Boxer pups 4 1/2 week litter with muddy diarrhea

Question
QUESTION: Hi Renee,
My Female Boxer gave birth to a litter of 10 puppies on 7-30-08. All are gaining weight nicely. All puppies are over 5lbs at this moment. They are all eating "mush" which is made out of Purina One puppy kibble and warm water, then blended in the blender until it is a paste.
I have been cleaning their box and changing their bedding 3-4 times per day.
They are drinking water out of a bowl.
Within the last 3 days they have started to have muddy bowel movements.
I am at a lost as to WHY this started happening.
All of them are very playful and some are still having normal bowel movements, but others have muddy poo.

Any ideas?


ANSWER: Hi Shelly. First, I have to ask if these pups have been wormed? If not, then that's your first step. If they have been, then it could be a case of overfeeding. This will cause diarrhea. I could sit here all day and tell you what it could be:-), that's why I suggest taking one of the pups to the vet for a stool sample. This will be better able to tell you exactly what's going on with these guys, and get the diarrhea in check before they all come down with it. It sounds like you're taking very good care of them. It's probably something simple, but better let the vet have a look. He may also give you some medication to help with the dairrhea. I'd do this before they become dehydrated. Good luck!

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks Renee!

The pups haven't been wormed. My Vet is anti worming at this point. He said and I quote "At 6 weeks we will check for worms. If the Mother is worm free the pups will be too"
I was taken back by that cause I thought ALL puppies have worms. But I trust my Vet with ALL our dogs, so I'll go with it :)
I am pretty sure I was over feeding them. I changed the routine yesterday and today they all have hard formed bowel movements. Thank Goodness!

Can I just tell you how impressed I am by you. I found this site when my we decided to breed our Boxers and I sat here almost all day on a Saturday reading all your answers. When it was time for my Female to Whelp.....I grabbed my laptop, jumped on this site and sat on the floor all night. I read and read and read until my mind was nothing but puppy mush!
Thank you so much for being part of this site!

Answer
Hi Shelly. I have to say, that's the nicest compliment I've gotten in a long time, and I appreciate it.:-) I think that's the nicest thing that anyone could say to me on this site.:-)

I know that everyone has their own way of doing things. I know breeders who don't even give shots. To each their own. I'm just more proactive. I start worming at 3 weeks of age, and do it every 3 weeks there after, until the last shot is given. Then, twice a year. Also, if mom ever had worms as a pup, then she most likely has them now. Especially after whelping and nursing. However, if mom and babies look good, and your comfortable with your vet's suggestions, then I'd definitely worm them all, mom included at six weeks of age. I'm going to tell you this, puppy buyers want their puppies to be healthy, and may frown upon pups that aren't wormed. I'm just throwing that out there as advice.:-) If they were mine, I'd definitely insist on getting them wormed at 6 weeks of age. Here are a few signs to look for: if the coat looks rough, and the pups lose weight but still have a pot bellied look, then they have roundworms. If the pup's coat looks bad, and losses weight fast, then you may be looking at hook worms. Worms may also cause vomiting and diarrhea. I'm just telling you this so that you'll know what to look out for between now and the 6 week mark. Young pups can go down fast with worms. Boxers seem to be worse about the symptoms than some other breeds. I am not telling you to go against the advice of your vet, I just want you to know what to look out for.:-) Again, thank you so much for your kind words, and I'm glad that I was able to be of help. Please feel free to write anytime.