Have you noticed a situation whereby your Puppy Not Eating After Vaccination? Any dog owner will tell you that puppies are adorable, but they can also be super messy! Most of the time, this means toys scattered around the floor or in your bed and food being left on the countertop or table.
Sometimes, however, it can mean your puppy refusing to eat after getting their vaccinations at the veterinarian’s office. Here’s what you need to know about why this happens and how you can help your pup get back on track with eating and drinking again quickly.
Reasons Why Your Puppy Is Not Eating
- Puppies are usually very sensitive to changes in their environment, such as the addition of a new pet or the moving of furniture.
- If your puppy is in a new environment, he may be stressed out and not want to eat.
- Your puppy may be ill and not feel like eating because of that illness.
- If your puppy is sick, she may have an upset stomach and not feel like eating at all because her stomach hurts so much.
- There may be something else bothering your puppy that you don’t know about yet.
- Sometimes it’s just a matter of giving him time to adjust to his new surroundings, or he might just need some attention from you (petting him, talking to him).
- In any case, if it goes on for more than two days without any improvement, then call the veterinarian for advice.
- One way to tell if your pup has an upset stomach is by looking at his droppings.
- If they’re loose and watery, chances are he has an ulcer somewhere in there.
- You’ll also notice lots of drooling, loss of appetite, lethargy, nausea/vomiting and diarrhea when they have gastric ulcers.
- But it can be hard to determine what’s wrong with your pup sometimes–so keep a close eye on them! Symptoms of dehydration include excessive thirst, dry gums and decreased urine production. Some signs of illness include persistent vomiting, increased heart rate and fever.
And take note if your dog has yellow-colored urine–that could be a sign of infection.
What You Can Do To Help Your Puppy Eat Again
It can be tough to tell if your puppy is feeling okay after getting vaccinated, but one of the most common side effects is that they will refuse to eat. Here are a few things you can do to help your pup get his appetite back:
Offer him tasty treats like boiled chicken or cheese every time he shows interest in eating.
Give him a warm bath or place him in front of a heater for 15 minutes.
Offer water soaked kibble or canned food. These textures may be more palatable than dry food.
If these methods don’t work and your pup still isn’t interested in eating, contact your vet to see if
there’s anything else they recommend you do.
In extreme cases where puppies haven’t eaten anything for 12 hours post-vaccination and have other symptoms such as fever or diarrhea, it’s best to take them into the vet immediately so they can receive fluids and other treatments.
When To Worry And Seek Veterinary Help
If your puppy is not eating after a vaccination, you should worry and seek veterinary help if any of these symptoms arise:
The puppy is lethargic or unresponsive
The puppy cannot use its hind limbs
The puppy has a fever over 101 degrees Fahrenheit
The pup has bloody diarrhea , vomiting, difficulty breathing or wheezing
You notice swelling in the face, neck or paws that won’t go down on their own.
Your puppy will probably be really thirsty so make sure to have lots of water available for them to drink.
As long as your dog isn’t showing any signs listed above (and they are still eating) then it’s probably just sore from the vaccine but still make sure to give them plenty of love!
Preventing Future Loss Of Appetite In Your Puppy
Here are some tips to help you prevent future loss of appetite in your puppy.
Feed your pup before and after the vaccination.
Feeding them before will help them feel better because they won’t be hungry and they’ll have something in their stomach. Feeding them after will help because it’s important to keep their stomach from getting upset from the vaccine.
Talk to your vet about vaccines that don’t make dogs lose their appetites. Keep a close eye on your pup if they do start losing their appetite so you can get treatment right away. Never withhold food or water, as this can lead to starvation or dehydration. If your dog is refusing all food, consider offering them broth instead.
If they’re drinking less than usual, call your veterinarian for advice on how to encourage them back to drinking more fluids. Your veterinarian may recommend an antibiotic or other medication for an upset stomach.
Conclusion
If you are worried about your puppy not eating after a vaccine, try to stay calm and don’t panic. There are many possible causes for this, but the first step is to take him or her to the vet for an examination.
In most cases, this will turn out to be nothing serious and everything will be fine. If it does turn out that there is something serious going on, then you’ll have an answer and can start focusing on a treatment plan.
On the other hand, if he’s just being stubborn and doesn’t want to eat because of some unrelated cause, then ignoring him until he feels better may work.
But no matter what happens, remember that dogs often forget all about food when they’re feeling sick or in pain.