My 7-week-old puppy's belly is extended but he seems fine. Why?

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Ozzy is so cute! One thing that comes to mind right away is if any dewormings have been performed. Puppies get infected with intestinal parasites from their mother before birth and while nursing. Deworming of puppies should be done as early as 2 weeks of age and should be done every 3 weeks for at least 3-4 dewormings. This is usually why puppies have pot bellies. I hope this helps. Seems like everything else is looking good. Good luck with cute Ozzy.

Awww, she’s a cutie!! If she’s still acting normally... seems comfortable, is energetic and ready to play if prompted, and hasn’t seemed nauseated or like she’s trying to vomit, I would just give her some time. She may have eaten really quickly and have some gas buildup or something of that nature. If she starts retching like she wants to vomit, or if she seems very dumpy and lethargic, take her to the vet. You can check her heart rate as well. Her heart rate at rest should not be faster than 130 beats per minute. If it is faster than that when she seems calm, take her in. Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Hello, thank you for using PetCoach. It is pretty typical for puppies abdomens to look distended after eating whether they eat fast or not. It is more to do with the amount they are eating more than than the speed. Puppies abdomens can also be distended due to worms. If he has not been dewormed that should be done as soon as possible. Puppies should be dewormed every 3-4 weeks until they are 4 months old, then once monthly. That being said, eating fast is not good for them for other reasons. They can swallow a bunch of air which can cause bloat. So, I recommend you either feed him smaller, more frequent meals or get him a special bowl that will slow down his eating (see link). ( https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/search?query=slow%20feeder ) Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Puppies should be dewormed every 2 weeks from 2 weeks of age to about 10 weeks of age. She can still have worms. But in general puppies of Bella's age tend to have fat little distended bellies, just like human babies, which is very normal. They tend to look even fuller after eating. It is time to start her vaccinations so the Vet can also feel her belly to be sure everything is fine. I wish Bella the best!

8 week old puppies, even large breed ones, have pretty tiny stomachs, and they also have poor abdominal musculature development at this stage. Those 2 factors can cause you to really be able to see their abdomen bulging when the stomach is full or water or food. So that might be one reason you're seeing this. The other reason could be that Mishka has intestinal parasites. They are very common in young puppies, so if she hasn't been dewormed, this should be done, at least twice (3 - 4 weeks apart). It's also a good idea to have your vet check a stool sample. You can buy dewormer over the counter in most pet stores; follow the directions on the package.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Stomach distension from eating too much food can be dangerous. As long as Harley is comfortable and does not show signs of weakness, panting, discomfort you can monitor him at home. However, if his abdomen becomes very bloated and your puppy becomes weak and subdued, you should take him to your local vets as an emergency. Dogs which are fed large meals once daily are at higher risk of developing GDV, so it will be better if Harley gets fed smaller meals twice a day.

HI, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Puppies tend to have a more bloated belly. Intestinal parasites are usually the main cause of this. Sometimes the intestines are more gassy in puppies too. I would give the dewormer some more time. If there is no improvement by a week i would have her examined and bring a stool sample with you. Sometimes changing puppy food can help as well. She is due for vaccinations so a Vet exam should be happening soon anyway. Good luck!