6 week old chow chow puppy not gaining as much weight as his litter mates
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6 week old chow chow puppy not gaining as much weight as his litter mates
Help needed.
We have 7, 6 week old, chow chow puppies. I have one that is a particular worry. He is gaining weight but very slowly. His litter mates are as follows:
Dark red girl 3.768 kg
Light red girl 3.821 kg
red girl (medium) 3.725 kg
Cinnamon Girl 3.916 kg
Grey boy 4.125 kg
Red boy 3.906 kg
and then we have the little boy 3.061 kg
As you can see he is nearly 1 kg lighter than the others.
They are all still nursing from their mom 4 times a day and I am also offering hydrated dried food 4 times a day.
He seems to eat as much as the others but still does not gain weight.
They have all been wormed and had their first vaccinations yesterday. The vet can not find anything wrong with him.
He is playful and seems healthy.
A friend of our has suggested taking him off kibble and giving him chicken and rice, but i am not sure if this will be healthy for him.
Any advise
We have 7, 6 week old, chow chow puppies. I have one that is a particular worry. He is gaining weight but very slowly. His litter mates are as follows:
Dark red girl 3.768 kg
Light red girl 3.821 kg
red girl (medium) 3.725 kg
Cinnamon Girl 3.916 kg
Grey boy 4.125 kg
Red boy 3.906 kg
and then we have the little boy 3.061 kg
As you can see he is nearly 1 kg lighter than the others.
They are all still nursing from their mom 4 times a day and I am also offering hydrated dried food 4 times a day.
He seems to eat as much as the others but still does not gain weight.
They have all been wormed and had their first vaccinations yesterday. The vet can not find anything wrong with him.
He is playful and seems healthy.
A friend of our has suggested taking him off kibble and giving him chicken and rice, but i am not sure if this will be healthy for him.
Any advise
Re: 6 week old chow chow puppy not gaining as much weight as his litter mates
Young puppies need a lot of protein. I feed raw. My puppies are started at an early age with a mix of goats milk, yogurt, and eggs. I like to mix in small cut up pieces of raw chicken and finely chopped chicken necks for added calcium.
When whelping a litter of pups I have often stepped in and placed the smallest pup up to the teats that are the most engorged. I don't know if your little one is getting less nourishment than it needs... just some ideas.
FWI - My Rottweiler was the runt of the litter; weighing a full 3 lbs less than his litter mates. At 8 months he has caught up. He was just too busy being curious to spend time eating. He is in excellent health. Keep an eye on your pup. Watch for heart issues and keep an eye on the gums. (make certain they are not pale)
When whelping a litter of pups I have often stepped in and placed the smallest pup up to the teats that are the most engorged. I don't know if your little one is getting less nourishment than it needs... just some ideas.
FWI - My Rottweiler was the runt of the litter; weighing a full 3 lbs less than his litter mates. At 8 months he has caught up. He was just too busy being curious to spend time eating. He is in excellent health. Keep an eye on your pup. Watch for heart issues and keep an eye on the gums. (make certain they are not pale)
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Dreamland's Dancing in the Storm ~ Raine
Dreamland's Calling All Angels ~ Skye