What can I do for a starved puppy to help her get her weight and health back ASAP?

Question

I just rescued a starved puppy and need advice on what to feed her to get her healthy again. She is a purebred (I think) Pitbull about 12 weeks old. I soaked some dry food in warm water until it softened and she ate it....but she is so starved that she eats very fast and shakes the entire time she is standing....then after a few min. she just gets sick and vomits because her stomach isnt used to the food. HELP PLEASE ! !

She is a beautiful dark brindle with black feet and snout...any ideas for a name?

Answer 1

Feed her only small amounts at a time,and you can do this every couple hours and maybe she will keep it down.

Answer 2

Do not over feed this dog.Start feeding foods that have lamb and rice, as it is easy on the tummy. Feed very small portions every two hours or so, in time with normal feeding this dog will slow down eating and will stop shaking, spend time on the floor while feeding make sure this puppy does not become food aggressive. Do not offer table scarps, and thing such as milk and other good human goodies. It will take time but you will see the weight come back on, I have a rescued pit-bull to, it took her well over six months to stop scoffing down her meals. Some time she ate so much she threw it up, now she get a small can of moist food a day with dry mixed in to slow her down, and she has dry food accessible to her all day long, also see a vet and have her wormed,

The amount of food given with each meal should never be dictated by what is on the back of the puppy food bag. That is a good place to start, but from our experience, many puppies need less than what is on the bag, and a few may need more. Adjust the amount fed to maintain your puppy at an optimal weight. Your veterinarian can help you determine the proper amount to feed. Remember to have water available with or immediately following the meal.
One of the biggest complaints that veterinarians hear from dog owners, especially those with animals less than 18 months of age, is that they never eat enough. The owners feel the dog is not putting on weight or growing as fast as they think he should. They are tempted to somehow encourage their animals to eat more. Do not do it. The growth rates and appetites of young animals on a good quality food are primarily dictated by their genetics. Do not try to make your dog grow faster than he should or into something he is not. This will only cause problems. Artificially accelerated growth leads to bone and joint disorders. Feed them the amounts they want and let their bodies dictate their needs.
Please read:
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=2&cat=1651&articleid=704

Answer 3

I would try to feed her a very small amount at a time and feed her several times a day. She's just eating to fast and that's why she is vomiting. Make sure you get her some vitamins and a high protein food. She's probably dehydrated as well. You can get what you need at a local pet store. If she doesn't start getting better in a few days she could start running a fever, you'll need to take her to a VET if she does. Watch her eyes, if they get crusty and runny she's getting worse for sure. There's no telling how long she been without food. GOOD LUCK.

Answer 4

Is there any way that you can take her to a vet? There are so many reasons for why she may be throwing up as soon as she eats. I would recommend getting an easily digestible food like Royal Canine for puppies or Nature's Recipe for puppies and if she is 12 weeks old I would not mix water in the food. Instead I would make sure there was always water available to drink separately.
If the puppy's belly is swollen but she looks skinny other than that she may be wormy. There are so many maybe's, a vet really should see her. GL with your puppy!

Answer 5

feed very small amounts at least 4-5 times a day. make sure the food is high qulaity. corn should not be in the ingredients. nutro, solid gold, organix are all good and sold at petco.. be careful bc if she is eating really fast she can bloat, which is usually fatal, always soak the food with waterfor baout 10-15 mins. just feed small amount like a quarter of a cup or less. she is probably dehydrated, anemic, and malnutritioned.shaking is a sign of weakness and anemia. she may need to be fed special food or have a feeding tube until her stomach gets back to normal. i would DEFINATELY take her to the vet.she probably has worms too. if you cant keep her DONT take her to the spca or humane society they put down 85 % of animals that they get, and being a pit bull she will be put down probably within 30 mins of walking in the door.

Answer 6

3 years ago, we found 2 abandoned lab pups that were truly knocking on death's door. If we had not rescued them that day, they would have been dead within a day or 2. What we did was to feed them whatever they wanted to eat. The first night they feasted on chicken nuggets. We wormed them good, and just fed them. With a month, those 2 starving babies had tripled their weight. They were the cutest, fattest puppies you ever saw. We found them loving farm homes where they enjoy life and love. These pups, altho they were close to dying, did not get sick, so it is possible that your rescued dog is sick with something like parvo. Or it could be heavily infested with worms. It should see a vet.

Answer 7

Bless you do not mix food with milk. It is not good for puppies. Try giving dry puppy food, about 1/2 cup at a time and feed her every 3 hrs round the clock if necessary. They can't handle a lot of food at a time as their stomachs have shrunk from not having enough to eat. Also, I would get her vet-checked asap. Perhaps they can be of assistance. When she begins to realize that she will get more food, she may calm down and not shake so bad. Bless her heart and yours for taking her. If all else fails, try one slice of turkey (sliced for sandwiches from the deli or cold cut section of your grocery store) and feed it to her in little pieces about every 30 mins. The main thing is not to overfeed her.
Good luck.

Answer 8

Well, the puppy probably needs to go to the vet. They can recommend what kind of food to give her. Small amounts of food and water several times a day. Maybe even call a vet so they can give you some tips to care for her until you can get her in. There could be more problems than just starvation going on she is probably not up to date on her shots, and could have parvo or distemper both could and probably will kill her if left untreated. Even with treatment she could die if she has either or both of these problems. Good luck.

Answer 9

First of all I have done what your doing many times. First, sit down on the same level she is. Cuddle her,stroke,coo her,etc. She is as you said Starved. Food and needs LOVE. Then still on the floor give her just a little at a time. Keep a Gentle touch on her. As for how much to feed her it depends. Puppy food is the way to go. Read the label. AND go Slow. A little at time. I don't know if you have named her yet, if so talk sofly to her at the same time using her name.

Answer 10

Take an egg and scramble it with 1/2 cup of milk. Let her lick it from a saucer. Feed her every three hours. Or you can go to the pet store and they sell a special formula for puppies. Do not give her dry dog food. Her stomach can not handle it. You can also feed her chicken broth mixed with cooked rice.As she get stronger you can gradually add dog food to her diet. I hope you will try this as I am sure it will help her.

Answer 11

Congratulations on your new puppy. I'm sorry to hear about the first 3 months of her life but from here on out, it will get better! My advice to you would be to make rice and hamburger and mix the 2 together. Start in VERY small amounts and offer it to her often. I would give her small amounts every 1 1/2 to 2 hours. If she doesn't eat this, mix in a little bit of baby food. Chicken or beef, lamb tends to be the easiest to get them to eat. You can start with this before the rice and hamburger as well if you think this may be easier for your little one. Talk to your vet if all else fails. They may sell you a vitamin supplement that they give to little dogs when they get stressed out (I apologize, I don't know the name of it). Best of luck!