Help My Puppy Please

by Rhiannon Moeller
(West Columbia, SC, USA)

I got my Chihuahua two days ago and she is probably about eight weeks old. I took her to the vet on 10/13/2008 because she was drooling very bad and wouldn't move around very much.

The vet gave her a vitamin B shot, a dewormer, iv fluids, and some buprenex for pain. They sent her home with some buprenex and some Prescription Diet brand wet food, but she will not eat. I don't know what to do to make her eat.

Please help me



Hi Rhiannon
I'm so sorry to hear about what's going on with your little puppy. I'm not a veterinarian I'm afraid, so I don't know what your own vet thinks is the problem or what is causing her pain.

I'm assuming that she was dehydrated and that is why they gave her the IV fluids.

Tiny breed puppies can suffer from hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and this can cause lethargy, disorientation, even seizures. I wonder if that was her problem.

Right now, as long as she's drinking water she won't starve if she doesn't eat for a day or so. But, if she won't (or can't) drink and still seems to be 'out of it', I would strongly recommend that you call your vet. He may need to see her again.

With young puppies it's always better to be safe than sorry, and if you're concerned always consult your vet. Be sure to ask him what is causing her symptoms, what he's treating her with, and what you can expect from her as she recovers.

You can get a professional, veterinarian's opinion/advice on my Ask A Vet page. There is a small charge for this service. However, when a puppy seems ill I would always recommend seeing a 'real, live vet' if at all possible.

I wish you the best of luck with your little girl, and hope that she's doing much better soon.