help! puppy won't eat

Hi all,

We got a Havanese puppy, Bailey, a little over 3 weeks ago (He's 18 weeks old). The first week he ate like a champ. Couldn't wait for the bowl to go down. His first weekend with us, he went to the vet for his 3 month vaccination (can't think of the name - distemper maybe?). We think he had a reaction to it - he was just off for a couple of days and vomited once after a meal. After that, his appetite has been off. We've tried changing his food, adding in wet food, not adding in wet food, adding a little peanut butter to the kibble, adding in some of his treats....

He's eating maybe a meal a day, and it's less than half of what the bag/vet thinks he should be eating in a day. He still loves his treats. He looks very healthy and has lots of energy. We're making sure that he gets lots of exercise.

Any advise? TIA!

Re: help! puppy won't eat

Same thing happened with my Puppy. When we got her at 9 weeks old, she was a little monster and ate in like 2.5 seconds 2X-3X a day. As time went on it got less and less, we would leave food for her, come home and it would still be there. We were very concerned as well and took her to the vet. The vet said her weight was on target and as long as she is eating something, she has energy, etc.. she is ok. Puppy's appetite usually changes over time.

What I have been doing and it seems to be working like a charm is, I got Gerber Chicken Sticks and I cut 1 of them up and mix it in with her dry food 2X a day. Her appetite seems like it's coming back again and usually she finishes her meal or at least 70% of it.

Re: help! puppy won't eat

How is he doing now? Is he eating more? Just checkin in!

Re: help! puppy won't eat

I have a Maltese and this is exactly what happend to me when I first got her. Its almost 2 years later and I am still suffering with this. She has my number!! I can not believe what this has come to. I am actually feeding her at 10:30 pm in my BED with the lights out one kibble at a time. My DH is ready to get rid of both of us. This is the only heartache I get from her. I also use the gerber meat sticks in the morning mixed with kibble. Sometimes she will eat it and sometimes leave it all day... and not eat one thing. When this happens she ALWAYS vomits bile the next morning from having an empty stomache. I feel your pain. I just wanted to say that. I am in no position to give advice on this. I am the biggest idiot.

Re: help! puppy won't eat

I have given my girls a food supplement called Nutri-Stat/Nutri-Cal, its sold in any pet store. It's made specifically for finiky eaters. When my one dog was having chemo and didn't wanna eat I would give it to her and she loved it. The vet can also prescribe something identical to it but more expensive. I think the tube is $10-12. Good Luck!

Re: help! puppy won't eat

My pup was the SAME way. Barely would eat. Very picky eater. Of course would love to have treats or human food, but his own, forget it.

I catered to him a bit much, would practically beg him to eat etc. I would be so worried. I was mixing wet and dry dog food.

My vet told me when he is hungry, he will eat. So I had to muster up the courage and strength to just not worry, that he will eat whenhe needs to.

So I started just using dry dog food, and leaving it out. Whenhe wants, he nibbles on the food.

Here we are 3 years later, he is not thin, but not heavy. Weighs just about perfect, but is a poor eater for his dog food. But he does eat, only when he is very hungry. Whatever you do, just don't start catering and giving the human food (which is what my boy wanted from me). B/c once you start that, you can't stop.

Point here is...he will eat, even if he doesn't care for the food,when he is very hungry. It was hard for me, but I had to do it b/c it was driving me insane begging this dog to eat. Now sometimes both my dogs barely eat all day sometimes. Just not big eaters. It can be very frustrating, I know and worrisome!