(Cordoba, Argentina)
I just got my first pup, named Toby, 5 days ago and he’s already sick. He’s 50 days old and last night was vomiting and had diarrhea. Of course, I took him straight to the vet the next day (today) and he gave him an antibiotic shot.
I would like to double check his reasoning with some other experienced owners/vets. My breeder told me to give him 50gr. of starter and a tiny piece of cooked chicken, comprising 3 meals. I normally gave him the chicken all at once and divided the dry food meals into small portions. He hasn’t ever finished the 50gr/day. The vet told me to remove the chicken and give him three meals a day, each 10gr. I should offer the food at every meal for 30 minutes and then remove it. The vet thinks his illness is due to unstable eating habits that result in a change of pH in the stomach that kills the good intestinal bacterias, causing inflation of the gut with bad bacterias that accumulate with excessive food. But the problem is he doesn’t seem to fully eat his meal within this time frame. I am worried that if I start this periodic eating schedule he will be getting even less food!!!
Should I take the advice and give him 3 meals/day, 10gr each with 30 minutes allowed for each meal? Or should I give him food throughout the day ensuring that at night the last 10 or so grams (of the 50gr allowed by the breeder) are delivered? I also work and therefore the first option is impossible to follow a daily eating schedule. I don’t want to give it to him all at once, so I thought I should put a little more every time I see it completely empty. So far he has never cleaned out his bowl.
Eating habits
How much does your yorkie puppy weigh? My little guy is around 2lbs now, but I suppliment with Nutri-Cal. It’s sweet andd has vitamins. Sometimes I put it in his food to encourage him to eat. He loves being hand fed too. Poor puppy. As you guys get to know each other, feeding will get easier. Little guys are more delicate. Keep working with him.