My 6-week-old puppy won't eat dry food after switching. What's wrong?

I can certainly understand being concerned about your puppy not eating enough. It's really not the best for for your puppy, as it's not formulated to meet her nutritional needs. It's not something that is recommended to give to a puppy on a regular basis, usually only when the animal is sick. In addition, there may be ingredients in the baby food that is not safe for her to ingest. It could be that she isn't used to dry dog food, and you can try making a puppy mush for her to see if that helps. I would soak a high quality puppy formulated dry food in warm water until soft. Then mix that with puppy formula such as KMR to make a mush the consistency of oatmeal. Over the next two weeks, gradually increase the amount of dry puppy food and decrease the amount of water and KMR you use until she is eating the dry puppy food only. If she still doesn't want to eat much, then I would have her seen before the 15th.

And in terms of the food -- he should be willing to eat wet food, if not dry food, at this age. So if he's not, I would highly recommend a check up with your vet to make sure everything looks ok. He may just need more time to adjust, but with such a young guy, he can get low blood sugar and dehydration very quickly, so it's important to act sooner rather than later.

If it's been ongoing a week, I would think about scheduling a vet visit as there may be some minor GI upset or an underlying illness causing the change. If you see obvious signs of illness including lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, pain, refusing all food, etc, then seeking care right away is best.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Bleu Smith. I recommend that he see a veterinarian today. The stress of a new home and environment can cause a low appetite. However, so can illness. Being such a young puppy, it will be easy for his blood sugar to drop too low from not eating. I recommend placing some karo or maple syrup on his gums and seeking care I hope this information helps!

It is possible that something is medically wrong with her however, I would first recommend feeding her the old flavor of food to see if that's the issue. If she eats that flavor then you may want to consider keeping her on that food. If you would rather switch you can slowly transition but mixing the two together and slowly transition the old one out.

Hi and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If Mia was eating fine and suddenly has stopped eating, this is certainly a cause for concern. Issues with the teeth, gums, or mouth can cause pain while eating. Of course there are other medical conditions that can cause decreased or lack of appetite that will need to be ruled out with her veterinarian. You can try softening the food down with water and heating it up a bit to bring out the flavor and entice her to eat. If she still doesn't want to eat, then please take her in to see her vet as soon as you can.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding JOJO. She will need to see a veterinarian if she is not eating. She is so young that it is easy for her to become dehydrated. Even though she is drinking, it is not likely enough. The stress of coming to new home can affect a puppy's appetite, but you need to ensure she is not sick. She will likely need fecal testing and deworming to start. Her veterinarian will make recommendations based on these and her exam results. In the meantime, continue encouraging her to eat. I hope this information helps!