Why is my newborn chihuahua puppy skinnier than his littermates?

No, this isn't normal that they aren't gaining weight. Failure to gain weight is a sign of illness in these newborn puppies, and I would have them seen by a vet immediately. They may need more food as well to gain weight, but I would have them seen by a vet to be safe.

First, consider an exam with your veterinarian to diagnose any underlying medical causes. Next, you can feed a high quality performance diet to get weight on her. Once she is at weight, you can adjust the diet as needed for maintenance. You can also try a puppy diet until she is at weight.

Brandon could be thin due to parasites, liver disease or a naturally high metabolism. I would recommend to make sure his blood levels are normal and his intestines clear of worms. Being able to see the last rib is actually normal, if you can see more than that, Brandon is too thin. If all signs point to a high metabolism, neutering him can help as well as feeding a high calorie, small breed formula. Pet food labels will contain the calorie amounts. It is listed as a Kcal. Please post again if you have any further questions!

Hello. There always seems to be one puppy that just seems to struggle, but this does not mean anything is wrong. As long as you see the mother dog nursing her, cleaning her, & not ignoring or pushing this puppy to the side, then she will be fine. Often these slow starters will easily catch up to their littermates in time. Just keep a close eye on everyone. Buying a small digital kitchen scale & taking weights 2 times a week will make sure everyone is growing. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding the puppy. Puppies from the same litter can vary in size. Be sure the puppy is nursing well. Keep it clean, dry and warm. Hopefully it will do well. After mom has finished delivering the remaining pups, it is a good idea to have her and the litter examined by a veterinarian. You will also want to weigh the puppy daily with a small gram scale. This way you can ensure that it is gaining weight daily. I hope this information helps!

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.

Chihuahuas weight varies greatly during puppyhood and there is no specific weight chart that we use in practice. Instead we use a more accurate assessment of your puppy's weight, which is his/her body condition score (BCS) where 3/5 or 5/9 is considered an ideal weight. Your vet should be able to tell what the body condition score is easily by simply examining your pet. Also in puppies, unless you see vomiting or diarrhea symptoms, and they are getting feed the proper amount 3x a day, then chances are your pet is of proper weight. Also feel free to share a photo of your pet via consultation request, and we can tell you without a doubt whether your pup is proper weight or not.