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Ask the Veterinarian/will not eat or drink but i dont think it is parvo

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Expert: - 1/26/2012


Question
i have a 9 or 10 month old pitbull. I got him when he was five weeks old . I gave him all sets of parvo shots he needed. The last day or two he hasn't eat as much as usual well today he will not eat or drink at all i checked his stool it was the same color as his food no blood or very putrid smell. He is acting a little weird but he still went jogging with me today and is playful off and on i am worried about him because he will not eat please give advice.oh yeah he eats everything he can in the house plastic stuffed animals shoes everything.

Answer
If your dog is eating a lot of stuff he shouldn't be eating, such as plastics, shoes, stuffed animals etc, there is a good chance he could have a blockage. Or he could have gastritis from eating something not normally considered food.

Parvo shows up pretty fast with some nasty smelling diarrhea. Vomiting usually follows within 24 hours. It's great that you got him all of his vaccinations (at least 5 of them) but pit bulls are a bit more prone to parvo and can still get it even if vaccinated. They usually survive and do much better than an un-vaccinated dog.

Usually a dog with a blockage will not have a normal bowel movement and might even be vomiting, but not always.

He could have a stomach-ache as well, or he could have any number of other viruses that can make him feel lethargic.

Bottom line is that any dog that goes more than 24 hours without eating needs to see a vet right away.

This is not something you want to wait and see- especially if it's already been over 24 hours.

Call your vet and make an appointment.

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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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