Dog ate chocolate?

 ask a vet

Puppy not gaining weight.

Species: Dog
Breed: shih tuz
Age: Less than 3 mon
my puppy is one month old and is not gaining any weight and is not active not eating look smaller than he should what can i do to helh him what can i give him to eat




Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

If your puppy is on a good quality puppy food and is not gaining weight then there is likely a medical problem with him.

It may be something as simple as parasites. Giving him some Dewormer now and two weeks from now may help.

But it is possible that there is something more serious going on. Some little dogs can be born with something called a liver shunt (otherwise known as a hepatic shunt or portosystemic shunt). This causes a problem with blood not flowing through the liver properly. Animals with a liver shunts will not gain weight well.

While a liver shunt is treatable it usually needs an expensive surgery to treat. Some dogs can be managed with special food and medications.

It's also possible that he is not gaining weight because of a health problem such as a heart problem, a virus or other things.

Sounds like a vet visit is a good idea!

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...

My hamster bites my friends. My hamster dosent bite me ever, he only bites other people. He has never ever... (13403 views)

Stuck together - pregnant? Please help, my two dogs were stuck together today,I think she's pregnant. I'm... (16199 views)

Bump after fight. My dog got attacked by another dog 4 days ago during a walk. The other dog was on a... (110585 views)

Older dog liver problems. We gave a 13 year old Maltese. He has had liver shunts and since he was 3 months we... (14417 views)

Swollen throat. over night my dogs thropat and cheeks have swallon really bad (looks like a hamster... (25889 views)

Pale stool and orange urine. Last Saturday night, my dog's stool started looking strange. Pale and very soft,... (9608 views)

Spot on eye. My boxer scratched his eye. Went to Vet and confirmed and they put him on Neomycin... (20615 views)

Is FHO a good idea? my 11 year old 35kg male dog suffers from severe hip displasia & pain relief... (16778 views)

Noticing metallic odor. Hi! I recently adopted a dog from a NYC euth list. I've had her for about 3 weeks... (40270 views)

Treatments for constipated cat. Good morning Dr Marie, This is the second time I have used your service. I was... (6212 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.