Hi, We've just picked a puppy from a rescue centre in Poland, brought it back to the UK but it's not eating, and has just eaten some grass and been sick and vomited up the grass it just ate. Could it be stress or is there a sign it could be something worse?
The puppy looks like a brown and black mix of a bit of doberman, a bit of alsatian, but is much smaller and lighter than both with short hair. It is about 9 months old and was in the rescue place in Poland for several months where it was said to be rather scared. It was castrated and chipped and vaccinated about 10 days ago, was picked up by our Polish housemate about 6 days ago and stayed in Poland until the journey back to the UK (with pet passport) arriving early yesterday morning. He's very attached to our Polish housemate and is distressed when he goes out. He has apparently eaten virtually nothing on the car drive from Poland and apart from a small number of bits of chicken he has eaten no dog food since, although we have tried different types. Yesterday we took him for a walk in the park and he behaved like a normal dog and was quite energetic. He has defecated, but it's a bit runny. This morning he was taken for a walk in the park again this morning and was more lethargic. He has been drinking water ok, In the last couple of hours he has eaten some grass and a while later vomited it back up again. Behaviourally in other ways he has been willing to be petted and even licks affectionately when our Polish housemate is around but is often hostile and growls at the rest of us when he's out, although that is beginning to change.
As I'm writing this our Polish housemate has just arrived back and our doggie has gone mad with delight and is clearly physically well, but hasn't eaten yet.
According to what I've read, stress such as moving house can be a cause of a dog not eating for a day or two. He's had not only two changes of house but also a change of owner and two changes of other people around him over the last week or so, as well as a long car journey in a cage. It seems to me stress is a likely cause of him not eating much proper food, even though it's been three days now since he last ate proper food, so I'm not particularly concerned yet, but one of my housemates is getting worried. Should we give him more time, or do you think a vet is the best option?
The puppy looks like a brown and black mix of a bit of doberman, a bit of alsatian, but is much smaller and lighter than both with short hair. It is about 9 months old and was in the rescue place in Poland for several months where it was said to be rather scared. It was castrated and chipped and vaccinated about 10 days ago, was picked up by our Polish housemate about 6 days ago and stayed in Poland until the journey back to the UK (with pet passport) arriving early yesterday morning. He's very attached to our Polish housemate and is distressed when he goes out. He has apparently eaten virtually nothing on the car drive from Poland and apart from a small number of bits of chicken he has eaten no dog food since, although we have tried different types. Yesterday we took him for a walk in the park and he behaved like a normal dog and was quite energetic. He has defecated, but it's a bit runny. This morning he was taken for a walk in the park again this morning and was more lethargic. He has been drinking water ok, In the last couple of hours he has eaten some grass and a while later vomited it back up again. Behaviourally in other ways he has been willing to be petted and even licks affectionately when our Polish housemate is around but is often hostile and growls at the rest of us when he's out, although that is beginning to change.
As I'm writing this our Polish housemate has just arrived back and our doggie has gone mad with delight and is clearly physically well, but hasn't eaten yet.
According to what I've read, stress such as moving house can be a cause of a dog not eating for a day or two. He's had not only two changes of house but also a change of owner and two changes of other people around him over the last week or so, as well as a long car journey in a cage. It seems to me stress is a likely cause of him not eating much proper food, even though it's been three days now since he last ate proper food, so I'm not particularly concerned yet, but one of my housemates is getting worried. Should we give him more time, or do you think a vet is the best option?
