Hello,
My puppy is 9 1/2 weeks old, and I had to take him in to the emergency vet the night before Thanksgiving because I noticed blood in his stool. It turned out to be colitis. He's fine now, just finished his week of anti-diarrhea medication and is tolerating his bland diet well (got the OK from the vet to start SLOWLY switching him back to hard food). I'm concerned because ever since he got sick, he won't go near his water bowl! I have been keeping him hydrated by adding plenty of water to his food, and getting him to drink out of my hands, but I'm worried that he is still avoiding his water bowl now that he is better. Any advice would be appreciated!!
Thanks!

If hes drinking out of your hand he is obviously not avoiding water, maybe its the bowl? I remember Lily wouldn't eat out of a metal bowl for the first few weeks I had her. Sorta weird but I tried using a different bowl and it worked. You can also entice him to drink out of the bowl by splashing the water a bit with your hand, or putting a bit of food in there or some chicken broth.

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awww poor pup. sounds like shes had a rough starts.
i agree, i think it might be your water dish. chloe use to snorkel in her metal water dish. when i switched her to a ceramic bowl i havent had any problems

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Thanks. Griffin is sleeping now, so I'll switch out the bowl and try this. He was drinking fine out of the bowl for a week, right up until he got sick, and then wouldn't go near it, so I didn't think about getting a different bowl (just attributed it to him not feeling well). Hopefully this works - I'd love for him to go to the water when he's thirsty and not have to wait for me to coax him to drink from my hand!

Could it be because he's getting enough water from his food? I had to soak Molly's kibble for four weeks and I noticed she drank a lot less water during that time. Did he get subcutaneous fluids while at the emergency vet? Molly would drink less during the days following sub q fluids/IV.

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I tried putting broth in with the water, before I went out to get a new bowl, and he came right out of his crate to drink it this morning! He only had a little, but now at least I know it's not the bowl. He must have been getting enough with his food these past few days (I guess having to rush him to the vet at 3 am that first night he got sick has made me a little paranoid). Thanks everyone!

Mick had a problem when he was around that age with his water intake. He had 2 stainless steel bowls. He was okay with the food bowl but would fight that other dog (his reflection) in his water bowl. He would bark, growl and paw at it. Had to use a ceramic water dish.He eventually outgrew it.

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Please make sure you use low-sodium/low-salt broth. Health Food stores, e.g., Whole Foods, has a low-sodium chicken broth that I've used for Renny. He loves it!

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Wendy

Now the proud Mom of Renny, gotcha-day 10/19/2012.



My beautiful Lacey, always loved, never forgotten.
- Gotcha Day April 28, 2008 at @3 years old
- Crossed over the Rainbow Bridge, at the age of @8 years old, on Sunday, August 5, 2012

Thanks, I had Trader Joe's organic low-sodium broth on hand so that was what I used. Griffin will be one more reason to always keep extra broth in my pantry, just in case

Do his tags hang & hit the bowl? Some dogs don't like the sound.

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**Fraulein "Maggie" Louise 8/2/95 - 7/20/09**
*At Rainbow Bridge but Forever in Our Hearts*