# Puppy not drinking enough water and kinda thin



## Tethys (Dec 8, 2012)

Hi i just got a puppy a week ago. She is a mix breed. Bichon-poo/Yorki(sp?). She is only 9 weeks old now and eats dry food but does not drink alot of water. I took her to the vets and she said the pup was healthy and all. Yet this not drinking much water after I read they consume alot has me worried. Deffently when she is so thin. Thats the other issue. She has a stomach and yet when petting her I can feel her bones on her back and it seems to thin...is this normal for a pup? I am new to owning a puppy lest one this young and so small(2.7pounds). Yet most of that is just the long hair so without it she would most likely be 1pound to 1.5.

So I guess the queston to say is this normal her not drinking alot and being think at this age? and if now how to help her gain a normal weight and drink more?


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## Wiz201 (Jun 13, 2012)

Can we have a piccie? I think you're over-worrying really if the vet has looked at her and said she's fine and healthy. She might just not have to drink a lot at the moment. My dogs only drink about two-three times a day unless its hot after exercise and after they've woken up or eaten.


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## Tethys (Dec 8, 2012)

(photobucket hates me and wont let me post the smaller one)
This is her Nikki

She is alot thiner then she looks as she is such a fluff ball. As for the vet I dont know we dont trust this one much. our good one retired and never introduced us to this one and well there is a differnt one all the time and students/co-op. Maybe I am over worring but i never felt such a thin back on a dog/puppy befor and her drinking and alot less then what my bechion was like at her age. Her dishes are small and she does not even drink half of it in a day and she plays rough and alot so you would think she needs to drink a bit.


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## Wiz201 (Jun 13, 2012)

well, she looks bright and alert sitting there. Signs of dehydration would be sleeping more, dull coat, eyes, and the skin when pinched would not go back to being smooth. I can feel my retriever's spine very easily, and she's her normal weight.


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## totallypets (Dec 30, 2011)

If you are worried about how much water she's drinking you could add some to her food so as she eats she also takes in some water. 

I'm sure the vet would have picked up if she was dehydrated, but sometimes using a different type of bowl - china instead of plastic, plastic instead of metal etc can make a difference.

My dog wont drink from her bowl in the kitchen, but will from the one in the car that is the same type. She likes to drink from puddles, ponds, lakes and rivers or from the box in the back garden that is full of rain water - go figure!


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## kodakkuki (Aug 8, 2011)

oh goodness she is lovely, but a little young imo to be away from the litter for a small yorkie (mix). 
but they do tend to be a Little bony because they are soo little- i dont think i've had a proper chubber yet!
my lot would still be getting a bit of mush at this stage; are all of her teeth fully in by now? (run a finger over her gums to check)
if they are not all cut through that may be why she's a little thin (the hard kibble would hurt to try and chew- and not chewing can cause choking...) its worth a wee check anyway.
has she been wormed recently? she'd be due another dose at 10 weeks anyway i'd assume.

tomorrow morning, measure out 60-75ml of water in her bowl. if she finishes it (and maybe asks for more) then she's drinking enough, if its not nearly finished then she isn't drinking enough and will need her kibble softened regardless of teeth.

and we will need a lot more pictures- its a rule with new doggys! 


(ets- sorry if that sounds a bit clinical btw!  )


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## Tethys (Dec 8, 2012)

totallypets: Lol indeed go figure but I hear many are like that  may need to try a differnt bowl for her since this one is metal.

Wiz201: I will be watching for all that now that i know ty

kodakkuki:-> Most of her teeth are in but I think the last of them are just braking though now....and let me tell you she is not to please when I am checking lol doing it while she is trying to sleep since when she is awake its war time  this will be her 3rd nap since 7am this mornning(20min+ naps).

Also yes she has been wormed and next one is a pill form which will be done dec 20th so by then been done 3 times. As for the water I will try that tomorrow and if she is not drinking much of it I will soften her food with some water.

Also i had her for only a week now and I do not belive the one befor me feed her soft food. Kinda think the pups were an opps between her two dogs and she had no idea how to proerly feed them as she was getting rid of the pups befor 8 weeks so perhaps her feeding was less then it should have been as well as other things. Also she came from a little of six so that could be why she is small.

As for pictures lol already have about 20 and 5 vidoes of her ^^ I will have to post up a few mre.


Anyway thanks for all the tips. I will try them tomorrow and post back the results.


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## newfiesmum (Apr 21, 2010)

What you could try is getting a spare bowl and putting it outside to collect some rainwater, that is if you don't already have some. It is a fact that animals prefer natural water to the stuff that comes out of the tap, no matter how disgusting it might seem to us.

Some breeds will drink an awful lot more than others. My newfies drink an awful lot, but my little part time spaniel hardly drinks at all.

If you don't trust this vet, find another one. You have to trust them; after all your baby's life could be in their hands. Get a second opinion. You can register with as many vets as you like - we are currently registered with three. It doesn't cost anything.


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## Lilylass (Sep 13, 2012)

newfiesmum said:


> What you could try is getting a spare bowl and putting it outside to collect some rainwater, that is if you don't already have some. It is a fact that animals prefer natural water to the stuff that comes out of the tap, no matter how disgusting it might seem to us.


Maisie won't drink the water from the tap in the house .... she will drink it in a bowl outside though - even though it's been filled with the same water!

Not sure if it standing outside gets rid of any chemicals they may put in quicker but there you go - especially as Ben was exactly the same!

She is adorable  and so pleased she's found a lovely new home.

How many times per day are you feeding her?

Ideally at that age, she'll be wanting several, small feeds throughout the day.

I agree with softening the food - and I actually do this with Maisie's food to help with digestion - as well as to get more fluids into her. I pour some boiling water onto her kibble and leave it to soak for a couple of hours.

Looking forward to seeing more pics!


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## Wiz201 (Jun 13, 2012)

9 weeks isn't old for a pup to be away from its mother, size of the dog has nothing to do with the age its away from its mother.


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## Howl (Apr 10, 2012)

E drinks from running water but hates water that has been left out even for a short time. 
D will drink water left out but forgets about it. 
Both will drink from plastic and china much more than metal and both will drink if I put cold fresh water down. 
Some puppies are fussy, sometimes the more you pander to it the fussier they get. Few animals will starve themselves. 
Eating around another dog speeds up D to eat. Worked for other pups I have known too. 
Don't free feed IMO it doesn't help.


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Tethys said:


> Hi i just got a puppy a week ago. She is a mix breed. Bichon-poo/Yorki(sp?). She is only 9 weeks old now and eats dry food but does not drink alot of water. I took her to the vets and she said the pup was healthy and all. Yet this not drinking much water after I read they consume alot has me worried. Deffently when she is so thin. Thats the other issue. She has a stomach and yet when petting her I can feel her bones on her back and it seems to thin...is this normal for a pup? I am new to owning a puppy lest one this young and so small(2.7pounds). Yet most of that is just the long hair so without it she would most likely be 1pound to 1.5.
> 
> So I guess the queston to say is this normal her not drinking alot and being think at this age? and if now how to help her gain a normal weight and drink more?


You could try adding a little goats milk to water, that may encourage her to drink more, goats milk is usually well recieved by pups and dogs, but not cows milk as they can be intolerant to it.

Did the vet say anything about worming her, often in pups larger distended tummys can mean they have a worm load, and if she has that wont help with her getting full nutrition either. It can also cause loose stools diarrhoea and vomitting in pups too sometimes. Usually if they are on dried food then they tend to drink more then on wet food as the dry food absorbs moisture.

What food have you got her on? depending on what she is on it might not be the best thing to feed her and she could possibly do better on a nother food.
If you do change though you need to do it slowly adding a little more of the new and a little less of the old on a daily basis over about a week or so, as sudden abrubt changes can upset their tums.


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## Sleeping_Lion (Mar 19, 2009)

Wiz201 said:


> 9 weeks isn't old for a pup to be away from its mother, size of the dog has nothing to do with the age its away from its mother.


I take it you breed toy dogs? As far as I'm aware, and retrievers are more my forte as you know, toy pups ideally go to new homes between the ages of 10-12 weeks, any good breeder would tell you that, and I think someone already has on this thread 

_____________________________________________________

To the OP, you're giving the *breeder* more credit than I would, unfortunately this is a popular mix, lots of people breed these sort of pups without any health tests or real knowledge of what they're doing, and there are ways of preventing an oops litter these days, truly accidental litters are actually much rarer than you would think. People who let their dogs procreate either through ignorance, or to try and make a bit of cash are a lot more common than you would like to think. Unfortunately, the majority of those buying pups aren't aware that people are willing to exploit dogs in this way, those selling pups will come across as nice people for the most part, but then so do many con artists I'm afraid. That's not a criticism of you or your pup, it's justs that so many are unaware of these sort of practices.

I'd soften her food slightly as others have suggested, not only does it make it easier on her gums if she is still getting teeth through, but it will add extra moisture to her diet, which, if you're concerned about her not drinking enough, is an easy way to do it.

What kibble did she come to you on? There's a huge difference in the quality of kibbles, I'm sure kodakukki will advise better since she breeds Yorkshire terriers, and will know which ones suit best. I raw feed, but used Simpson's premium for my Labrador pups, and was very pleased with it.

Good luck with your pup, I have to say with a round tummy and not much actual covering/weight, my initial thoughts would be worms, but as you say she's been wormed and know exactly when she's due again, hopefully that's not the case.


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## newfiesmum (Apr 21, 2010)

Wiz201 said:


> 9 weeks isn't old for a pup to be away from its mother, size of the dog has nothing to do with the age its away from its mother.


I have read on here from chihuaha breeders that they should not leave their mum till about 12 weeks.


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## Mum2Heidi (Feb 17, 2010)

I would add some water to her kibble. Probably not boiling as that can effect the nutrients in the kibble. Let it soak and try feeding it to her wet.

We had issues with Heidi and kibble as a pup so I'm not keen on it. Much harder for them to digest than wet or raw but by hydrating it before you feed it makes digestion easier and ensures that it's not hydrating in their tums depleting their system of vital moisture.

Heidi was never much of a drinker, that hasnt changed now she's on wet food but at least that contains 70% water so she is getting what she needs from her food rather than vice versa.

That said, lots of people feed kibble dry and dont have a problem.


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## Wiz201 (Jun 13, 2012)

Sleeping_Lion said:


> I take it you breed toy dogs? As far as I'm aware, and retrievers are more my forte as you know, toy pups ideally go to new homes between the ages of 10-12 weeks, any good breeder would tell you that, and I think someone already has on this thread


I didn't know that, and I don't breed toy dogs as you might have guessed. Retrievers are my forte too.


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## porchpotty (Aug 3, 2011)

Your pup needs milk and water. He doesn't look dehydrated anyway. I'd suggest that you take your pup to the vet for proper assessment.


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## Sleeping_Lion (Mar 19, 2009)

porchpotty said:


> Your pup needs milk and water. He doesn't look dehydrated anyway. I'd suggest that you take your pup to the vet for proper assessment.


I think the OP has been taking her pup to the vets, so I don't think you need to worry about that 

Also, just to clarify re milk, dogs can be lactose intolerant, so I wouldn't give this to a pup, particularly one you are worried about the weight of, you could try goats milk but to be perfectly honest, if you can get your pup eating soaked kibble I'm sure they will be getting enough moisture.


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## Tethys (Dec 8, 2012)

Didnt mean to sound like I was giving the "breader" credit Sleeping Lion. Just from the way she talked and all figured the litter was an opps. Lest she had paperwork/vet papers to go with this pup and seemed like a good person. Lol se feared she was giving the pup to a bad person(me whih i am not!) and was iffy on letting me buy it so if she was a con person I dont think she would have gave me such a hard time when buying. Most dont give a dang where the pup goes as long as their getting their cash.

Ok for those that asked I belive the food she was on befor I got her was a no name brand...cheap etc. So when we got her I changed her to Puppy Science Diet which she actully seems to be able to eat better. 

As for water. I added water(room temp) to her food and she actully eats it all in one serving instead of eating like three kiblets and comes back later. Also she is now drinking her water more. I had to refil her dish for once today^^. Thank you all for the help and thank you kodakkuki^^ you have been most helpful.


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## Sleeping_Lion (Mar 19, 2009)

Tethys said:


> Didnt mean to sound like I was giving the "breader" credit Sleeping Lion. Just from the way she talked and all figured the litter was an opps. Lest she had paperwork/vet papers to go with this pup and seemed like a good person. Lol se feared she was giving the pup to a bad person(me whih i am not!) and was iffy on letting me buy it so if she was a con person I dont think she would have gave me such a hard time when buying. Most dont give a dang where the pup goes as long as their getting their cash.
> 
> Ok for those that asked I belive the food she was on befor I got her was a no name brand...cheap etc. So when we got her I changed her to Puppy Science Diet which she actully seems to be able to eat better.
> 
> As for water. I added water(room temp) to her food and she actully eats it all in one serving instead of eating like three kiblets and comes back later. Also she is now drinking her water more. I had to refil her dish for once today^^. Thank you all for the help and thank you kodakkuki^^ you have been most helpful.


I'm really glad she's getting more fluids down her and eating her meals in one go now. Soaking the kibble actually makes it smell more strongly, so may appeal to her sense of smell as their sense of taste isn't as good as ours even 

I hope you stay around and let us know her progress. I do know what you meant about the breeder, I think it's just with time and experience and seeing the same old cycle repeating itself as regards the number of puppies being born *accidentally*, you tend to become a cynical old baggage like me


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