[Nancy M]

My daughter got a 6 week old mini-Aussie puppy, just 3 days ago, from a “breeder” who had just weaned this puppy, that day. The pup was starting to eat kibble (Diamond, small breed puppy formula), to which some supplement has been added to guard against coccidiosis.The puppy had received 3 days of wormings and then the first puppy shot on the day she got him.

Not an ideal or even recommended situation to begin with, but as it has gone, I now have the puppy for the next 4 days, while my daughter works as a nurse, because he wakes up every 2 hours with what has progressed from loose, semi-formed stools, to bloody, runny stools.
Looks and sounds like the supplement didn’t work! He is currently being fed the kibble, 3-4 times a day, last feeding around 8 or 9 p.m. He’s so small, he’s maybe eating a scant tablespoon each time, at most. Trying not to over feed him. Offering water frequently.

I will be taking him back into the vet as early as possible today (even though getting a clean bill of health/fecal the day she got him), as I’m quite sure coccidiosis is the culprit here……or it could be something with the food as well. Hopefully the vet can start an effective treatment immediately.

In the meantime, what can all/any of you suggest as a feeding routine and diet for this little fella. I’m not an advocate for any Diamond foods, or raw (especially right now) but I especially feel there is something that would be much easier on his very delicate system right now (besides mama’s milk, I know).

Please give recommendations as soon as you can, please! It would be much, much appreciated!

Thanks very much!

[RescueDaneMom]

Wow, I agree, not an ideal situation but I commend you on how you are handling it. You are right, first thing is to get him to the vet asap! I agree with you regarding your dislike of Diamond foods. I have personally never had a puppy that young so I’m not sure how feeding goes. Here is a link to the best puppy foods on this site: /best-dog-foods/best-puppy-foods/

Good luck and let us know what the vet says!

• This reply was modified 11 years, 8 months ago by RescueDaneMom.

[DogFoodie]

Hi Nancy,

Poor puppy! By now you’ve probably already headed to the vet with the little guy and there are certainly people here far more knowledgeable about this kind of thing than I would be…,

Not that I’m in anyway an advocate of Royal Canin products, but what about the Royal Canin starter mousse? http://www.royalcanin.us/products/products/dog-products/size-health-nutrition/starter-mousse. I know I saw that just the other day at the pet food store and imagine it’s readily available at lots of places. What about a high quality canned food? I would feed him something soft and wet over kibble for sure.

I know that weaning is supposed to be a gradual process that takes place over the course of several weeks and it sounds like the weaning took place way too fast; and, he’s had a lot of chemicals pumped into his tiny body already in the way of shots and wormers so that’s likely part of the problem. He really shouldn’t have come home before eight weeks, but you already know that. He’s getting off to a rocky start, but it sounds like he’s in caring hands. Please let us know how he’s doing.

[InkedMarie]

I’m of no help but just wanted to say that I hope the puppy gets better.

[theBCnut]

There is soooo much more than coccidia that can cause bloody diarrhea in a puppy, and much of it fatal if not caught early, so kudos to you for taking this seriously. I would get a puppy formula or goats milk to add to his food, enough to make it like a thin paste, not liquid, not solid. I wouldn’t change foods right now, unless he is on something really bad. His poor system has already been through enough. I would add both probiotics and digestive enzymes to every meal until he is stable, and for at least a copule weeks after that.

[DogFoodie]

Hi Nancy,

Please come back and tell us how things went at the vet’s office.

I’ve been worrying about this poor puppy all afternoon!

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