My Golden Retriever puppy won't drink water after his shots. Why?

I'm sorry to hear that Romeo isn't feeling as well as normal. Vaccines stimulate the immune system to produce antibodies to protect against disease. As a result, it's pretty common for pets to be fairly sluggish for a day or two after receiving their vaccines while the immune system is hard at work. Some dogs can develop delayed vaccine reactions with some vomiting and diarrhea (and an associated loss of appetite), but it's not very common for their water consumption to be impacted. To answer your question more clearly - no, it's not normal that Romeo hasn't had any water at all today. You can try adding a tiny bit of low sodium chicken broth into his water to make it a little tastier, but be sure to throw it away after an hour or two, as this would otherwise need refrigeration. Another thing to try would be soaking his normal dry food with water for 10 minutes before feeding it to him to maintain his hydration. It doesn't concern me that he's a little sluggish today. However, if it continues tomorrow or if he still isn't drinking normally, you should take Romeo back to his vet to get him checked out. I hope that everything goes well!

Hi and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. He may be having a vaccine reaction. Sometimes it can be painful at the injection site and dogs can be sore. I would recommend calling your veterinarian tonight and letting them know that Wolfie is not feeling great. They may prescribed him some anti-inflammatory medication, fluids or anti-nausea medication to help him feel a little better. Good luck!

She may not have a drive to drink if she received iv fluids during her procedures and you are meeting what she needs through her diet. If she is otherwise happy with normal appetite and energy level and no vomiting or diarrhea you can continue monitoring. If any of these change in addition to not drinking then that would be more concerning as dehydration could ensue. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This depends on a lot of factors including if she is otherwise exhibiting any symptoms of sickness, if she is eating canned food which already has water in it, how much water she is actually having, among other things. If she is not drinking anything especially if having other symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite and/or lethargy, she should be evaluated as soon as possible to prevent dehydration and to investigate the cause. If she is otherwise doing well and is eating canned food, it would be ok to monitor her for another 12-24 hours and if not improved to have her evaluated by a veterinarian then. Hopefully she returns to normal and there is no need for a veterinary visit. Have a great day!

Hello. I would not be too concerned. Just continue to add water, or low sodium broth to his food. You can also offer him broth or stock ( either beef or chicken ) as a source of liquids. He might find this very appealing. If his appetite is great, he will probably start drinking soon. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Is he eating? Is he acting energetic? If he is eating and acting normally, I wouldn't be too concerned--he's likely getting enough fluids. He's pretty small so it won't necessarily look like much is gone from the bowl. However, if he doesn't want to eat or if he seems to be feeling dumpy, take him to your vet for an exam. Thank you for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm sorry to hear that Betty White is acting slightly lethargic and not eating/drinking as much as you think she should. Firstly, excellent job getting vitals on her! From the information you provided, and assuming she is an otherwise healthy puppy, I think it is OK to monitor her at home over the weekend and bring her to your veterinarian on Monday. Signs to watch for that would warrant a trip to the Emergency veterinarian would be repetitive vomiting or diarrhea, excessive lethargy (unwilling to rise or respond to you) or complete cessation of eating. You can offer her a bland diet such as boiled chicken or beef and rice (in a ratio of 2 parts rice to 1 part meat) in small meals over the next 24-48 hours to see if this helps her appetite. This may also help settle any gastrointestinal upset she may be having. Always make sure she has access to water as well. I hope this is helpful!