# Puppy Eating Adult dog food?



## chlolivailey3 (Sep 21, 2008)

Ok all. I have a 16 week old, 6 pound Jack Russell puppy. I have been going back and forth between two houses lately, and she comes with me. I keep her puppy food at my mom's house, and when I went to my dad's house a few days ago, forgot to bring food along. However, my dad had dog food there for his golden, and said it wouldn't hurt my puppy to eat it for a day. She had about 5 meals of the adult dog food, then I came back to my mom's and she started eating her regular puppy food again.

Now, I am realizing how incredibly STUPID and irresponsible that was...

Last night she puked once after eating her puppy food for the first time in a few days. I'm not sure if the events were related, but she was totally fine after, playing and running and being herself. Fine this morning, ate her breakfast normally...took a two hour nap in her crate. It was after I took her out that I realized she was sick. Trembling, lethargic, hadn't pooped...Since she's so tiny, I wasn't taking any chances.

I rushed her to the vet, and they examined her and gave her some fluids because she had vomited and she's so little, and sent me home with a med to settle her tummy. Told me to observe her closely and if the lethargy continued, she had diarreah, or she no longer wanted to eat, bring her back in for some xrays, etc. The vet said she had probably gotten into some garbage or something that had upset her stomach, and I said ok, but was wary of that because I watch her 24/7 unless she's in her crate.

So, do you all think the food switching could have caused this? She just ate about 1/8 cup of her puppy food (she normally eats a 1/4 3x a day, vet said to give her smaller, more frequent meals for a few days) and she downed it and is now laying on her bed chewing a bone, looking sleepy but otherwise alright.

Could she really be sick from the food change? Thanks!


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

It's possible that switching back and forth between the 2 foods in such a short time caused her tummy upset. Some dogs don't have very much of a tolerance for changing foods. But giving her 5 meals of adult dog food isn't going to hurt her. Some people don't feed their pups any puppy food, just adult dog food, so there's nothing inherently wrong with it. Hope she feels better soon!


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## babysweet (Dec 11, 2008)

I agree... it's not the fact that it was adult formula, it was simply the sudden switch. Try adding a teaspoon of pumpkin to puppies food for the next few days, the insoluble fibre firms up stools quickly. Just don't overdo it, or you can swing him the other way - and make sure it's plain canned pumpkin, not canned pumpkin pie filling with spiced.


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## Shelterwood Danes (Dec 13, 2008)

puppy food is much richer than adult dog food. Switching back and forth between a rich food to a moderate food could have been the cause, but there are many other reasons that could cause a dog to become lethargic and throw up. 
How long was the commute from your dad's house? Long car travel can cause a dog, especially a puppy to get a little sick.


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