How to Spot a Sick Puppy

Having a new puppy in your family is exciting but like all young animals, puppies can get sick fairly easily. It is important to familiarize yourself with the signs and symptoms of illness in puppies so you can get them to the veterinarian right away. In this article, we will discuss what to do if your puppy gets sick and how to maintain their health overall.

Signs and Symptoms of Sickness in Puppies

Illness can manifest in a variety of ways in different puppies depending on the problem. But these are some general signs that may indicate that your puppy is sick:

• Coughing or sneezing: Like in humans, the occasional cough or sneeze is normal. But more frequent coughing or sneezing could point to a bigger issue. For example, coughing may be a sign of canine infectious respiratory disease complex, also commonly referred to as “kennel cough.” Sneezing may be caused by allergens or a nasal foreign body (e.g. grass awn).
• Vomiting: It is not uncommon for dogs to vomit occasionally but if your puppy has more than one episode of vomiting, it needs to be addressed. Vomiting in dogs has a wide range of causes. It may be from eating something that upset your puppy’s stomach or could be something more serious, like an intestinal foreign body. With puppies in particular, vomiting is a concern because they can develop pneumonia if they aspirate or inhale their vomit.
• Diarrhea or other changes in bowel movement, especially bloody stool: Puppies may have one or two mild episodes of diarrhea, especially if you have started them on a new diet. However, persistent or severe diarrhea is a concern since this may be a sign of a serious disease like canine parvovirus.
• Changes in urination: Frequent urination or accidents in the house may indicate a urinary tract infection or a congenital abnormality.
• Decreased appetite: Inappetence can be due to a number of health problems but is always a concern. This is especially true for small puppies since they are at greater risk of hypoglycemia or low blood sugar.
• Decreased water intake or thirst: Like with appetite, decreased water intake can have a multitude of underlying causes. Reduced water intake or thirst is a concern because puppies can become dehydrated quickly due to their small size.
• Lethargy, weakness, or collapse: A number of illnesses, especially if severe, can cause lethargy or weakness in puppies. If you observe this, please seek immediate veterinary care since a young puppy’s condition could decline rapidly.
• Disorientation or other behavior changes: Even if your puppy does not have any other symptoms, behavior changes may still signal a problem. For example, disorientation could be due to a toxin or an underlying neurological condition.
• Excessive vocalization (e.g. whimpering, crying): Puppies are commonly more vocal than adult dogs. However, excessive vocalization may be a sign of discomfort or pain.
• Itching (e.g. licking, scratching): All dogs have occasional itching but if your puppy is licking or scratching excessively, he may have a bigger issue. For example, fleas, ticks, and mites are common external parasites that can make your puppy itchy.

What to Do if Your Puppy Is Sick

If you observe any of the above symptoms or any other changes in your puppy, she may be sick. If you suspect your puppy is sick, consult your veterinarian right away. Puppies are fragile and their health status can decline quickly. Therefore, if you are at all concerned about your puppy’s health, it is best to seek veterinary care as soon as possible.

Until you are able to see your veterinarian, here are some ways to care for a sick puppy:

• Encourage your puppy to rest: Keep your puppy in a dark, quiet area to reduce stimuli. This will help prevent your puppy from overexerting himself while he is sick.
• Make sure your puppy has constant access to clean, fresh water: Keeping your puppy hydrated is extremely important.
• Feed a bland, easily digestible diet: If your puppy has diarrhea or vomiting, feed a bland diet of plain, unseasoned, boiled chicken and cooked white rice. This type of diet will be more gentle on your puppy’s stomach. When you eventually transition back to your puppy’s normal diet, be sure to do so gradually because an abrupt diet change can exacerbate gastrointestinal symptoms.

How to Maintain Your Puppy’s Health

Unfortunately, all dogs get sick sometimes. But these are some ways to help keep your puppy healthy and decrease their chances of getting sick:

• Provide proper nutrition by feeding a complete and balanced diet: This is important in young, growing puppies to ensure proper development. Make sure you choose a diet specifically designed for puppies since puppies have different nutritional requirements than adult or senior dogs. Avoid feeding raw or home-cooked diets. Raw food diets carry an increased risk of food-borne illness and home-cooked diets are usually not complete nor balanced.
• Seek consistent veterinary care including puppy vaccinations: You will need to take your puppy to the veterinarian for a series of appointments to vaccinate them against dangerous diseases. Your veterinarian will also need to deworm your puppy and can provide necessary heartworm, flea, and tick prevention. These appointments are also a chance for your veterinarian to detect any changes or abnormalities before they become a bigger health issue.
• Provide adequate physical exercise: While it is important to exercise your puppy, make sure you do not overexert him. Additionally, puppies should not be exposed to other dogs or certain outdoor environments until they have received all of their puppy vaccines. For example, please do not take your puppy to the dog park or on walks until they have completed their puppy vaccination series. This is because of potentially deadly infectious diseases like canine parvovirus that may be in the environment.
• Monitor your puppy’s weight: Your veterinarian can help you monitor your puppy’s weight for the first few months while he is getting his puppy vaccination series. However, it is helpful to continue to monitor your puppy’s weight afterward to make sure she is growing at an appropriate rate.
• Visually assess your puppy regularly (e.g. eyes, teeth, coat): It is good to get in the habit of visually inspecting your puppy on a regular basis. For example, brushing his teeth regularly early on will get your puppy accustomed to this process and will allow you to check his teeth for any fractures or other changes. Similarly, cutting your puppy’s nails regularly gets them used to grooming and allows you to check their paws for any problems.

Puppies get sick sometimes but with appropriate preventative care you can help keep your puppy as happy and healthy as possible.