over and did an anal check to see if he had anything out of norm but he didn't do an xray to see if he had any blockage that way.
What he did tell me to do is give him malox 3 times a day.

My question is what kids of food could I feed him that would make him regular or help him pass gas and poop easier for him?

I feed my dogs natural homemade foods for dogs. I don't like giving them stuff with a lot of preservatives. I try to eat natural also so we get fresh veggies for snacks like peppers and carrots. sometimes I give them apple and on occasion a couple slices of banana for potassium.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,

Tami


Hi Tami
A home made diet can be very nutritious and certainly avoids a lot of the additives, chemicals and fillers that some of the less nutritious foods contain.

You need to make sure all his meals consist of at least 50% protein (from a lean meat source is best), and then the other 50% is split evenly between grain and veggies. It's the vegetables that tend to cause the gassiness, and it's 'trial and error' really to find out which ones agree with your dogs digestive system, and which don't.

A little bit of canned pumpkin added to his meals (not the pie filling variety), can help keep things moving along.

Increasing your pups intake of fluids by encouraging him to drink more especially in warm weather, and adding some extra fluids (warm water, gravy, veggie juices etc) helps to keep his bowels regular. It's also important to make sure he gets enough exercise. A 'sluggish' body leads to a sluggish system.

I'd suggest that you take a look at my Home Made Dog Food page for tips and ideas on feeding a home made diet.

Best of luck with your pup.
Sincerely,

Tami

sick puppy

My sister has a 5 week old puppy and she just start not eating or drinking and is pretty lifeless.

She has a hard time standing almost like a front paw hurts but she is sick. She has thrown up and she was at the animal hospital and had 104 temp.

They put her on antibiotic, dewormed her and gave her some fluids. She is going to her vet later today. Do you have any idea what this could be and any suggestions on how to help her?

Thank you



Hi
I'm so sorry to hear about your sister's puppy, she does sound sick, but the good news is that she did the right thing by getting the pup seen by a veterinarian right away. Dehydration is a major problem in sick puppies, but at least this little one has had some fluids already.

It's vital that she see her own vet asap and get a proper diagnosis for what's causing the problem. There are a few possibilities, but my inclination is to say probably Parvo-Virus.

Parvo is one of the very serious, contagious dog illnesses that puppies are susceptible to. It's often fatal in young puppies, but early and aggressive treatment and supportive care gives the best chance of survival.

You can read about Parvo on my Canine Parvovirus page. It tells you about the symptoms, method of transfer, treatment and so on.

There's not much that you can do yourself for a puppy with Parvo, generally the care includes a stay at the veterinary hospital with IV fluids and anti-biotics to combat the secondary infections that accompany this virus.

There are of course, other possibilities and it's possible your sister's pup has an upper-respiratory tract or a GI (gastro-intestinal) infection. However, only a vet can give an accurate diagnosis and administer the appropriate treatment.

I wish you all the best of luck, and I hope this little puppy is one of the lucky ones and is feeling better soon.

Allergic reaction to shots

Can we give her benedryl for an allergic reaction to shots? Her face is swollen and she has bumps all over.

She got her distemper and rabies shot today.


Hi
You can give a puppy Benadryl for an allergic reaction, but it's important to talk to your veterinarian first so that he can advise you on the appropriate dosage.

If your pup has swelling around her face, and hives on her body, that is more than a mild reaction and although she will probably be fine this time around, it does increase the probability of her having a similar, or more serious reaction, the next time she has shots.

Remember to let your veterinarian know about this and ask him to monitor her closely after she has shots next time.

You can find more information on vaccinations and possible allergic reactions to them on my Puppy Shots page.

Best of luck with her!

Diarrhea now constipated puppy

by Jennifer
(Columbus )

I have a 6 month old 10lb neutered male Yorkie-Tzu. Last week we had house guests all week, it was very stressful on the dog and my husband and I left him overnight (with our guests) for 1 night, that too was very stressful on him.

Thursday night he started getting horrible diarrhea, we were not sure what was given to him when we were gone besides "too many treats", he may have gotten into other things but we have no way of knowing.

He also spent sometime outside this week when he normally does not.

We brought him to the vet Friday night and they told us he had Clostridium (sp) overgrowth and have put him on Amoxi and another antibiotic as well as a bland diet.

He has been on the meds since Friday night and the diet since Saturday morning. The last time he pooped was Friday night, it is now Sunday night.

This afternoon we started to give him a few teaspoons of pure canned pumpkin but he still has not pooped.

I am now starting to really worry about him having a blockage.

He is in good spirits and still wants to play and eat, he is drinking water and urinating fine. He does sleep more than usual since he was put on the two medicines though.

How worried should I be about the constipation? Is there more I can do?




Hi Jennifer
It sounds as though you've done all the right things so far, I don't really think you need to worry too much right now.

If your puppy seems happy and healthy otherwise, is eating and drinking normally etc., it's very unlikely that he has an intestinal blockage. That condition causes A LOT of pain, and your puppy would be showing signs of stress too.

The sleeping is probably just his way of getting over the stress he's been through.

He has most likely 'emptied himself out' with the diarrhea, and the medications he's on could also affect his digestive system and slow it down a little. I'm pretty sure that given a little time it will all settle down and return to normal. Do be certain he has plenty of fresh water to drink at all times, and has adequate exercise too. Both of these help to keep his system 'moving along' nicely.

Puppies often react to a change in diet, stress and so on by having an upset tummy, and your did exactly the right thing by taking him to the vet. If he doesn't poop within the next 24 hours, or seems unwell, or even if you're just worried, I'd suggest you call your veterinarian and discuss it with them. I'm sure they'd be able to put your mind at rest.

Best of luck with your puppy.

Hip problems

by April
(nj)

My puppy is 12 months old. Since we got him last August he has limped 3 separate times for no apparent reason. There was no injury that I could see. These episodes occurred for 3-4 days each one was almost a week. Is it possible that there is an underlying cause?

I have read numerous articles about inbred dogs and I cannot determine if my puppy is inbred. I have contacted his breeder (bought the puppy in a pet store) and they assured me there were no family problems.

Also, what do you think about pet insurance? Is it worth it and what kind of plan is the best to get?


Hi April
It's very difficult for me to guess at the reasons behind your dog's limping episodes, however there are a couple of possibilities.

Every breed of dog has it's own genetic pre-disposition towards diseases and conditions. Some breeds tend to have problems with their hips and joints, these are often large, heavy dogs such as Rottweilers and Labrador Retrievers.

This malformation of the hips/elbows is called dysplasia and can definitely cause episodes of limping. However, large breed puppies grow very rapidly and can experience 'growing pains' in their joints which can also cause limping.

The only way to accurately tell whether or not your dog has serious issues with his hips/joints is to have them X-rayed. Actually these kinds of problems aren't limited to inbred dogs, if two dogs who have poor hips (but are genetically un-related) are mated they can produce puppies with poor hips. This is why it's advisable to insist on OFA rated parents when looking at dogs of these kinds.

Health insurance is worth every penny in my opinion! Veterinary care isn't cheap, and if your dog gets sick or has an accident it will pay for itself many times over.

However, it's very important to pick the right insurance for your needs. The premiums and deductibles can vary, as can the conditions etc. that they cover. The majority will not cover pre-existing conditions (so if your pup has a veterinary history of joint/hip problems when you subscribe to insurance, they will not cover veterinary care for anything related to that). Some policies cover routine care and medications, some charge extra for them.

I'd recommend that you check out my Pet Dog Insurance page, as it has tons of tips, advice and information on choosing an insurance policy and even has some questions that you can ask before you make a decision.

Best of luck!

I think my puppy might be constipated

by amber
(montrose, mi, usa)

Well 1st of all I have a 4 1/2 mo old Hairless Chinese Crested and I believe she may be constipated.

This morning when I feed her, she ate like she normally does and looked a little bloated like puppies do when they eat too fast or too much at once. I didn't think of anything at that time but when I went to feed her about 1/2 way through the day (she hadn't ate anything since morning)she was really bloated almost like she was going to pop.

I called the vet and they told me to de worm her so I gave her the 1st of 3 treatments which 1 for each day. I was just wondering what I could give her for the constipation that I might have in the house? Or could she possibly need to express her anal glands? Thank you.




Hi Amber
Dogs don't usually get constipated, and unless she hasn't pooped for several days this is very unlikely.

The bloating could be due to worms, especially if she hasn't been wormed before. If that's the case, the medication should help.

Does she wolf-down her food in a greedy way? Sometimes dogs almost 'inhale' their food in their hurry to eat, and when the do this they swallow A LOT of air. This can make their tummies really swollen, and often you'll hear the air gurgling around and it can cause excessive flatulence. If your dog eats this way, try using a wider, flatter dish and spreading the food out (even a baking pan will do), it's more difficult for them to guzzle it down that way.

However, this is very unlikely, but I have to mention it anyway just to be on the safe side - there's a condition called 'bloat' which is very serious, and often deadly, and it caused by a torsion (twisting) within the digestive tract.

This is most commonly seen in large, deep-chested breeds, so it's not a very probably situation in your dog, but being that it's fatal if not treated quickly I wanted to make you aware of it.

If a dog is suffering from bloat, you'll know it! Aside from the bloating and swelling of the abdomen, which will be very noticeable, a dog with this condition is in a lot of pain. He would probably pant, pace, whine and so on and it would be obvious that he was in pain and distress.

If your dog doesn't seem to be suffering in this way then you probably don't have anything to worry about. However, if the bloating doesn't dissipate, or gets worse, or he shows signs of being unwell, consult your veterinarian right away.

As for the anal glands, they wouldn't cause bloating like this. The main symptom shown by a dog who needs these glands expressed is 'scooting', basically sliding his bottom across the floor. This is because impacted anal glands are itchy and uncomfortable for a dog.

I would just keep an eye on your pup, make sure he has plenty of water and exercise to keep his digestive system moving along and if he's a chow-hound, try to slow down his eating behaviors.

If he seems in any way unwell, talk to your veterinarian right away. Best of luck with him!

Blood in puppy poop

by Mia
(Melbourne, Australia)

My puppy has had the runs, so we changed his diet and it has improved. But, then he started to get a little bit of blood in his poop.

We took him to the vet again and they prescribed antibiotics. The vet said he is healthy, doesn't have a temperature???

He is still very lively, happy and loves to eat!!!
Today there seemed to be more blood in his poop?
I am worried...should i take him to another vet????



Hi Mia
There can be several different reasons for a puppy to have diarrhea, some of them minor, some major.

You've already consulted a veterinarian and your pup seems healthy and happy otherwise, so it's unlikely that there's anything seriously wrong.

If not a symptom of one of the serious dog illnesses that puppies are prone to, the blood is usually a sign of colitis, which just basically means inflammation of the colon.

This can be as a result of a bacterial infection (probably why your vet prescribed antibiotics), or it could even just be a result of the irritation caused by the original bout of diarrhea.

Generally it settles down reasonably quickly. If your puppy is eating and drinking normally, seems healthy, happy and playful, isn't vomiting or experiencing worsening diarrhea, then I think you can afford to wait a few days and see if the medication helps.

It's also possible to with hold food for 24 hours to give her digestive system a chance to settle down. After the 24 hours you can give her some plain white boiled rice with a little chicken broth, then gradually reintroduce her regular food.

Do make sure she has plenty of fresh water at all times, as puppies dehydrate quite quickly.

If after all this she doesn't seem better, or gets worse, I'd suggest going back to the veterinarian. If you're not happy with their diagnosis, a second opinion never hurts.

You may want to take a look at my Puppy Diarrhea page for more information on this common complaint.

Best of luck, hope she's doing better soon.

why does she drag her bottom

My puppy is dragging her behind a lot and she just went potty today and it was filled with what I think are tapeworms....can my other dog get them as well and if so how?





Hi
This is called 'scooting' and one of the reasons puppies do this is because of worms. The worms make their little bottoms itch, and they're just trying to make it feel better.

If your puppy's stools are full of worms you need to get her seen and treated by a veterinarian as soon as possible (over the counter type wormers are very ineffective and can have unwanted side effects. They also only treat roundworms generally).

A bad case of worms can lead to serious health problems for your puppy.

Yes, your other dog can catch these worms from your pup through oral contact with the feces. Humans can also contract roundworms (the most common puppy worms). Tape worms are spread by fleas too and if your puppy has fleas, chances are your other dog soon will have too. It's very important that you get your pup treated, your vet can also take a stool sample from your older dog and treat him too if necessary.

Check out my page on puppy worms for more information.

Good luck.

Puppy swallowing stones

by Brian
(Jeffreys Bay, Eatern Cape, South Africa)

We've got a 5 month old swiss shepherd puppy and he is eating stones.

Why is he doing it and how can we stop him from eating stones?

He was really sick two days ago, bringing stones up and the day after that he had diarrhoea.


Hi Brian
Eating strange things is a pretty common puppy behavior, although some dogs seem to indulge in it more than others. Rocks and stones seem to be a favorite!

Why they do it isn't really known, and the old wives tales that it is due to dietary imbalance is not true.

The why isn't so important as making sure that he doesn't get a chance to do this. Eating rocks and stones poses a serious health hazard, as they can get lodged in his intestines/bowel and cause an obstruction. That normally requires emergency surgery.

If you notice that your puppy is having difficulty pooping, is straining and seems to be in pain, then this may be happening. A puppy with an obstruction like this will often vomit as well, and show signs of stress such as panting, pacing, whining etc. His belly may also appear swollen/distended.

As your pup has a taste for rocks, do watch out for these signs and if you notice them, seek veterinary help.

This is one of those situations where prevention is better than cure. Don't allow him to be anywhere there are rocks and stones unsupervised. Always take him out on a leash and correct him firmly if he tries to eat things he shouldn't. Also make sure he has plenty of safe, sturdy chew toys to chow down on.

He may outgrow this habit, or may not, but its' something you'll need to be vigilant about controlling.

Best of luck with him!

Tick Infection?

by Christine
(Venezuela)

What is your treatment for a dog with tick bites that caused a serious infection?

Our workers' dog goes in the woods a lot and was full of 3 different types of ticks and wasn't eating.

They took her to the vet and the vet gave them Doxcillina 50mg to give her every 8 hours. I went and cleaned the dog of the ticks (hundred or more) and fleas, gave her a liquid vitamin 5cc and told them to give her it for 2 more days, gave her a deworming pill, put an oil treatment on her to heal the skin and keep the ticks and fleas off her (which is to be put on again in 7 days), and gave her 40cc of liquid food 3x while I was there and told them to give the liquid food to her every hour till she starts eating on her own again. The food was a combination of: 1 cup cooked rice, liver and hamburger (which I had already prepared for my dogs), plus 1/2 chopped carrot boil in 2 cups water, one raw egg, and tablespoon sugar (didn't have honey) and I would have added a pinch alfalfa sprouts (but didn't have them) and then put all the ingredients in a blender to liquify for the injector.

I am taking them some chicken parts for them to make the food combination with rice and chicken instead of the liver and hamburger plus all the other ingredients.

I saved my dog years ago with this treatment when the vet said my dog was going to die with only a 25% chance of living. When I told the vet later that my dog Jose lived the vet couldn't believe it and Jose is still living to this day and it has been 10 years. It's amazing what love for animals, the right medication, vitamins and food can do!!!

I just hope they will give her the medicine, vitamins and especially the liquid food every hour cause I think that will save her life cause she will become more anemic and dehydrated if they don't keep up with the liquid food every hour. That is why most vets presume the animals will die cause with just the medicine and vitamins their chance of living are low - but if the people take the effort and force feed them food and water their chances of surviving improve greatly.

Just like people when they are sick and don't want to eat they go to the hospital and are force fed intravenously. Think about it.




Hi Christine
Thank you so much for such a detailed piece on helping a dog with a tick borne disease.

Here in the US, Doxycyline is the antibiotic used to treat some of the illnesses that ticks cause. I'm guessing, due to the similarity of the names, that this is the medication that was prescribed for your workers' dog.

You're absolutely correct that there's a lot more to helping him regain his health, than just the medication. Going without food weakens the whole system, and dehydration can kill by causing the major organs to shut down.

A good nutritious diet is invaluable, and it seems that you've worked hard to create a regime of food, medications, supplements etc. that will provide optimum benefits. I hope that the dog does recover the way yours did, you seem to have managed to pull off a miracle.

Anyone who wants more information on dealing with ticks (and fleas!) can check out my Fleas and Ticks page.

Bless you for the caring and compassion for this dog. I will be adding a section for visitors to send in tips and advice for other dog owners soon, and will then move this submission to that section as I think it will help others.

Best of luck to you all.

Puppy training with a umbilical hernia

by Morris
(Canada)

I have a puppy with a umbilical hernia, he is not training at all.

He is three months old, when I put him outside to go he does but with in 5 minutes of being in he goes again, its not always a lot but he does. Could this be because of the hernia and should I just wait until its fixed to try training?

It is getting frustrating trying different things and nothing is working.



Hi Morris
Umbilical hernias in puppies can take more than one form, but the most common is a small opening in the muscle wall where the umbilical cord was attached to the abdomen.

In most puppies, this simple 'hernia' is just a delay in the closing of the muscle walls, and eventually disappears. Your veterinarian should be able to tell you if it requires surgery, many do not, and most vets will wait until the puppy is being neutered/spayed to do the procedure if it's not causing any problems.

As for the potty training issue, it's very unlikely the hernia has anything to do with your difficulties. I've never heard of that being the case, and have seen puppies with hernias, none of which have ever had that sort of problem.

In fact, what you're describing sounds absolutely normal for a puppy in the beginning of the potty training phase. Puppies pee and poop A LOT. An 8 week old pup will need to go outside every 45 mins to an hour during the day, and after every nap, playtime, meal, drink and so on. At night they can generally go longer when crated, but usually need at least one potty break.

Also, each time he goes outside to do his business, stay with him and give him plenty of time, puppies often pee/poop several times in one trip, especially in the morning. If you let him outside by himself, he'll get distracted by everything else and most likely 'forget' why he's out there. He may pee a little if he's absolutely desperate, but won't remember to finish until he's back inside and is no longer entranced by the sights, sounds and smells of the great outdoors.

I'd recommend that you read my page on Potty Training A Puppy it's has tips and advice to make the whole housebreaking task that much easier.

If you're not crate-training, I'd strongly suggest you buy a crate and start right away. It makes house breaking much simpler and quicker, and mostly eliminates the opportunity for your pup to make 'mistakes' indoors.

It takes longer than most people realize to house train a puppy. If you work consistently with your pup from about 8 weeks onward, you can reasonably expect him to be fairly reliably housebroken by around 6 months of age. However, all puppies are different, some take less time, some more, and small breed puppies are challenging because they have such tiny bladders.

It's very important to be patient and consistent. Your puppy wants to please you, he just has no idea what it is you want from him. They learn through repetition and association, so it takes time for him to learn to associate outdoors with his elimination habits. For the same reason, you don't want to delay training, or allow him to make 'mistakes' as that then becomes the 'habit' and he associates indoors with elimination instead. He's just a pup and doesn't know that we humans take exception to pee and poop on the carpet!

Hopefully the above will help you get on the right track, best of luck with your puppy.

4-5 week puppy has diarrhea

by Krissy
(Deerfield, OH, USA)

I got a puppy 2 days ago. He is a St. Bernard and shepherd mix. His first poop was a little solid, however all day yesterday they have been more runny, not pure liquid, but runny. It does seem to have a mucus in it at times now.

When I got to his crate he had went in it and it was more mucusy (?) with almost a pink tint. He has seemed to be eating somewhat, not a lot, but attempting. Should I be giving him milk at all? I did give him milk yesterday morning because it seemed he wasn't eating much food, just licking it. drinking ok.

We also got a brother so he would not be lonely. He is pooping solid. I've been reading other questions, and just not sure whether it could be the relocating, and stress or if it's something more serious and I need to get him to a vet. I am just worried and want to take care of him.
Thank you!


Hi Krissy
It's a difficult call for me to make from here, in terms of being able to advise people as to whether or not the diarrhea etc. is something that needs attention right away or not. Especially when the puppy has just come home with them.

Generally the stress of leaving his mom and siblings, and probably a change of diet as well, results in diarrhea to some degree. Loss of appetite and sleeping a lot are also common for the first few days or so.

Mucus or blood streaks in the feces indicate irritation of the colon (colitis) and this can be due to stress, bacteria, a virus or just a bad bout of diarrhea itself can cause this kind of irritation and lead to a chronic problem.

If your puppy has periods of playful activity, and seems generally happy at these times, if he can eat and drink and keep it down, and if the diarrhea is not continually worsening you can probably afford to wait 24 hours or so to see if it settles down.

BUT, if your puppy seems absolutely exhausted, has no interest in anything or anyone, won't play, can't keep down food or water and is suffering from constant diarrhea he needs to see a vet right away. You can read about the diagnosis and symptoms of most of the most common diseases on my Dog Illnesses page and about Parvo too. The best advice is - if in doubt, seek veterinary help, it could make all the difference.

Don't give him milk though, that will almost certainly lead to diarrhea and make the problem worse. Dogs don't tolerate milk well at all. Special puppy formula is okay, but isn't necessary at your pups age.

I hope this helps some and wish you the best of luck with both your puppies!

Sickly new puppy

by Christy
(Tennessee)

I got a new "Doxie-Poo" for mothers day. She is @ 6 weeks old today. I took her for her first shots, but she had worms and they wouldn't give her the shots until she recovered from the worms.

She's now finished the 5 day round of worm med's but is not "acting" any better. She's lethargic, unbalanced (falls every time she tries to walk and loses her balance just sitting and drinking water out of her bowl), no appetite, whiny, has moments when she sits and "shivers" or "jerks", and simply wants to be held (she sits at my feet and paws at my leg until I pick her up and the immediately goes to sleep), she also carries this strong odor about her (no matter how much bathing or cleaning we do to her).

I loved her instantly the first time I saw her... I am beside myself in desire to help her and get her well. What could this be? (I do have an appointment with the vet for later today... in the mean time I am just so worried about her I was hoping to find some reassurance from somewhere)


Hi Christy
I'm sorry to hear your puppy is having problems! She is very young and must have left her momma way too early, which could be part of the problem. Puppies are barely weaned by 5 weeks of age (if at all) and need to stay in their canine family until they're at least 8 weeks old.

That's probably one of the reasons your puppy is so whiny and needy. She's an infant who is craving the warmth and closeness of her mom and siblings. She falls asleep in your lap because it's the only place she feels secure.

The majority of puppies have worms, and are de-wormed routinely from the age of about 3 weeks old. This medicine can occasionally have side effects and leave a pup feeling a bit unwell, but untreated worms are much more dangerous to your pups health so it's important to follow the program.

I'm not sure about the balance problem, if she's not eating properly, it's possible that she's having periods of low blood sugar levels, these are not uncommon in small breeds. It can make a puppy weak, and cause them to stagger and lose balance, even have seizures if it's severe. Feeding little and often, and rubbing a little Karo syrup on their gums if problems arise, can keep this under control.

I can't be certain about the odor either I'm afraid. All puppies have a certain 'puppy smell' which some people love, and others hate! I'm not sure if it's just this, or something more. Puppies with worms sometimes seem to smell more than others. Excessive odor could also be a symptom of a fungal infection or thyroid problems.

I'm glad you have an appointment with the vet today as I think only they can really tell you what's going on with your puppy. Tell them everything that you notice about her behavior so that they can make an accurate assessment of her health. I really don't think this is anything major to be really concerned about, but it's important for her to have a thorough check-up so that any problems can be taken care of.

Best of luck with her!

puppy sneezes

by Janee
(Midlothian, IL USA)

Okay my puppy just came home on Tuesday (6.24.08) she is a nine week old shepherd mix, and she keeps sneezing.

I am not able to tell you all of her facts because we are not used to her behavior or any patterns. She was spayed on Monday (6.25.08) and she has a tendency of urinating every room she goes into.

Last night when we were going to feed her she did not eat but the other two times she ate all of her food in a hurry and wanted more.


Hi Janee
Your puppy is very young, and has been through a lot of stress in the last few days. Going to a new home and getting spayed one after the other is a lot to handle.

At 9 weeks she will have very little bladder or bowel control anyway, and the surgery and anesthetic involved will have made things worse. I think she needs a little time to recover from all of this before you'll see any kind of pattern emerge.

The lack of appetite is due to the above factors, and will probably return pretty quickly.

As for house-breaking her, I'd strongly recommend getting a crate and crate training her. It's by far the simplest and easiest way to house break a puppy. You can find lots of tips, advice and information about this on my Crate Training page.

As you're fairly new puppy owners, you may also find my New Puppy Care page helpful. Best of luck with her.

What are distemper side effects?

My puppy is sleeping non - stop. She does eat and drink and she is going to the bathroom normally.

No diarrhea or vomiting , but she is sleeping a lot and her eyes are bloodshot.

Is this normal after a distemper?




Hi
Sleeping a lot is very common after suffering a serious illness, and Distemper definitely falls into that category. If your pup contracted Distemper but has responded to treatment and is recovering, she is extremely lucky.

The fact that she's eating and drinking and not vomiting or having diarrhea are very good signs. The bloodshot eyes, could be a result of the illness as Distemper causes eye irritation and discharge.

Your pup needs her rest in order to build her strength up again, so as long as she seems okay in other ways I wouldn't worry too much. However, if she seems to get worse, is feeling unwell, or even if you're worried, I'd strongly suggest that you call your veterinarian and ask their advice.

It's always better to be safe than sorry in these situations.

I wondered if your pup had actually had the disease Distemper or if you were referring to her having had her Distemper vaccination. If she's a bit sleepy and off her food after being vaccinated, that's not very unusual. Many puppies have mild reactions to puppy shots. You can find out more about puppy vaccinations and the possible reactions to the shots on my puppy shots page

Best of luck, hope she's feeling better soon.