If you’re concerned about your puppy’s lack of weight gain, don’t panic yet.Puppies grow at different rates, but if yours is below the average for his breed, there may be an issue.
We always advise bringing your pet into our office to discuss any questions or concerns you may have.
Underlying causes are a common reason your puppy isn’t gaining weight as they should. If your pup seems to have a good appetite, it likely is not due to inadequate food intake.
There could be any number of reasons behind her inability to gain weight, but intestinal parasites—particularly roundworms and hookworms—are probably the most common.
Inflammatory bowel disease, protein losing enteropathy (any condition of the GI tract resulting in loss of protein), and hypoglycemia are examples of diseases we’ll look for.
Or the problem may be dental-related. For example, the puppy’s teeth may not have erupted normally and may be coming into contact with the tongue.
Because there are so many possibilities, we always advise you to bring them to our veterinary office for a check up.
Additionally, certain foods can be too rich for some puppies and result in diarrhea. “This isn’t necessarily a food allergy, but I think some pups with developing gastrointestinal tracts can’t handle certain foods,” she explains.