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My puppy won't eat, vomits, and is always sleepy. What's wrong?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Large (61lb +) | Female | unspayed | 1 month and 6 days old | 2 lbs

My dog is 36 days old. Earlier he used to eat royal canin maxi starter dog meal thrice a day but not he doesn't eat it at all. He only eats curd and cottage cheese. Nothing else than that. Vomits once a day. Very sleepy all time. He has been given puppy dp and deworming once. It's been 3-4 days now but he is still same.

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Christie Long, DVM

Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist

Published on June 7th, 2018

I'm not sure what "puppy dp" (perhaps a distemper/parvo vaccine) is but I'm concerned about Billi. Sometimes only one deworming treatment doesn't completely resolve a worm infestation. Ideally, puppies are dewormed every 2 weeks starting at 2 weeks of age until they are 12 weeks old. However, I rarely see puppies actually feel bad if worms are present, especially if they have been dewormed once. My bigger concern is another, more serious problem, such as parvovirus or an intestinal foreign body/blockage. Puppies aren't fully protected with just one vaccine (if that is what you mean by "dp") so it is possible for them to contact it. He needs to be seen very urgently, as I'm worried about hypoglycemia and dehydration. Please get him checked out by a vet as soon as possible.

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    Answered By Stacey Anstaett, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    I am sorry to hear that Billi isn’t feeling well. All of what you describe is very abnormal and extremely concerning. Blood sugar levels in young puppies can drop quickly when they are not eating and/or are having vomiting and diarrhea. It’s possible that is contributing to him being sleepy all the time. You can attempt to rub some corn syrup or honey on his gums and see if that helps him be more alert. HOWEVER—this will NOT fix the underlying problem that is causing him to not eat and to vomit. He may have viral or bacterial gastroenteritis, he may have an intestinal parasite, (even though he has been dewormed this is possible) he may have what is called an intussusception which is a mechanical problem in the intestine where the intestine telescopes on itself. He may have been born with a liver shunt or defective kidneys. The bottom line is that you need to get him to a vet ASAP. It sounds like his condition could deteriorate rapidly, and could be deadly. I wish I had better news and more that I could offer for you to try at home, but you really, really need to get him to a vet.

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