Puppy not eating

catkins

Hi, Buzz is 6 months old and has gone from eating almost anything when I got him at 9 weeks to being fussy. He stopped eating Wellbeloved so I bought another food. He ate that for about a week then stopped eating that. I then decided to switch to raw. It's something I had thought about with my previous dog but wasn't sure about. Anyway I read up about it and switched almost two weeks ago.

Week one was brilliant - he ate all the chicken I gave him (it seems to be recommended to start with chicken for the first week and then gradually introduce new meats/fish). So Monday I tried him with some tripe and he ate it along with chicken. Tuesday morning he was sick but it was only clear liquid. He was fine in himself - lively, bright eyes, gums and tongue good colour, wanting to go on his walks etc so I wasn't too worried. He wouldn't eat though. I tried tempting him with some lightly scrambled egg (he won't eat raw egg) and some cheese but he would not eat them. Late evening (about 10pm) I eventually got him to eat a chicken breast. Yesterday he ate a very small amount of tripe, a very small amount of turkey and a piece of chicken - no where near the amount he should be eating. This morning he has brought up a clear liquid again and so far has eaten nothing. I have tried chicken, tripe and cheese. I put his food bowl down and after 15 minutes take it up and try again later.

Again he seems fine in himself and we have been out for a walk. I am worried because he is young and should be eating a lot in order to grow.

OH, who is far more of a worrier than I am when it comes to our pets, wants to take him to the vet. I don't see what a vet is meant to do about him not eating. Also he will probably say try cooked chicken and rice but he should not be getting that now he is on raw should he?

I posted on a raw diet forum and have been told not to worry and that if I keep trying different foods I am making him fussy. I am worried though. If he was older I wouldn't be so worried.

Have I just got a fussy dog or one that just doesn't want to eat a lot? He doesn't weight what he probably should and all his litter brothers and sisters weigh more than him (not by massive amounts though).

I would be so grateful if someone could give me some ideas or just put my mind at rest. I lost my previous dog in July and am still upset over that and now worrying about my new boy

lisawood78

If he is continually not eating and vomiting I would take him to the vet right away as it is more than just a quick bug if it has been going on this long.
We can't give medical advise of course so vets is the only choice here, IMHO

krlyr

Could he be poorly at the mo? Mine have had a D&V bug over Christmas, lots of little sick/bile piles and no appetite for a few days. Could be a coincidence that its happened not long after switching his food.
When Casper had a similar bug the other year I just stuck to small meals of chicken mince. This time, I had to tempt them with cooked chicken initially but after day 2 they were back in raw. It was about a day/day and a half they just wouldn't eat at all, I didn't force it but left some cooked chicken down for them to pick at if they wanted.
A vet may not be able to do much for a bug but could rule out anything more sinister. They may give an anti-sickness jab to ease the vomiting, Casper had this first time around but this time I didn't bother as he wasnt quite as bad and the vomiting eased within a day

catkins

He has only been sick Tuesday morning and this morning. He has eaten since Tuesday morning but only a little. He is drinking as normal and his poo is fine. He did eat a lot on Monday and posters on the raw forum have suggested that is the reason he has not been eating much since but it was no more than he is meant to have a day.

I must say that the amount me and OH calculated he should be eating for his age and his likely full grown weight seems a lot and Buzz has never been a very big eater.

As I am trying to type this he is jumping all over me with one of his toys so doesn't seem ill at all.

Obviously if I thought he were ill I would take him to the vets. It's just that OH panics at the slightest thing and goes to the vet. In the 4 months we have had Buzz he has been to the vet 4 times for different reasons and none of the times has the vet found anything wrong with him.

As much as I like my vet I really do not want to keep giving him money especially as money is very tight at the moment. Of course if he needs to go we will find the money.

fairygirl24

I'm no expert but i read that bile-like sick on a morning means the dog is hungry? If he's not eating then that could be it?
My new puppy did this 2 mornings in a row, so i started giving her a little bit extra feed before bed and shes been fine since?