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Species: Dog Breed: Shetland Sheepdog Age: 6-12 months
It has been over a week since my Sheltie has lost her appetite. She hardly touches her meals and doesn't show any enthusiasm when I give her treats. She is also pooping very little and has bad breath. I have been giving her a herbal digestive syrup recommended by her vet but it doesn't seem to help. What should I do?
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Dr. Marie replied:
Oh dear, it sounds like Spookie is really not doing well.
I always get concerned when a young dog does not want to eat. It almost always is a sign of a medical problem.
There are a number of things that could cause a puppy to not want to eat:
Parvo virus - This would be most common in an unvaccinated puppy. The period of not eating and lethargy would soon be followed by diarrhea and vomiting.
Ingestion of a foreign object - although usually we would see vomiting.
Pain of some sort - Is there any chance she was in an accident?
Ingestion of something toxic to her kidneys. This could cause the bad breath as well.
Puppies don't have a lot of reserves to fight dehydration, so if a pup is not eating for more than 24-48 hours then I always recommend blood tests and possible IV fluids if your vet feels she is dehydrated.
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Dr. 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.
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