My 4-week-old puppy stopped pooping after starting puppy food. Help!

I would start her on gruel which will help form bigger stools. Often as puppies age they do not defecate as often so she may not go after every meal. As long as she’s eating and feeling normal with no bloating she should be fine. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for your puppy.

You can wipe her perianal area with hypoallergenic baby wipes every 2 hours to help stimulate her to poop. Mother dogs generally lick their puppies perianal regions throughout the day to simulate them to pee and poop. A 6 week old puppy generally should still be given puppy milk replacer via a bottle every few hours. Increasing drinking will improve hydration and help facilitate pooping as well. Cake is not recommended for puppies or dogs, and boiled rice and chicken is very easily absorbed compared to puppy chow. Many dogs on just boiled rice and chicken will not poop for 2 days at a time. I recommend adding puppy milk replacer (you can get this from most pet stores) to Gyspy’s daily diet and slowly adding a high quality puppy food (canned and dry) such as Royal Canin medium dog breed puppy chow. Good luck!

Puppies can sometimes become constipated especially when they are being bottle fed formula. If he otherwise seems comfortable and is eating well you could try diluting the formula with water 50:50 (remember to offer twice as much so he gets enough calories). If he still doesn't produce stool in the next 12-24 hours I would recommend seeing a veterinarian - he may need to have an enema or could have another medical problem that is making him constipated.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Soft stools can be normal as they transition from formula to kibble or canned food. If she is otherwise doing well, this may be ok. If it ever becomes consistent diarrhea, have her evaluated by a veterinarian before her scheduled appointment. Keep in mind that it may be best to continue the formula until she is 6 weeks old. Best of luck!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I wouldn’t worry yet at just 36 hours. Some dogs are particular about their pooping habits. As long as she is eating, playful and not straining give her more time. If she can urinate in her own she can poop on her own. You can also call the person you got her from to double check what she did with them. Since you are seeing your vet tomorrow she should be fine. Have a good day!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Constipation can be a huge issue with bottle fed puppies and kittens. I recommend mixing 2 different types of puppy formulas together and adding extra water. Hopefully that will help. She will need to be seen by Friday by a Vet if she still hasn't pooped. Constipation can be a huge issue in puppies this young. I would also recommend early weaning, starting around 4 weeks. Good luck!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I wouldn't worry about the decreased pooping. As long as she is eating, not vomiting and is active it could just be a fluke and she'll go just fine the following day. The weight and size of a dog depends on genetics and breed. Not all dogs weigh the same, so not all puppies weigh 16 kg at 4 months old. I hope this helps!