Is my puppy's belly big after milk replacer normal or concerning?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This picture does not have anything concerning. I would make sure to always feed her only the food she is supposed to be eating with occasional treats but that should not be the majority of the diet. Have a great day!

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.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It isn't unusual for puppies this young to have a big belly after eating. I would make the meals smaller and feed him more frequently. You are also correct that he likely has intestinal parasites, deworming him will help but it will take time. If his stomach enlarges enough it can put pressure on the diaphragm and change breathing patterns. That's why I would feed small meals frequently for a while. Otherwise puppies do breath faster than adults, especially when sleeping. Since he is otherwise doing well I would just watch him closely and follow your vet's vaccination and deworming schedule. Good luck!

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!

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.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding your puppy. Some puppies are so small that their stomachs visibly distended after eating. If this is the case, her stomach should look normal again some time later. Going forward, feed her smaller more frequent meals and use puppy formula as opposed to goat milk. I hope this information helps!

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Enlarged, hard belly often results from eating too much and too quickly. In this case, the belly all of the sudden gets big, about 20-40 minutes after eating. As long as your Ziggy is comfortable, not crying and his energy level is normal you just need to monitor him at home. The mild bloat should get better in 4-6 hrs time. Chronic abdominal distention in puppies in most cases is related to gastrointestinal worms. If Ziggy has not been de-wormed yet, please do it as soon as possible. You can buy worming medications at the vets but also in pet shops and online - you can get them over-the-counter.