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A Parvo Puppy Still Not Eating Weeks After Diagnosis

by A reader

Reader Question
We have a puppy who was diagnosed with parvo and has been treated aggressively since, with many ups and downs. My husband is a veterinarian. She had IV fluids, anti-nausea medicine and antibiotics, then was able to drink enough on her own. She still has a very poor appetite and keeps losing weight despite many foods being offered. She has had colloid fluids every other day, stomach protectants, an antibiotic for diarrhea, anti-nausea medicine several times a day and a probiotic. A university teaching hospital released her saying she had eaten, but she lost weight in their care. An abdominal ultrasound showed only thickened intestines (gastroenteritis), with no intussusception. Distemper testing was sent because of questionable chest X-rays. She has never had a fever, had a little eye discharge for a few days, and no nasal discharge. Today she is very lethargic and is being force fed a recovery diet, and we are trying acupuncture to increase appetite. Do you have any suggestions for additional therapies? Multiple specialists have been consulted.


Answer from Our Team

It sounds like she's getting excellent care. Long-term poor appetite after parvo is common, because the intestinal lining takes weeks to recover. Some puppies also develop a secondary problem that keeps them from eating, such as intussusception (which you've checked), a secondary infection, or, as you're considering, distemper.

Ideas others have found helpful: a feeding tube (an esophagostomy or nasogastric tube) for steady nutrition, which often turns these puppies around and avoids the stress of force feeding; an appetite stimulant; checking for low blood sugar, low protein and low potassium; and rechecking for intestinal parasites like Giardia or coccidia, which are common in puppies and can stall recovery.

If the distemper test comes back positive, the outlook and plan change, so that result is important. Supportive care and patience are often what gets these puppies through. I hope she turns the corner soon.

See parvo treatment and recovery.

This is general information, not a diagnosis. Please follow your own vet's advice.

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