How Do You Know if Your Puppy is Sick? Here Are Commons Signs of Puppy Sickness

How do I know if my puppy is sick? Puppy owners often need an answer to this critical question quickly. The good news is that our puppy care experts can offer some help. 

Every new puppy owner goes through the mix of emotions when a puppy is sick. Puppies are small, they get into everything, and they can't tell you what's wrong. One day they're bouncing off the walls, and the next they're hiding under the bed and refusing to eat. Knowing the difference between puppy behavior and behavior that requires a call to your vet can be difficult.  

Our experts outline the most common signs that your puppy is sick, what illnesses are likely behind those symptoms, and exactly what to do about it so that the next time your puppy gets sick, you have a plan.

Why Are Puppies Prone to Sickness?

Puppies are still developing their immune systems, just like human babies. This means illnesses that an adult dog might shake off can quickly become serious for a young pup. The faster you catch a problem, the better the outcome.

Signs a Puppy is Sick

Puppies can't tell you what's wrong, so it’s usually a guessing game to figure it out. The signs that your puppy is sick are often subtle and easy to miss. How to tell your puppy is sick:

• Withdrawn Behavior: Healthy puppies are high-energy and playful. Puppies with behavior changes, such as lethargy or agitation, are most likely sick.  
• Disorientation or Dizziness: Puppies stumble as they learn to walk, and it can be super cute. But if they appear weak and look disoriented or stiff, it could be something serious.
• Excessive Grooming: Excessive scratching or licking isn’t normal behavior, especially if there’s repeated targeting of one area, such as itching behind the ears or licking a paw.  
• Loss of Appetite: If your puppy is not eating, or is eating less than normal, something might be wrong. This is especially true when paired with other sickness symptoms such as vomiting, lethargy, or diarrhea.  
• Vomiting: A vomiting puppy should be seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible.  
• Inconsistent Bowel Movements: If there are any changes in your puppy's bowel movements, call your vet.  
• Skin and Coat Changes: A patchy or dull coat can be a sign of health concerns.
• Diarrhea: Puppy diarrhea may be due to food intolerance, changes in diet, or stress. It may also be due to infection or parasites. If your puppy has diarrhea with an unusual color, is moving slowly, is dehydrated, or is vomiting, you should contact your vet as soon as possible.  
• Classic Sick Behaviors: If your puppy is coughing, panting, sneezing, or has excessive drooling and/or bad breath, they might be sick. Red, dry, or cloudy eyes also hint something is up.  
• Low or High Puppy Temperature: If your puppy has a resting temperature above 103 degrees or below 99 degrees, they might be sick.  

Common Puppy Illnesses

There are a handful of common illnesses puppies can get due to their immature immune systems.  

Canine Parvovirus

Canine parvovirus, or parvo, is a common virus in puppies. It spreads through an infected dog’s stool. It can harm a puppy’s gastrointestinal tract, including their intestinal lining, bone marrow, lymph nodes, and tonsils. Puppies are most likely to contract parvo between 6 and 20 weeks. A parvo vaccine is often given to puppies at 20 weeks to protect them.  

The Canine Parvovirus vaccine is a core vaccine and critical for prevention. However, until the vaccine schedule is complete, your puppy could still easily catch parvo. Puppies with parvo will most likely need hospitalization. Symptoms to watch out for include:  

• Dehydration  
• Bloody diarrhea  
• Fever  
• Lethargy  
• Loss of appetite  
• Vomiting

Puppy Diarrhea Concerns

Puppy diarrhea is one of the most common puppy illnesses, often unexplained. It might be due to a new diet introduced too quickly or from the stress of moving. It can also be caused by eating inedible objects such as trash, plants, or toys.  

Severe causes include worms, parasites, parvo, and other infectious diseases. It is essential to monitor any puppy diarrhea and contact your vet. Things to monitor for include loose stools, stools that aren’t brown, and bloody stools.  

Canine Parasites

Fleas, ticks, and worms are parasites, and they are common puppy health problems. Fleas are the most common external parasite; worms are the most common internal parasite. Puppy dog owners can prevent parasites through regular preventive treatments. Specific symptoms showing your puppy may have parasites may include:  

• Itching and or allergic reactions
• Diarrhea
• Anemia
• Inflamed skin

Canine Mange

Puppies can catch mange by direct contact or sharing bedding. Mange is a contagious skin disease caused by burrowing mites that lay eggs in your puppy’s skin. It causes severe itching. Your vet will need to manage treatment. Specific symptoms of mange may include:  

• Crusted skin  
• Hot spots  
• Skin rashes  
• Extreme scratching  
• Hair loss  

Kennel Cough

A contagious respiratory illness, kennel cough spreads among dogs via direct contact, food, water, or other shared objects. It can spread quickly through confined spaces such as doggy daycare and dog shows. Puppies have weaker immune systems, which means they are more prone to getting rougher cases of kennel cough. Some common specific symptoms include:  

• Dry, harsh cough, often followed by heaving  
• Runny snout and eye discharge  
• Sneezing

How to Help a Sick Puppy

Treatment for a sick puppy will vary depending on the illness. Your vet will be able to best advise you on treatment based on the diagnosis. Additional things you might want to do to support your puppy include:  

• Providing Rest: Make sure your puppy has plenty of opportunity to rest, curled up next to you or in their bed.  
• Digestive Support with Food: Your vet will tell you the best food for sick puppies. You can also try serving puppy food with specially formulated digestive supplements if they recommend doing so.  
• Be Gentle: Puppies react well to gentle, calm people. Talk to them gently, travel with them gently, and try to keep them unstressed during illness.  
• Hydration: Make sure your puppy doesn’t get dehydrated. Watch out for excessive water drinking as well.

Preventing Common Puppy Illnesses

Puppy illnesses are sometimes unavoidable. But, you can take some preventive steps to keep your puppy as healthy as possible. Those include:  

• Feed Them a Healthy Diet: Giving your pup the fuel they need to grow and thrive is essential. Feeding a healthy diet of puppy food formulated for growing bodies is important.  
• Manage Their Weight: Consult with your veterinarian to learn the optimal weight for your breed. Feed your puppy’s recommended serving sizes and during recommended intervals, which vary based on your dog’s size, age, and more factors.  
• Monitor Their Coat, Skin and Eyes: Any changes in coat, skin or eye appearance can be the first symptoms of an illness.  
• Play With Your Pup: Play is exercise and a rewarding bonding time for you and your puppy. Play helps keep puppies happy and in good shape. Just make sure to play with them more gently than adult dogs because of their growing bodies and sensitivities.  
• Preventive Parasite Treatments: Puppies are more sensitive to parasites than adult dogs, so talk to your vet about preventive measures you can take to keep them safe, especially if they are going to the bathroom outside where they might be exposed to parasites.  

Vaccinating Your Puppy

A puppy’s immune system is still developing and vaccinating your puppy can benefit them and protect them from fatal viruses and diseases. Common puppy vaccinations include:  

• Rabies  
• Distemper  
• Adenovirus  
• Parvovirus  
• Parainfluenza  

Noncore vaccines depending on lifestyle, location, and risk of exposure. They might include:

• Leptospirosis  
• Lyme disease  
• Kennel cough (Bordetella)
• Influenza  
• Rattlesnake toxin  

When to See a Vet

Talk to your veterinarian if your puppy seems unwell, and schedule regular check-ups as recommended by your vet for preventive care. It’s best to consult a professional to ensure your growing dog can start their life on the right paw.  

For more expert tips on your puppy’s health, explore our other puppy health articles.