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My dog has Parvo and won't eat. What can I do to help him survive?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | German Shepherd | Male | 4 months old | 50 lbs

My Dog has Parvo, and I can not force him to eat anything, He has an IV, but he will not eat anything, What can I give him to help him survive longer?

4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Destini R. Holloway, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on November 22nd, 2016

Poor puppy. Ruger needs medications which includes antibiotics (injectable Cefazolin or Ampicillin is needed since he isn't eating), anti-nausea medication (i.e Cerenia or Metoclopramide), nutritional support (Nutri-cal, available over the counter perhaps at your local pet store). As long as he is getting fluid therapy he is getting much needed electrolytes which is greatly beneficial towards his improvement because dehydrations is the #1 cause of death in these pets. You can also offer him small amounts of Pediasure using a syringe or small turkey baster.. I hope that your poor puppy is able to fight through this horrible viral infection and makes a full recovery.

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5Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Other Answers

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    Answered By Susan England-Foster

    Veterinarian

    Published on August 27th, 2017

    Poor zoro. I would recommend trying a bland diet of boiled chicken and white rice in very small amounts multiples times a day. If he is not eating secondary to nausea you can try an over the counter Anti acid. However if it is not strong enough I would recommend contacting your veterinarian about a possible injection to decrease nausea and help with Appetite. Hope that helps

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    Answered By Ana M, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on July 31st, 2018

    Thank you for submitting your question regarding Canelo. I am sorry to hear that he is so ill. I would ask his veterinarian to prescribe an anti-nausea medication as this will help his appetite to return. I use a product known as Cerenia. You can offer meat based baby food, canned puppy food, plain boiled chicken, canned tuna or cottage cheese to try to encourage him to eat. If you can resolve the nausea/vomiting, it will help him want to eat. Once he is eating and drinking normally, he will be begin using the bathroom as he should. I hope this information helps!

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    Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

    Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

    Published on November 24th, 2016

    Poor Ruger! If you can, I would call your vet in the morning to see if they can give you some IV fluids for him - these can easily be given at home, by putting the needle under the skin and giving large amounts 1-2 times daily. This is a much more effective way of trying to keep a sick puppy like this hydrated - we very commonly show clients how to do this and send fluids for them to continue at home. In the meantime, you can try offering him bland, tasty things like chicken or beef-flavored baby food to try and encourage him to eat. Low-sodium beef or chicken broth can also be good options for him to drink - you can even freeze broth into ice cubes for him to lick on, if this helps.

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