My 3-month-old puppy has a pot belly and is thin. What to do?

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! Puppies tend to have a more bloated belly. Intestinal parasites are usually the main cause of this. Sometimes the intestines are more gassy in puppies too. I would give the dewormer some more time. If there is no improvement by a week i would have her examined and bring a stool sample with you. Sometimes changing puppy food can help as well. She is due for vaccinations so a Vet exam should be happening soon anyway. Good luck!

If her breathing is normal and gums are normal pink, then there is a good chance this is just a worm overload. Sometimes it takes 2 treatments done 2 weeks apart to get rid of worms in young puppies. Ascites would almost always cause a pet to be lethargic and act ill. As long as her energy is good and everything else is fine, it is ok to monitor her for now and have your vet check her for parasites when they get back out of town. If she seems ill at any point, then its best to take her to another local vet for a check up. Best of luck with your young puppy Lady Jane moving forward. Take care. : )

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!

Gastrointestinal worms, gastrointestinal inflammation (that can cause signs like diarrhoea) are by far the most common diseases that can cause this presentation. A clinical examination at your local veterinarian is immediately essential to confirm these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately. Antibiotics and possibly further investigations (like abdominal imaging as ultrasound or radiographs) may be needed. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. Please find the time to give us a feedback about the consultation as that will be used to improve our service.

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.

Very commonly worm infestation (gastrointestinal parasites) can affect puppies and cause the signs you are describing. Abdominal swelling is caused by the presence of the parasites, which can also cause malabsorption of nutrients, discomfort and possibly dehydration, especially if you notice soft feces/diarrhoea. A picture of him would definitively help to determine more specifically the underlying problem, but generally speaking a check up would be required for parasite treatment. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.