Puppies refusing to eat food - Page 1

A friend of mine has pups that are six weeks old now. He started weaning these guys at 4 weeks and they ate good until about 10 days ago. Now they are refusing to eat  solid foods other then from their mother. They drink well from her. He is concerned now that it appears that they are loosing some weight. Any suggestions how to get them to eat? They have been offered a verity of soaked kibble, goats milk, canned and even raw. They will not touch any of it. Thanks!

How are their stools? Are they happy and outgoing? Have they been dewormed regularly? Most of the time, it is sickness that causes puppies not to eat.

tAKE THEM AWAY FROM THE MOTHER PERIOD     FEED IN THE KENNEL ON WIRE OR WHAT EVER THEY ARE ON ....DO NOT JUST PUT ON FLOOR OUT IN OPEN...PUPS SEEM TO PLAY INSTEAD OF EAT...IF THEY DONT HAVE A MOTHER TO EAT FROM...THEY WILL EAT.....

HAVE THEY BEEN WORMED SEVERAL TIMES/   WHAT BLOODLINES ARE THESE....GERMAN BRED OR AMERICAN BRED LINES....SOME LINES ARE MORE FOOD DRIVEN...

i NEVER HAD A PUP NOT EAT  SO MAYBE OTHERS HAVE KNOWLEDGE I DONT......BUT IF THEY DONT SUCK   THEY WILL EAT....MY FEMALES WONT LET THE PUPS GET NEAR HER,,,THEY BITE AND HURT AT THAT AGE SO SHE RUNS AND DISCIPLINES THEM HARSHLY SO   I WOULD TAKE THEM COMPLETELY FROM HER .....THE FEMALE WILL CORRECT THEM TOO HARSHLY AT THIS AGE....DONT MAKE IT TOO MUSHY...AT THIS AGE THEY LIKE IT JUST BARELY HIT WITH A BIT OF HOT WATER...WHAT KIBBLE IS BEING FED?  THAT IS ONE QUESTION NEED TO KNOW..... NEVER GO TO CANNED .....HAS MORE TRASH THAN YOU CAN NAME IN IT....

IF THESE PUPS HAVE BEEN WORMED EVERY WEEK SINCE THREE WKS AND DO NOT HAVE  COCCI    THEN THEY WILL EAT....FEED SAME THING EVERY MEAL....THREE TIMES A DAY    BUT KEEP PUPS IN A CONTAINED AREA....FOR FEEDING  THREE TIMES A DAY...NOT FREE TO RUN ALL OVER....PUP HAS TO LEARN FEEDING ROUTINE JUST LIKE HUMANS DO..... WHAT KIBBLE YOU ARE FEEDING  IS THE OTHER QUESTION  ???????

IF PUPS HAVE NOT BEEN WORMED AND HAVE SIGNS OF COCCI   THEN THEY MAY BE SICK NOT HUNGRY....LOTS OF THINGS UNANSWERED HERE.

Pups are very happy and outgoing. Tug bite and play. No loose stool.Hve been wormed once or twice with Drontal belive.

Have them tested for Coccidia--a common microorganism, easily treated. Can cause anorexia before it causes diarrhea.

Sorry, not trying to hijack here. Can Albon be used imediatly after using wormers like Drontal?

IMO anytime a pup at this age does not eat after a 24 hour period I would take to vet immediately.  10 days is a long time to gp without eating good plus losing weight.

Have to agree with DesertRangers first stop is the vet especially as they are losing weight.

Some pups are fussy when being weaned. Mums milk is warm and if you don't start them on a warm sloppy feed to begin with they can just turn their nose up at it due to it being cold. Once started on soft feeds and they recognise it as food you shouldn't have a problem. You also said they were wormed once possibly twice most vets will reccomend worming at 2 /4 /6 and 8wks old so they should be on 3rd worming.

look at pups behaviour - coat condition - weight - and stool - and if any of those dont look good - off to the vet.  You may not need the vet, but at least you will know it by the time you return home.  I would then - if the vet feels all is well from his point of view - give Pro-Kolin orally, and plenty of fresh water, and I would offer no food for 8 hours, then just a tiny bit of fresh mince - much less than they should need.  If they take that eagerly, be strong, and give it another 3 hours and another meal much smaller than they would need - and gradually, when you can see that stools are ok, and eating is back to normal, give  normal amounts, if mum has milk, once a day whilst they are on this way of feeding is good for them (antibodies and immunity) and good for mum (anti-mastitis !) 

Its always tempting to give more food than the pups can take when they have been off their food, but this will put you back to square one.  Good luck, and let us know.   Regards                     Mo - Mascani.

Don't take them off their Mom until they are feeling better.  Have the vet evaluate what's going on here.  And do it ASAP.