# Effy's hunger strike - HELP!



## paristocrat (Dec 29, 2009)

For the past three days, our otherwise healthy 12 week-old puppy has been throwing up at random. On Tuesday, she threw up in the morning before breakfast. Yesterday, she woke up at 4am and vomited in her crate. This morning it happened at 6am and then just now around 7:30pm. For the most part, it's just been bile she's thrown up except for this morning's incident, when there were little bits of who knows what mixed in (sorry for being so graphic but I'm hoping it helps to give you details!). Just before and immediately after vomiting, she been acting pretty normal (playful, not at all lethargic). The threads I've read on the topic say that this often happens when they have an empty stomach. Well, for the past 3 days, she's decided that she doesn't like her dry dog food anymore (she eats Royal Canin Junior, which is what the breeder fed her - I'm not sure if this brand exists stateside?). 

I must admit that I've become a bit stressed about it - when we brought her home, she had a great appetite (although the breeder left an "all-you-can-eat buffet" out for them all day long, for the entire litter to eat). I've tried feeding her 1/3 cup three times a day (only leaving her food bowl down for 20 minutes before taking it up again) and there was maybe only 1 day out of the past 4 weeks that she's eaten as soon as I put her food down. Do you think that this is just a Hav being a Hav or should I be concerned even more than I already am? Over the past 3 days, I've gotten her to eat around half a cup of dry dog food throughout the day by sitting next to her and transferring the food little by little from her bowl to a paper plate (trying to make a game out of it since it makes a little noise when the kibble hits the plate); otherwise she just "forgets" to eat and just wants to play all the time. She was hungry yesterday morning after throwing up at 4am, so I sat with her while she ate the rest of her dinner from the night before. I'm obsessing a bit over this - I don't want to do the wrong thing (and maybe I already have by sitting on the floor next to her and putting her food out in front of her??) and certainly don't want to feed her treats and risk having an ever more finicky puppy when this is all over. But at the same time, it's been 3 days now and I don't want her to go hungry. :frusty:

Additional bit of info: she's scheduled to have a vaccine shot on Saturday so I plan on asking the vet about this then (unless you all think it's worth calling him about beforehand?).

Any advice you have for a new Hav owner that may be completely overreacting here?? :drama::drama::drama:


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## pjewel (Apr 11, 2007)

When I first got Ruby she refused to eat her kibble (Bil-Jac) that the breeder was feeding her. I was really worried so I asked the vet when I took her the next day. She suggested I put a little canned puppy food in with it and it worked like a charm. Right now I give her about a teaspoon of Wellness canned puppy food along with her dry. She eats it right up and we're both happier.

BTW, the vet did mention you don't want to risk the little ones getting hypoglycemic.


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## paristocrat (Dec 29, 2009)

Thanks for your advice, Geri - can I ask how much you feed Ruby a day? I can't remember how old she is but from your picture it doesn't look like she's that much older than Effy.


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## pjewel (Apr 11, 2007)

Ruby was born November 6th. I would say I give her a little more than 1/6 cup with 1 teaspoon canned 3 times a day. She also gets the occasional treat when the others do (for coming in when I call them, etc). The problem is, she now steals food from the others as well. She weighed 3 lbs., 12 oz. when I got her and I wouldn't be surprised if she's almost doubled her weight.


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## Missy (Nov 6, 2006)

Theresa, Is her throw up from Hunger? is it mostly bile? It is a dilemma with these little ones because you want them to eat but don't want make them picky. Jasper would go on hunger strikes as a puppy, eat grass and then throw up every afternoon, refuse to eat his dinner and then throw up in the am. We tried every known kibble and canned known to man or dog. I even home cooked for a while and he ultimately he would refuse even that. So in trying to get her to eat you may be creating a monster. What was suggested to us at the time was to fill a Kong (or anyother interactive treat holder) with his meal so he had to work for it. it worked but you will have kibble all over the place. Also good to give a treat at bedtime so she doesn't wake up to an empty stomach. 

Oh by the way...when I switched to raw Jasper never skipped a meal again.


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## SMARTY (Apr 19, 2007)

Geri is right about adding something to give her an appetite. With one dog I would have no problem leaving the food down. In a litter they eat out of competition. I never like for a puppy to go so long and the vomiting would give me worry. If she is still doing this when you take her in Saturday I would postpone her vaccinations.


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## paristocrat (Dec 29, 2009)

Just reading that puts my mind at ease a bit - so if I understand correctly, she's fed about 1/2 cup a day (excluding treats and a few TBS of canned dog food), which is around what Effy's been eating these past few days. (Effy was born on Nov. 17 - it looks like she and Ruby are around the same age!)

I will be sure to ask the vet this weekend about dry dog food amounts (so I'm not overfeeding nor underfeeding), and what brand of canned food I can mix in with it. Unfortunately I can't buy a lot of the dog food brands that are recommended on the forum here but will try my best to get Effy something that is good for her and will stimulate her appetite at the same time. Hopefully then she'll stop throwing up like she's doing now.

Thanks again for your help!


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## paristocrat (Dec 29, 2009)

Missy and Sandi, thank you both for offering your advice - it always helps to get more than one point of view! Her vomit is, for the most part, just bile, and I do associate it with the fact that she's not eating like she was before this started. I'll try the Kong technique and see if that gets her to eat a bit, and will give her a treat just before bedtime. If she does continue vomiting I'll be sure to speak to the vet before he gives her the vaccine, so that he can postpone if he sees fit. Thanks again!


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## paristocrat (Dec 29, 2009)

Thanks Missy!! Effy's working on her second puppy Kong filled with kibble!


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## Missy (Nov 6, 2006)

eace::whoo::whoo: some dogs just need a job!


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## paristocrat (Dec 29, 2009)

Three Puppy Kongs later, she's feeding a bit out of her bowl - something she hasn't done by herself in 3 days. Maybe all she needed was to be able to play with her food - I'm crossing my fingers and hoping this continues!!


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## Scooter's Family (May 23, 2008)

Scooter was a picky eater and we tried all sorts of stuff, he wouldn't eat out of a bowl but he does eat from a plate. The Kong is a great idea but try not to give in to her being picky or you'll create a monster.


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## kelrobin (Jan 21, 2008)

Jackson used to take all his kibble out of his bowl and move it over to the rug when he was a puppy. I had to start hand feeding him and lure him to the bowl. I gradually eased off the hand feeding so as not to start a habit, but just sat with him while he ate. Eventually his eating got better when we moved to two meals a day, but I do recommend the soft food to stimulate the appetite. They can be picky little boogers!

And, Havs are very social eaters. It is still rare for mine to eat without me or another person or dog nearby.


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## good buddy (Feb 20, 2007)

My boys needed to be coaxed to eat sometimes as pups, especially Rufus. I used to make little trails with his food and lead him to the pieces, or made him learn tricks for kibbles. Here's a toy that worked well with mine Amazon.com: Premier Twist and Treat Dog Toy, Medium: Kitchen & Dining

Good luck! Mine didn't grow up to be picky eaters either.


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