My dog is skinny and hungry after puppies. Should I be concerned?

I recommend getting her seen by your vet for an exam and bloodwork. She could have parasites, also, voracious appetite without weight gain or weight loss is a sign of diabetes. It could be that the pups have worn her out. She should have been eating puppy food the whole time she was pregnant and nursing. If she was not, this could be partly responsible for her thin condition. Your vet will give you a treatment plan, based on the findings.

9 pups will take a lot from a mother at any age, they do tend to lose a lot of weight when nursing the puppies. She will gain it back after they are weaned, make sure to feed her as much as she wants and feed her puppy food instead of normal adult food.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Bella. I recommend that she sees a veterinarian. You are correct that she is very thin. Some dogs can develop low blood calcium due to the large amount of milk require to feed growing pups. This typically occurs within the first three weeks of delivery. Her veterinarian may recommend bloodwork and even an x-ray to ensure that all pups have been delivered. In the meantime, feed her free choice water and a high quality puppy food to help her gain weight and maintain milk production. I would stop giving her tea a well. I hope this information helps!

She really needs to see a vet. I wish I could tell you something to do at home but that is not possible without knowing why she is showing those symptoms. Not only that, but those symptoms are very non-specific and could be from almost any disease process or illness that can affect a dog. Some examples would be: diabetes, thyroid disease, kidney disease, liver disease, Cushing's disease, parasites,....just to name a few. I suggest you look for a low cost/affordable vet in your area or try contacting one of these organizations to see if they can offer any assistance. http://www.dogheirs.com/resources-affordable-veterinary-care/

Hello. Genetics can be pretty tricky to interpret in dogs, especially if each parent was a combination of breeds. As long as Bella is eating & drinking well, active & engaged with all around her, I would not be too concerned about how she looks when compared to her litter mates. Is she up to date on her vaccines, wormed on a regular basis & on heartworm preventative? If she is well cared for, eats a name brand food & does not seem overly hungry, then changing her food will not probably change much. She is still young, & truthfully, staying a little thinner is actually healthier than being overweight. If you are concerned, a good evaluation by your veterinarian would confirm if there are any issues to be dealt with. But, all sounds pretty normal. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding ICE. I recommend that she sees her veterinarian. I worry that nursing the pups has placed a huge toll on her body. If this is the case, eclampsia or low blood calcium can result. This can be very serious and requires prompt care. Her veterinarian will be able to diagnose this with a blood sample. I hope this information helps!

Noticeable weight gain in a short period of time is indeed cause for concern, especially if Danika has always been thin. An exam with your vet followed by abdominal x-rays are strongly recommended. Contact your vet and discuss payment plans or alternative financing options such as CareCredit (www.carecredit.com). You can also contact local humane societies for information regarding low cost clinics in your area. You may also be able to obtain financial assistance through Red Rover (www.redrover.org).