# 4 lb Puppy at 9 weeks



## Gbpatz (Dec 2, 2021)

We just picked up Ruby and she weighs about 4.5 pounds. She is 9 weeks old. She was definitely neglected because she was placed in a pen with a litter that was 2 weeks older so they took all her food.
Any ideas about adult size?


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## Gabica (Jan 20, 2018)

welcome to the forum. and poor baby. at this age that is too early to tell, the generic (not bullet proof) rule of thumb is twice the weight of age at 4 month of a healthy pup. 
right now i would just focus on getting her the right nutrition, as it looks like she missed out on that at a critical age. if it was me i would try and find a vet / nutritionist who is specialized on these cases, to avoid any set backs later on.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Until you have a vet check on that little darling.
This is what I do for underweight puppies joining rescue.
I feed them a high quality puppy food. Add a couple of tablespoons of goats milk to it. Small meals 4-5 times a day. Either pick up some Nutra Cal, or cook some liver. It’s only a tiny amount of either once a day.
Make sure any treats are also high quality.

After you have had her for a little while, you can see if she picks up growth, and weight. At that time, it maybe a little easier to judge her adult weight.


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## gunnr (Aug 14, 2009)

That's gut wrenching that she was maintained this way in her short time to this point. I also have some doubts as to her actual age due to how wide her eyes are spaced in relation to overall skull size, but that could be due to the retarded physical development. She looks closer to 6-7 weeks old, rather than 9 weeks. However, based on overall body symmetry, she really does not look bad. I know that sounds weird, but I'm just looking at her sitting photo.
That's water under the bridge now and moving forward is the only important thing.
I have to agree with the others, you'll need a little help bringing her up to speed with nutrition and calories. Keep feeding her multiple smaller, high protein, meals per day. No empty calories for her
As for her adult size? That's difficult to determine. "Generally" you look at the parents to get a "guesstimate". You won't realistically have an idea of a puppy's adult size until the 8-10 month age. Usually they'll have their full height and length by this time, and now it's just how much they'll weigh, based on genetics and feeding, at the 22-24 month stage.
Has your vet had a chance to see her yet?


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## Dan_A (Jan 19, 2021)

Sounds like a puppy mill situation where the "breeder" wasn't that concerned with health and development only $$. I'm very sure that with proper care your pup will turn out just fine!


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## ski-bike-climb (Oct 27, 2021)

Did this puppy by chance come from upstate New York? I may have picked up one from the older litter.


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## Realsoulmate (Dec 6, 2021)

She looks so lovely. Seems to be a gentle dog. You should take her to the vet as soon as possible. They are experts and will know what is best for her. Please love her so much 💓💓


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## Weez626 (May 11, 2019)

Gbpatz said:


> We just picked up Ruby and she weighs about 4.5 pounds. She is 9 weeks old. She was definitely neglected because she was placed in a pen with a litter that was 2 weeks older so they took all her food.
> Any ideas about adult size?
> View attachment 103890


Hello, Our Vizsla was the little runt in her litter and weighed 5lbs when we got her. She is now 2 1/2 and weighs 38 lbs. She also is the cutest, funniest little spitfire and entertains us daily! Best of luck with Ruby, I’m so glad she is now with your family and will be well loved and fed!


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