GSD Puppy not thriving - Page 1

I am looking for suggestions and hopefully someone will come up with something we haven't already considered.  We have a 13 week old male GSD puppy that is happy, active and has all appearances of doing well, except that he is not eating and is loosing ground.  The litter mates are just over 30 pounds.  He is on a premium diet, good stools, no parasites, had DHPP at 8 and 11 weeks, and in fact, has been checked by three vets that all say he's in good health and fine.  We have not yet done blood work or x-rays which is next on our list.  In the past week, he has gone from 29 to 27 pounds, ribs are showing and hip bones beginning to appear.  He only eats about one cup of food every 48 hours for his new owner.  The new owner has had him about two weeks.  He ate the first night normally, but has dwindled ever since.  He came back to us yesterday, ate 1 cup of food last night and only a quarter cup so far today.  The new owner has already tried pampering his food with goodies which has virtually no effect.  I was hoping to provoke more desire by having him with some of the other puppies (they were all brought up to eat in side by side crates, so not together at feeding time, but within sight of each other) who all eat like its their last meal, but still no difference. We've been raising dogs for years and never encountered anything like this.   Has anyone experienced anything like this?  Thanks in advance for your replies!

Have you done an antibody test? How long has he been like this?

You could try Natural Yoghurt but there is also a food supplement you can get, unfortunately I can not remember the name of it and have spent most of the evening try to remember and search for it, however I bought it here in the UK at a dog show, it was liquid format and green in colour, perhaps others will be able to shed some light on the name of it - sorry.  It did work very well with my puppy and he is healthly and happy now at 2 years of age.

Alternatively try steamed mince, we feed our dogs that and they love it with a handful of biscuit.

Hope he is ok.

Mandy

It might be worth trying minced tripe.

Stinks but dogs love it.

Ann

Get the bloodwork done, CBC and chem panel for sure. Try Lyme and perhaps TLI. Also consider that some puppies have a reaction to vaccinations and don't feel well for a while afterwards. It usually goes away after a couple of weeks. But do the bloodwork on this puppy promptly. Does the vet say his heart is normal?

In the meantime, feed the little guy whatever he'll eat. They usually will eat cooked minced chicken breast with the natural broth that results from braising (cooking in a little water).

What are you feeding?
I have used this in the past and it has worked well, but check with your vet first.
All the best and I hope he gets his appetite back soon

www.doctordog.com/store/ProductInfo.aspx

Nutra Cal works very well as Tigermouse suggested, also try boiled chicken and rice or boiled hamburger and rice, Activia help also.  May be even a Vit. B12 shot.
I think the megasophaegus would of shown up before 11 weeks and is he throwing up at all?? 
Has he perked up at all now that he is back home with you??  I have one that visits all the time and sometimes he acts like he would rather stay with me then go home. Not that he is unhappy, because he is very happy and well taken care of but this was where he was born and raised. Just a thought.
let us know what happens, my prayers are with you
Robin

I agree Robin re megasophagus in the usual scenario, but I did have one that I had to lose at 14 weeks.  I watch my pups very well, and all I could say about this little one was that she was a bit picky, and smaller, and the discomfort and throwing up only started when she was 13 weeks old and needing larger amounts - so its obviously depending on the degree of the condition perhaps.

Hope this little pup is ok - would love an update.     Mo.