My puppy is lethargic with low blood counts. What should I do?

Puppies usually have lower red cell values than adults since they don't have as many red blood cells yet. But 16% is a little low for a puppy. Has your vet tested for intestinal parasites? Hookworms (and fleas and ticks) can remove a surprising amount of blood from a small puppy. Another cause of anemia with normal white blood cell values are blood diseases such as tick-borne disease. If a puppy is able to eat a good-quality puppy food and the cause of the anemia is treated, they will be able to replace the lost blood cells over time.

I'm so sorry to hear that you and Luffy are going through this. That sounds like a very serious situation. I would recommend putting a bit of sugar in his mouth - perhaps some honey or table sugar which will help raise his blood sugar if that's low. The fresh blood doesn't necessarily mean something is very wrong, because that can occur with any prolonged vomiting due to irritation of the lining of the esophagus and/or stomach. However, all the vomiting along with the lethargy has me very worried. If he's willing to eat at all, mix extra water in with the food to try to keep hydration up. I wish their was more you could do at home, but hope that helps even a little bit.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. There can be multiple causes of low RBCs and WBCs. I would make sure that all possible infectious causes are ruled out such as tick borne diseases. A chronic infection can cause low RBCs and low WBCs as well. Bone marrow could still be diseased and be leading to the low RBC and WBC count and a bone marrow biopsy in this case would prove to be useful. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Colby. This falls into one of these categories since you say that he isn't acting sick- Any clinical sign (diarrhea) that persists, worsens, or other signs develop (nausea, vomiting, lethargy, etc) this indicates that Colby should be seen by your veterinarian to assess what is going on. So I would just monitor his stools over the next 6-12 hours and watch for other signs. If things worsen, signs persist, or new signs develop, take him in immediately and let your vet take a detailed history and do a physical exam. They may advise some tests which could include fecal/blood tests, x-rays, etc to determine if a problem is present. A treatment plan can be made once a cause is determined or suspected. Bloody diarrhea can be caused by many things including intestinal worms, dietary problems, dietary indiscretion (eating things a dog should not eat), exposure to a toxin by ingestion, infection, etc. Good luck with Colby.

It's difficult to tell from the picture, but it looks like there is some blood in that picture. If that is the case, then I would recommend having Toffee examined by a veterinarian today. Puppies can have a number of intestinal diseases that can cause problems. Some are mild, but some can be very serious. Anytime there is blood, we want to start treatment right away to prevent it from getting worse. And if Toffee is weak, then he is likely already quite sick and needs treatment right away. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and that Toffee feels better soon. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello. I am so sorry that your puppy is so sick. The medications she is receiving are fine, but really need to be administered in a hospital situation, But I can understand the constraints & difficulties you have with veterinary care in your country. Lousie may have parvo or distemper, diseases that are difficult to treat even under the best circumstances. I would at least try to keep her confined so that she only has access to clean water. You can try giving her chicken or beef broths or stocks, too. All we can do with these very young patients is to hospitalize & administer the proper treatments. Without this, just keep her warm & dry & keep her away from dirty drains & hopefully with time, she will begin to improve. Good luck & thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I am so sorry to hear that your dog is so unwell. From what you are describing it sounds possible that he could have ingested a toxin, have a urinary tract infection, an infection of the prepuce, or an issue with his kidneys. Because he is so lethargic and not eating I would suggest a trip to the veterinarian as soon as possible to a diagnosis and appropriate treatment. If you can collect a urine sample to bring in that would be helpful. In the meantime you can try the following at home; Keep up fluids with; Pedialyte flavourless mixed with water 50/50 Low sodium chicken broth Encourage eating; Chicken boneless and cooked Low fat ground beef cooked Best of luck and ask any further questions you have here, we are here to support you. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.