Ask the Veterinarian/Puppy won't eat

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Expert: - 4/26/2011


Question
Hello, i have a 8 week old golden retriever and he wont eat much. when we got him he had diarrhea and we took him to the vet, gave him some shot, something for the diarrhea and he took a stool sample. The test which i guess was for parasites came out good. we were advice to change form caned food to dry food and we did and he does not have diarrhea any more, which is awesome. Now some days he eats 1 cup a day, other half and other 1/4. we have tried changing his food like 4 times and nothing. i will say he is about 11 pounds or a little more. he is going to be 8 week on wednesday. He drinks plenty of water and have lots of energy. should we keep him on the same food even if he doesn't eat? Thanks. PS: we are now giving him nutro holistic.

Answer

feeding chart
One of the worst things you can do to a dog or cat is change their food over and over. You create a picky eater that way and it never fails to do so.

You need to get this puppy on one good HIGH quality puppy food and keep him on that one food ONLY.
He needs to be on a LARGE breed puppy food because he is a large breed and he needs the special formulations made just for larger dogs so he doesn't suffer from joint problems.

You need to get him on a large breed puppy food that will help him by having the kind of optimal nutrition a breed like his needs to grow up healthy and strong. Since these dogs have a tendency toward cancers later in life you need to get him on a food that will keep him extraordinarily healthy and strong.

The only food that is left on the market that will do these things for him, and be actually cheaper to feed per feeding that also is formulated with the most optimal nutrition for him is Science Diet Large Breed Puppy food.
By and far Science Diet Large Breed Puppy food is the best food you can put this dog on. If you want a more natural food Science Diet also makes a Natural food for large breeds.

You will need to feed him according to directions on the bag to get the most out of it. That way your food bill will stretch much farther as well. This food is so highly nutritious that it only takes a small amount to fulfill his energy and nutritional needs.

http://www.hillspet.com/products/ha-canine-puppy-large-breed-healthy-advantage-d...

Start him off slowly after mixing it in with the food you have him on now and then after 7 days he should only be on the new food. You can wait until the old food is almost gone if you want, but make sure you save some of the old food to mix it with.

That is about all I can tell you except to make sure he gets his vaccinations every three weeks until he is 16 weeks old and to make sure he is on heartworm prevention as well. This will also keep him free of parasites.

Here is an image to show you how to transition the food over the seven days.

If you have any other questions feel free to ask.  

Jana Connell RVT, CVT

Expertise

PLEASE READ BEFORE SUBMITTING TO ME: I am NOT a vet and do NOT diagnose diseases. That is only for a licensed Veterinarian to do. I will give you suggestions and steer you toward calling your vet for help. You can call the vet's office and talk to the technician there or the vet at times. Don't be afraid to call them! If you have a serious issue with your pet please post it to one of the veterinarians in here- I will tell you the same thing in my answer. IF your pet is injured or in an emergency situation, CALL YOUR VET- Do not wait and post in here. Just call the vet's office and get them in to see the vet right away. Critical treatment time is lost if you seek answers here when you should have your precious pet at the vets!! Don't sit at home waiting for an answer when your pet is critically ill or injured!! I can answer most questions about small animal and wildlife care as well as small animal nutrition. I can also answer questions about all phases of dental care for small animals. I DO NOT answer questions about birds (unless it is wildlife or songbirds) or HAMSTERS/GERBILS/CHINS/GUINEA PIGS/REPTILES/FROGS/RABBITS/PET BIRDS OF ANY KIND so please submit these questions to the appropriate sections. I, as well as other experts in here, do NOT do homework questions- that is for YOU to do! Please respect these rules for all of us. Thanks!

Experience

I have over 35 years experience in the field of veterinary medicine. I specialized in small animals and did wildlife rehab for over 25 years, mostly raptors, squirrels and opossums. I am a Small Animal Nutritional Consultant with 6 certificates from Hills Pet Foods, CNM and Purina. I also specialized in Small Animal Dentistry which is a field I truly love.

Organizations
Audubon,World Wildlife Federation, American Society of Veterinary Dental Technicians.

Education/Credentials
Licensed with California and Oregon, RVT and CVT. Certified Veterinary Dental Technician Have over 500 logged hours of Continuing Education Credits(that means I keep up to date!).

Awards and Honors
Nominated for Expert of the Month for the last 5 years.

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