[medina909]

I just got me a six week old puppy she's really skinny and her back legs are extremely weak she's a beautiful dog she isn't eating much and isn't as playful as the other pups when she runs or walks she hops her rear legs she don't have worms in her poop just gave her her first shots what can I do to try to help this dog ain't got the money for a vet could it be she don't like the dog food I'm giving her main thing I'm fearing is that my puppy has parvo

 

[pitbullmamanatl]

She could be a lethargic puppy or she could have other issues. What dog food are you feeding her and did you give the shots yourself? It is always best to have a puppy checked out by a veterinarian after you get it so that you know everything is all right. Where did you get your dog from and has she been de-wormed? Here is some info regarding parvo:
This is taken from the American Veterinary Medical Association:

Dogs infected with the CPV-2 virus that are ill are often said to have "parvo." CPV-2 infection causes

• lethargy
• loss of appetite
• fever
• vomiting; and severe, often bloody, diarrhea

Vomiting and diarrhea can cause rapid dehydration, and most deaths from parvovirus occur within 48 to 72 hours following the onset of clinical signs.

If your puppy or dog shows any of these signs, you should contact your veterinarian immediately.

 

[medina909]

I did not give her the shots myself I took her to a shelter I was trying to feed her pedegree but she wasn't eating it so I went and got her chicken soup for the soul or something like that it is a dogfood I got her off my cusin. Her dog cutie had puppies Ben waiting since the day they found out she was pregnant to get one this is my first dog could it be that she's not with her mom probably depressed she is not throwing up or seem to have any of the parboil signs

 

[pitbullmamanatl]

For now I am going to say just to watch her closely; although, I think you stated above she was hopping around with her rear legs? When you say she is skinny how thin are we talking here? Ribs showing? If she hasn't been dewormed yet you need to deworm her. Since this is your first puppy please read the following links:
Puppy not eating well
Vaccination Guidelines
New puppy owners
Pet Food Comparison Chart
I wish I could be more helpful regarding your puppy, but someone might be able to help in a little while. Please keep us updated.

 

[Carriana]

Well 6 weeks is a bit on the young side to be taking her away from the rest of the litter. Many unexperienced breeders (read: Back yard breeders) incorrectly assume that if a puppy is weened and eating solid food that it is ready to leave the litter. Should you rule out any pending health issues with your puppy I encourage you to read up on "bite inhibition" as leaving the litter at such a young age can lead to issues later on.

Unfortunately what your puppy really needs is to make a visit to a vet as they will be the only ones to properly assess your pup's health with a checkup and give you any advise. It's incredibly difficult to determine what the issue is through an online forum and you shouldn't take online information in place of that of a trained professional. You can call around and do price comparisons on vets in your area to see if there are any with a reasonable office visit price. If you are truly concerned about your puppy's health then I strongly suggest that you visit a vet as soon as possible.

 

[pitbullmamanatl]

Well 6 weeks is a bit on the young side to be taking her away from the rest of the litter. Many unexperienced breeders (read: Back yard breeders) incorrectly assume that if a puppy is weened and eating solid food that it is ready to leave the litter. Should you rule out any pending health issues with your puppy I encourage you to read up on "bite inhibition" as leaving the litter at such a young age can lead to issues later on.

Unfortunately what your puppy really needs is to make a visit to a vet as they will be the only ones to properly assess your pup's health with a checkup and give you any advise. It's incredibly difficult to determine what the issue is through an online forum and you shouldn't take online information in place of that of a trained professional. You can call around and do price comparisons on vets in your area to see if there are any with a reasonable office visit price. If you are truly concerned about your puppy's health then I strongly suggest that you visit a vet as soon as possible.

I agree with Carriana. Please get her to the vet ASAP.

 

[angelbaby]

You dont always see worms in the stool if your dog has them so just cause you cant see them dont rule that out. is her bowel movements normal? I had a prob with my youngest after we got her the new food backed her up and she became bloated and had issues walking using her back legs we had to call the vet and he got us to give her a small dose of pepto bismol. {but dont go doing this unless your sure this is the problem} A vet visit is the best as stated above. And not to be mean or anything but a check up doesnt cost that much and if your having trouble comming up with that maybe this isnt the time to be owning a dog there are alot more expensive things that can go wrong with any dog you need to be prepared for them all.

 

[medina909]

Thank you all for the much needed advice I just got back from the pet store bought her some dewormer she is verry low in activity and seems to be eating cheap dog food I bought so far I've tried 3 different types of dog food she seemed to like the cheapest one and she is eating a lot should I let her keep eating a lot like she does? The reason I took the dog at six weeks was because I live a couple hours from my Cuzin so when I went to visit I took her is there any vitamins or any natural food I can feed her to help her out

 

[angelbaby]

I would be getting her on a GOOD food , and its really not good you have had for such a small time and already tried 3 types of food? thats hard on there lil tummys dont be switching it up on her like that .what was your cousin feeding her that shoulda been what you continued to feed and if you chose to switch it should be very gradual like mix a small handfull into her old food and gradually increase over WEEKS until the new food ratio is more then the old and then eventually completely the new food. sometimes it takes a few different trys to find the right food but dont switch foods fast might take a few months to find the right one , one she likes and one that has a good nutritional balance. She may need some time to adjust to a new home as well and being away from mom that young is hard on them. deworm her and just monitor the food intake she is lil and wont eat a huge amount puppys that age should be eating smaller meals more often then adults like 3 x a day. do you soak the kibbble at all? is she used to being on kibble already when you brought her home? might want to put a small amount of warm water on it and let it sit a couple minutes before you give it too her. And what are you feeding her right now? puppy food? and what size of kibble?

 

[medina909]

Well you guys in 2 days this pup improved so much she's eating and being a puppy now I just got me another puppy and they're getting along grate she don't sleep as much anymore and her back legs are pretty stable now she sitll. Hops when she runs with her back legs. But I can't see her ribs anymore I got her on pedegree thank you guys I was nervous for a bit

 

[Carriana]

You may want to eventually reassess the feed you are using as pedegree is one of the worst ones out there.

Glad your pup is doing better though. Did you say you got another puppy too?

If you can't afford a vet visit how are you going to be able to feed and care for not one but two puppies and eventually dogs?

 

[angelbaby]

agreed with carriana if you cant afford a vet for 1 another puppy shouldnt have been on your list. I would still get that pup in for a visit and check up. and will probably need the next set of shots pretty soon. I hope it all works out for youbut be prepared with 2 dogs in the house now they might get along well now but when they mature abit about a year old maybe a lil before it can all change so be prepared with crates and a plan if it comes to having to keep them apart. id crate train now if you havent already, much easier if you start young. Spend some time on here when you have time and do alot of reading and researching will be helpfull down the road.

 

[ashes]

I don't get why you would get another dog when you said yourself you couldn't afford vet care??? Can I ask Y you got the second dog???? Especially when this is your first dog right??