# Side effects of a teething pup? Help needed.



## Bellababy (Mar 31, 2010)

Hi, I have a problem with my 5 an half month old pup Layla. For a couple of weeks now she has had intermittent diarrhoea, been a sick a couple of times (just a little) and been strange about food. She has had lots of teeth falling out over the last month, and I'm beginning to wonder if this is causing her problems. Two weeks ago I took her to the vet who diagnosed a stomach virus (she said there was one going round) and gave her antibiotics and special food, Layla responded pretty well and seemed fine. Now this last week she has runny poos (not full blown diarrhoea) and now the last 3 days a new symptom, she is normally a very greedy pup, she cries while you are putting her food out and devours it in minutes. This week however, she cries for her food but when you put it down she struggles to eat it, and leaves a little which is highly unusual for her. She reminds me of a teething baby, Ive looked in her mouth and her adult teeth are coming on fine, and her mouth doesn't look sore.
Is it possible that she has the upset stomach and struggling with her food (its dried food with water on but still stays a little crunchy) because of teething? Or is back to the vet I go tomorrow? I wish they could talk and tell you what's up. In every other way she is fine, full of beans, running, playing, enjoying her walks etc.
Any advice would be most appreciated, thank you.


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## lyra (Nov 2, 2012)

This post annoys me - not because of the what the OP has done but what he has been told and what has happened.

Firstly, viruses do not respond to antibiotics. Antibiotics are for bacterial infections. The increasing resistance of human diseseases to antibiotics has been partly driven by the inappropriate and overuse of these important drugs. (Next time you have a cold or flu just stay at home and get over it!) Why did your vet give you antibiotics? I suspect for the same reason doctors give antibiotics for colds and flu (which are also overwhelmingly caused by viruses), because patients expect and want a 'magic bullet' - even if it isn't go to do any good.

What antibiotics do do however is destroy bacteria that are normally present in the gut. The absence of normal bacteria allows other bacteria to colonise the gut and this can lead to diarrhoea. This is probably what you are seeing. Gradually, once the antibiotic is no longer being taken, the normal bacteria start to recolonise the gut forcing the other bacteria out and everything returns to normal.

I can't be certain but I suspect this is the cause of your problem (not teething) and should gradually resolve itself without you doing anything.


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## Bellababy (Mar 31, 2010)

Thanks for your reply, I too was dubious about the antibiotics. The thing is she now seems to be struggling to chew the food.....if I gave her something soft like scrambled egg she would have no problem, she seems like she can't chew properly which is why I thought of teething.
Whatever, this pup is acting weird


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## lyra (Nov 2, 2012)

Bellababy said:


> Whatever, this pup is acting weird


Well that goes without saying 

It could of course be two unrelated issues. You may well be correct about the teething but as long as she is still eating most of her food and assuming it doesn't get worse I would wait and see. 

I wouldn't go messing with her diet without good cause as quick changes in diet will often cause diarrhoea as well.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

I guess it could happen, but none of my dogs ever had a problem eating while teething. I would suspect something else is going on.


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## BaxtersMum (Oct 6, 2012)

Try giving her cooked chicken and boiled white rice as this will help settle her stomach. Also some probiotic yogurt will also help Diarrhea and also put back some of the good bacteria in her gut.

Have you noticed her chewing more? My V is now 5 1/2 months and never noticed his mouth being sore from teething just excessive chewing.

Not sure what else to suggest sorry!


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## Bellababy (Mar 31, 2010)

Thanks for all he replies, she is still baffling me. Her poos are firming up, she is eating much better, but still not with the same gusto as a few weeks ago before she became ill. I am now wondering if she is becoming a fussy eater. Do you think its possible for a pup that used to eat like a hungry wolf, enjoying her food and gulping her food down in double quick time, could become a fussy eater? 
I know she is a dog and not a human, but my eldest son was a really good eater until he developed chicken pox at 18 months....and he suddenly became a fussy eater and never ate the same again. 
The next strange behaviour to emerge is gross.......eating my other dogs poo and also occasional dog poo when we are out. I do remember my older dog doing this as a pup, it seemed to be a phase she just grew out of, but the other day she even started to join in (she's 3). 
I'm a bit demented by this latest development. Both of them have recently been wormed I might add.


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## Vida (Dec 26, 2011)

Can I ask what you are feeding her??


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## Bellababy (Mar 31, 2010)

Hi Vida, she is on Iams puppy food. The older dog is on Iams too and has been all her life, with no problems. I've thought about the food, its not cheap food, although there is more expensive food out there, and if you read the reviews it gets good and bad....I suppose because my 3 year old has always been so well on it, I'm wary of changing it, especially for her. It would be hard for me to feed the two dogs different foods.
Also they get eggs once a week.


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## lyra (Nov 2, 2012)

*Re: Re: Side effects of a teething pup? Help needed.*



Bellababy said:


> Thanks for all he replies, she is still baffling me. Her poos are firming up, she is eating much better, but still not with the same gusto as a few weeks ago before she became ill.


Relax! While things are improving you shouldn't be worrying; just give it time. 

She is getting over a stomach infection and the effects of the antibiotics on her bowel. Rome want built in a day!


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## threefsh (Apr 25, 2011)

Iams is a very poor food (nutritionally) to feed your pup. I highly recommend switching to a higher quality food. Iams may be cheap, but your puppy will have to eat 2-3x the amount of Iams in order for her to get the same amount of nutrition as a higher quality kibble. (In the end, a "more expensive" food will not end up costing you more because they eat less of it.)

A good resource for researching kibble is www.dogfoodadvisor.com/

Some good food brands are:

Canidae
Taste of the Wild
Orijen
Acana


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## Bellababy (Mar 31, 2010)

If Iams is so bad, how come my 3 year old is so well on it? and the pup was thriving on it until she became ill. My 3 year old is a picture of health, her coat shines, and she never gets bad stomachs.
Also at nearly £40.00 a bag, I wouldn't call it cheap.....there are much cheaper foods on the market. I appreciate there are other foods, I've researched many of them, and in my experience every single one of them gets good and bad reviews.


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