puppy has loss of appetite sleepy not playful happened overnite

by Lisa
(Chagrin Falls, Ohio)

I have 3 Papillon pug puppies i am trying to sell for an elderly friend. They have been a joy very playful bouncy silly playing and wrestling with my much larger older spaniel mix, they have recieved all worming and 2 of 3 of their 5 in one shots and they are 9 weeks old.

Almost overnight the smallest had no interest in food, water or play and now the other 2 are doing the same. No smell in light throw-up or fecal discharge, soft but not squirting poop, they just want to sleep.

What is this? I am almost positive it is not parvo, no clear or foul smell in their infrequent throwing up or poop. What is this and what can i do please?

I don't want them to die





Hi Lisa
It's difficult to say what could be going on with these puppies I'm afraid. It sounds as though they're fairly well protected in terms of vaccinations and deworming, but it's still possible for them to catch an infectious viral or bacterial illness.

Coccidia or Giardia are possibilities. Both of these can be diagnosed by your vet and treated with medications. They are generally not life-threatening when treated correctly and quickly. Of course there are other possible canine illnesses or diseases including the dreaded Parvo. However, hopefully it is one of the milder ones.

As all puppies seem to be affected, I would guess that whatever is causing them to feel ill is infectious. However, I'm not a veterinarian and can only give an opinion not an expert assessment.

I would strongly recommend that you get these puppies to your veterinarian right away, he can make an accurate diagnosis and get treatment started right away if necessary. The sooner they get taken care of, the better their chances of a full recovery.

Meantime, make sure they are getting enough fluids as dehydration can be a serious problem in puppies. Adding some Pedialyte or Gatorade to their water helps to counteract the fluid loss from diarrhea and/or vomiting.

There's no reason to believe at this point that your pups are going to die, but they definitely need to see a veterinarian immediately so that they can be assessed correctly.

I wish you the very best of luck and hope these little guys are doing much better soon.