AboutJana Connell RVT, CVT Expertise I can answer most questions about small animal and wildlife care as well as small animal nutrition. I can also answer questions about all phases of dental care for small animals. I cannot diagnose diseases nor will I try to. That is only for a licensed Veterinarian to do. I DO NOT do birds (unless it is wildlife or songbirds) or HAMSTERS/GERBILS/CHINS/GUINEA PIGS so please submit these questions to the appropriate sections. I also do not know much about reptiles, so post those to the reptile experts also. Thanks!
Experience I have over 35 years experience in the field of veterinary medicine. I specialized in small animals and did wildlife rehab for over 25 years, mostly raptors, squirrels and opossums. I am a nutritional consultant with 6 certificates from Hills Pet Foods, CNM and Purina.
Organizations Audubon,World Wildlife Federation, American Society of Veterinary Dental Technicians.
Education/Credentials Licensed with California and Oregon, RVT and CVT.
Certified Veterinary Dental Technician
Question QUESTION: How can I get my boxer puppy to eat more, because is he looks thin, and he is only 2months old?
ANSWER: Well Ana,
First of all, what are you feeding him? How much are you feeding him? What brand? Send me those answers and I can help you more.
:-)
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QUESTION: I am feeding him Purina Beneful healthy growth for puppies dry food, about a half a cup a day. But he doesn't eat it all, he is sleeping a lot, but does drink water.
Answer I wouldn't feed anything to anyone from Purina. They do not keep their formulas consistent and there food is not known to promote healthy dogs and cats. The inconsistent formula's also tend to cause dogs to get sick a lot.
A 2 month boxer puppy should be bouncing around the house when he isn't sleeping. They do sleep to grow, so he may just be in a growth spurt right now.
If he continues to be this lethargic and not eat, he needs to see the vet. Hopefully you have had him get his first set of vaccinations. You must be on time for the follow -ups or he can get parvo if he is left with a gap in his protection.
Having said that, I would get him onto a bag of Science Diet Large Breed Puppy Growth. This is the only complete food you will find with 50 yrs of veterinary research behind it. It is the food more vets feed then any other for good reason. It is highly digestible so the puppy's stool is smaller and they require less food to meet their energy needs.
Right now he is not meeting his energy needs and thus he has none.
The food you are feeding isn't meeting them either which is probably why he won't eat it.
Science Diet has every thing he needs and it is a rare thing for a puppy not to scarf it down. Get a 10 lb bag of it and if he isn't eating it and doing better in three weeks or when the bag is gone they take back the empty bag and get a refund. The food is 100% guaranteed.
I have never had one client return this food in 28 yrs.
Give it a try and if he isn't better soon or goes for the food then call the vet's. He should be getting a 1 1/4 cup of food three times a day. Not once but three times. You can give it to him twice a day if you work but he will need more, so give him one and a half twice a day(1 1/2). He is starving on 1/2 cup of food a day! Start slowly so that in seven days he is switched over to the new food.
Here is a chart to show you how to do it. Science Diet also makes a Nature's Best diet for puppies but he needs to be on the large breed because he will weight over 50 lbs when grown.
So let me know how he is doing in week or so. I will be on vacation soon so if you get that message then let me know after the 16th.
take care.
