Dog ate chocolate?

ask a vet

Puppy won't eat or drink.

Species: Dog
Breed: Chihuahua
Age: 6-12 months
My puppy has not been feeling good for the past 2 days. She doesn't eat or drink anything even though I try to give it to her myself. Also her hind legs are week, and she kind of stumbles when she walks. I think she is just sad because the other dogs we had are gone and she has no one to play with. Can you tell me what I can do to make her feel a lot better and go back to acting normal?


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

The symptoms you have described have me concerned. While a puppy can be a little sad because of losing a playmate they would not be this sick. Any time a puppy doesn't want to eat there is usually something wrong.

There are a number of things that can cause a puppy to not eat or drink and to stumble when walking. It may be that she is fighting a virus. A serious virus like parvovirus usually causes vomiting and diarrhea but sometimes early in the virus we don't see it for the first few days.

It's also possible that there is an infection somewhere. It could be because of a bite from another pup. If there is an infection she will need oral antibiotics to clear it up.

I would highly advise a vet visit. Puppies don't have a lot of reserves to fight dehydration.

If you can't get to a vet tonight you can try offering her an electrolyte solution to help fight against dehydration. To get her to eat you can also try making some soup by adding warm water to some canned puppy food. However, she should see the vet as soon as possible.

I hope she is ok!

Dr. Marie.

---This question was asked in our Ask A Vet For Free section.---


Do you have a pet website? Interested in learning more about SEO for Wix?


Check out our dog age calculator and cat age calculator.

Want to receive pet coupons, vet advice and info on new pet products in your inbox?

* indicates required

We'll only send you great stuff, never spam. Unsubscribe any time.

Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

Search for similar questions:

ask a vet

Popular questions...

Should I withhold water? My zoe has just beem dignosed with diabetes we just brought her home today and we r... (12887 views)

Why did my cat die? Hello, The other day, our cat Misty (she would have been 16-years-old next month)... (16224 views)

Guinea pig lifespan. Hi! Just wanna know, whats the life span of a guinea... (12194 views)

Low specific gravity. This is regarding a 9 year old male pitbull, neutered with no past medical history.... (9734 views)

Tail fell off. My dog wrapped her tail up in a chain and the other day it fell off. She continues... (13202 views)

Rib poking out. I have an 9 year old maltese poodle and recently i have noticed that the end of his... (43978 views)

My dog is deaf. Almost total deaf within the last 3 months. 14 yr. old english pointer. Female. In... (9094 views)

Suddenly jumps up. I have a dauschund and sheltie mix dog. He's about 3 years old. I've had him for 2... (86396 views)

Ear swollen like balloon. My dog has a large swelling on her ear that looks like a balloon. She is shaking... (31056 views)

Oozing boil on dog's paw. My dog has a sort of woozing boil on her paw and all around it there is hair loss... (15129 views)

See all questions...

Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.