Found a skinny puppy with fleas. Where can I take him for care?

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. This cat could be malnourished or could have some type of systemic disease or infection. It is hard to say just by looking at him. If you plan on caring for him, you could take him to the veterinarian so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Hi there, it was very nice of you to find this dog and take care of him overnight. I would recommend to call any local emergency veterinary hospital in your area or the local humane society/rescue organizations and let them know you have an injured dog that needs medical attention. Veterinarians can provide care to relieve pain and suffering at no charge. It is our duty as veterinarians to do so for animals. If you are considering keeping him as your pet he needs immediate medical attention as well. He is injured, needs evaluation, and needs medications for his parasites and pain. Best of luck.

Good for you for taking in this little dog! Poor little pup definitely looks unwell! A severe flea infestation can cause anemia (low red blood cell count) due to the fleas consuming the dogs blood, which can lead to weakness and lethargy. Ideally, a dog that is unable to stand on its own should be examined by a vet immediately to assure that there are no significant underlying issues, such as fractures, injuries, or other systemic conditions. A quick bath could certainly help decrease the flea burden, which may make the pup feel a bit better, but is unlikely to be sufficient as the sole treatment. Bathing the dog in original Dawn dish soap can be helpful to kill adult fleas. Be sure to dry the dog thoroughly, as it may not be able to regulate its body temperature normally due to underlying disease conditions. The dog should also be started on a flea/tick preventative (such as Advantix, Nexgard or Bravecto) regularly. I hope that all goes well!

He looks pretty cute! It's hard to guess a puppy's breed from a couple pictures. It does look like he needs some care. His big belly may be caused by intestinal parasites, and he may have an infection or mange on his face (I can't see clearly). His coat is a little dull, but I am sure that would be a glossy brown after a few weeks of a good puppy food and a bath. I would recommend that you take him to the vet for a good checkup. They can test him for intestinal parasites and check for mange. They can also get him started on proper vaccinations to protect him against common puppy diseases.

Poor dog! I would call your local SPCA to come and get him. They can get him veterinary treatment and eventually him a home. If you are willing to take him in and assume financial responsibility for him, I'd take him into a vet asap.

Good nutrition and being free of intestinal parasites is the best you can do for their weight. Feed a good commercial puppy diet, and lots of it! You can bathe them to remove any fleas currently on the body before starting a flea preventative. Here is a good chart on aging puppies by looking at their teeth: http://www.ruralareavet.org/PDF/Physical_Exam-How_to_Determine_Age.pdf I would recommend that the puppies be checked out by a vet for their overall health and to see what (if any) intestinal parasites they may have.

Awww. It's very nice of you to take on this type of responsibility. The first thing you should do is to take him into the vet for an initial examination. They will be able to make sure there is nothing seriously wrong, versus simply malnutrition and dehydration. If this is the case, Champ will likely require something to eliminate gastrointestinal parasites. He belly looks very round in that picture, which in young dogs is usually associated with worms. This can be a very common cause of weakness and malnutrition, and the nutrients that he is consuming will not be properly absorbed until the parasites are eradicated. The veterinarian will also probably want to give some fluids, either subcutaneously or directly into the bloodstream. The method of delivery will ultimately be decided based upon the level of dehydration the vet detects. Champ will require a healthy, high quality large breed puppy food eventually. However, in the meantime, I would provide something like a Purina Critical Nutrition or HIll's A/D. These are prescription diets that are very high in fat and high calorie, and are typically not easily turned down by even the sickest of pets. Lastly, Champ probably needs your love, warmth and support. I am sure you have plenty of this.