Puppys' stomach feels VERY warm and he's not eating as well...

My 10 week old puppy, "Bandit" (he's 1/4 Greyhound, 1/4 English Foxhound and 1/2 Black Lab), seems to have lost most of his appetite and his tummy feels SO warm, even HOT, to the touch!

Since we brought him home, 2 weeks ago, he's been hungry all the time and his stomach has surely never felt so warm. He does have a routine visit with his Vet tomorrow but I thought asking about here wouldn't hurt.

What could it be? Should he be seen before tomorrow afternoon?
Thank you,
Ellie and Bandit







Hi Ellie
A sudden loss of appetite could indicate that Bandit isn't feeling very well, but it could be something minor (like he's eaten something he shouldn't!) or the early signs of some type of dog illness.

If Bandit is up to date with all his puppy shots then hopefully even if he is sick, it's something that's not too serious. However, it's impossible for me to tell I'm afraid.

The best I can do is to say that if he seems happy and active, and is drinking normally, then chances are it's not an emergency and you can wait until his vet appointment tomorrow afternoon.

However, if he gets worse or is showing signs of illness such as puppy diarrhea, vomiting, lethargy etc., and won't or can't drink water, then he needs to be seen by a vet right away.

A dogs' normal body temperature is considerably higher than ours (somewhere between 100.5F and 102F is normal), so it may just be that he is warm, or his tummy is always warm but you've not noticed it before. Of course, he could be running a fever and in that case he may be suffering from a bacterial or viral illness of some sort. He would likely show signs of being sick if that is the case.

This is all my personal opinion though, and bear in mind I'm not a vet. If you are concerned or feel that he needs to see a vet, then I'd recommend following that instinct - you know him best!

I wish you the best of luck and hope that Bandit is just fine.