Why is my puppy's belly big? What breed is he and is it normal?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Puppies should be dewormed every 2 weeks from 2 weeks of age to about 10 weeks of age. She can still have worms. But in general puppies of Bella's age tend to have fat little distended bellies, just like human babies, which is very normal. They tend to look even fuller after eating. It is time to start her vaccinations so the Vet can also feel her belly to be sure everything is fine. I wish Bella the best!

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Enlarged, hard belly often results from eating too much and too quickly. In this case, the belly all of the sudden gets big, about 20-40 minutes after eating. As long as your Ziggy is comfortable, not crying and his energy level is normal you just need to monitor him at home. The mild bloat should get better in 4-6 hrs time. Chronic abdominal distention in puppies in most cases is related to gastrointestinal worms. If Ziggy has not been de-wormed yet, please do it as soon as possible. You can buy worming medications at the vets but also in pet shops and online - you can get them over-the-counter.

A large belly in a puppy is typically going to be caused by either a severe intestinal parasite problem or an underlying congenital heart defect which is causing ascites. These are two very different diagnoses, therefore you will have to get Nikko examined b your vet to determine which is likely the cause. I do hope that he just has a large parasite (worm) load which can be easily treated for. Best of luck and take care.

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Ozzy is so cute! One thing that comes to mind right away is if any dewormings have been performed. Puppies get infected with intestinal parasites from their mother before birth and while nursing. Deworming of puppies should be done as early as 2 weeks of age and should be done every 3 weeks for at least 3-4 dewormings. This is usually why puppies have pot bellies. I hope this helps. Seems like everything else is looking good. Good luck with cute Ozzy.

It definitely does look bloated. It could be from eating a large meal or from intestinal parasites (worms). I would have your vet take a look a him. They will likely want to do a fecal on him to check for worms and if needed, they will deworm him. I hope this helps!

Very commonly worm infestation (gastrointestinal parasites) can affect puppies and cause the signs you are describing. Abdominal swelling is caused by the presence of the parasites, which can also cause malabsorption of nutrients, discomfort and possibly dehydration, especially if you notice soft feces/diarrhoea. A picture of him would definitively help to determine more specifically the underlying problem, but generally speaking a check up would be required for parasite treatment. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

If she is acting normal otherwise than it might just be that her stomach is full from the feeding. She could also have a parasite causing her stomach to be enlarged. Have a vet take a look at her to determine if she needs treatment. She may need to be dewormed with a broad spectrum dewormer.