I Accidentally Overfed My Puppy! Should I Worry?

If you’re a new pet parent, it can feel overwhelming to determine how much food you can give to your little pooch. Sometimes, you might accidentally overfeed your puppy. However, panicking can work against your goal of keeping your puppy safe and calm. Read on to find out what to do instead!

In case you accidentally overfed your puppy, most of the cases might only cause mild discomfort and nausea. However, in some unfortunate cases, your dog may be diagnosed with Gastric Dilation and Volvulus (GDV) when overfed. Such cases require immediate medical attention. 

In this post, we’ll discuss the ramifications of overfeeding your puppy. We will further discuss what to do in case they feel bloated or vomit after overeating their last meal. Let’s start by elaborating on some symptoms of an overfed puppy!

What Are Some Symptoms of An Overfed Puppy?

While it may sound pretty obvious, the most effective method to determine if your dog is overfed is simply by checking if they are overweight. Another telltale sign of overfed puppies is an irregular bowel movement, the nature of their poo, and the abnormal increase in the bombardment of farts. If they are increasing their fussiness with food and often leave food in their bowl after meal times, you should note that your little pup might be overfed. 

The simplest and most effective way to confirm if your puppy is being overfed is by their body shape. If they have a round stomach in contrast to a clear waist, check to see if you can find their ribs with your hand. If you cannot find their ribs and they have a round and bloated stomach, then this conforms your little pooch is overfed and overweight. 

Overfed puppies tend to have irregular bowel movements; they will have normal poo in the morning but soft poo after eating or during the day. As they cannot digest all the food they have consumed, your pup will have loose stool or could have diarrhea. Your pup will fuss over what they eat and never finish their food from the bowl after eating, which should also indicate they have had enough food.   

Can Overeating Make a Puppy Sick?

Overeating is not only a serious issue in puppies, as humans also suffer from this condition; if not noticed and prevented early on, they may suffer from obesity-related chronic diseases. Overfeeding your little pooch for a long period can cause numerous health problems accompanied by toxin buildup on their body. Arthritis, diabetes, overweight, bowel issues, and skin disorders are some of the most common health issues that result from over-feeding your little pup.

Overeating food can cause the buildup of fat in the body, potentially leading to heart disease or diabetes. Overweight pups have a significantly larger build than they can carry, and this extra weight will cause improper joint development, leading to arthritis. Besides this, vomiting and diarrhea are also common among overfed pups.  

Overfeeding can make your little pup sick; while they might not fall immediately ill, it is harmful in the long run. Your little pup cannot digest all the food they have consumed, and the excessive minerals will be toxic and detrimental to their health. The excessive toxin buildup in the body can also cause your pup to become bald or cause skin eruptions.  

I Overfed My Puppy, and Now They’re Bloated – What Should I Do?

Whenever your little pooch eats excessive food, it can cause the air inside the stomach to be trapped, which causes discomfort and pain. Depending on the condition of your pooch, immediate action or possible medical attention should be taken as soon as possible. Determining if they have food bloat or Gastric Dilation and Volvulus (GDV) is very important as the latter could be fatal, and your dog may require surgery.  

Many confuse bloating with Gastric Dilation and Volvulus (GDV), and proper tests must be done to distinguish them as symptoms are fairly similar. Bloating is just air in the stomach; meanwhile, in GDV, your dog’s stomach is dilated due to trapped food and gas; the food might even be visible in the stomach in the x-ray. So, the most important thing you must do after you notice your pup’s discomfort is to call your vet immediately, as this condition is life-threatening. 

Once you and your vet have ruled out any serious complications, you should give your pup plenty of rest and comfort. Usually, mild bloating can last up to 28-45 hrs, and you should seek a professional’s advice during this period to make arrangements accordingly. It is not prudent to feed your pup within the next 15-16 hrs of the upset stomach; allow your pup to drink lots of fresh water to flush out toxins.  

I Overfed My Puppy, and Now They’re Vomiting – What Should I Do?

The first thing you should do after noticing your puppy vomiting is to take them to the vet as soon as possible and follow the instructions provided carefully. Vomiting in puppies can cause dehydration and other complications which can be lethal to your little pooch. Make sure to feed your pooch plenty of fluids and a mild diet and be extra vigilant regarding their health at least for a few days. 

As vomiting causes severe dehydration, make sure your little precious is drinking plenty of water. While overeating may be the trigger, vomiting can also be caused by various other factors, such as infection, allergies, worm infection, poison ingestion, and many more. Therefore, it is prudent if you would stay cautious and share all your observations and doubts with your vet so that they can diagnose the root cause quickly. 

If it’s the first time your pooch has vomited, keep an eye on them for 1-2 hrs to make sure that there are no other symptoms. Pay attention to what they are throwing up; if the food is partially digested, undigested, or fully digested, and share every minor detail with the vet to be on the safe side. Moreover, try giving your pooch mild easy-to-digest foods like boiled chicken white or steamed rice after a while, as it can help soothe their digestive tract.   

Conclusion

If you accidentally overfed your puppy once, they might probably feel nauseated and vomit due to discomfort in their stomach. If not accompanied by any other symptom, this issue shouldn’t cause many problems. However, if your dog seems to be in too much pain and discomfort after overeating, make sure your rule out the symptoms of GDV. If in case of even the slightest doubt, please take your pooch to a vet for a proper medical 

Author

  • Brad

    Hi I'm Brad, the founder of bulldogpapa.com. Having been a vet of 6 years I work alongside our team to provide valuable insight into your dog's health. I have a frenchie myself named Senzu who is my pride and joy!