New border collie pup worries

[mumnosbest]

We've had our pup just 4 days and I'm already just like a new mum, worrying about her. We searched for ages but prices have sky-rocketed so ended up going with a local man not a registered breeder. I'm now worried about how little I actually know about where she has come from.

She's 9 weeks old but seems so tiny. My kitchen scales say she's just under 3oz (not sure if they're very accurate). I have her vets card. She's had both sets of jabs and been wormed and flead according to her card. The first 2 days she was fine, very sleepy but playful in between. Yesterday she had very loose poos and brought up bile but I put it down to her pinching the cat's food (I've moved it now) and eating grass. Today she had diarrhea again and been sick. She has slept most of the day. She has been awake for short intervals but has mostly just wanted to cuddle rather than play. She has barely eaten since she arrived but is drinking and weeing plenty.

I am calling the vets first thing to get her checked over. Does this all sound normal and just stress related? Or should I be really worried?
Thanks!

Good luck at the vets OP.
Just to compare sizes, my dog was 3lb at 10 weeks and is a toy breed. Yours sounds very small for the breed.
But super cute I hope you get on well at the vets. Come back and keep us posted.

Hope things go well at the vets. Years ago puppies would go to new homes at 6 weeks. She does look small and the vaccination card looks dodgy.

She looks younger than 9 weeks for sure and the weight would fit. Maybe ask the vet about Welpi puppy milk or something similar. It's fortified with lots of good stuff. I reared 8 lab pups by hand after their Mum became very ill and once they went onto food I kept giving them some milk by soaking it over the dry food. The loved that if softened it a bit and it was warm. Just leave it on to soak for less and less time as they get older.
I can't see a good breeder feeding pups Bakers, it's not a good quality food so I would wean her off that. Maybe she isn't eating much as not used to the dry food? Maybe she has just been having mums milk??
I hope the vets help and fingers crossed she perks up soon x

What are the dates on the vaccine card and what is her DOB?

A PP is incorrect each individual vaccine does not have its own number, each batch/lot is numbered. So the stickers look fine though she's not vaccinated against parainfluenza which is probably because she had her first vacc before 8 weeks of age. Regardless she shouldn't have her second jab until after 10 weeks

Is she microchipped?

The smallest pup in any litter will always struggle. @mumnosbest once she settles and is checked over, it's essential that you start proper socialisation and training. A pup from a poorly bred background will be much more prone to behavioural problems and collies can be tricky to manage at the best of times.

Oh my, she does seem very little. But you sound lovely OP, get her to the vets ASAP this morning and hopefully with some very good care she'll be just fine.

Look at this website that rates and prices dog food. Some of the shop bought brands are rubbish. Good luck with your gorgeous pup!

www.allaboutdogfood.co.uk/

Hope pups been ok overnight. Fingers crossed get can give you some answers and get her on the right track

Something similar happened when I bought a kitten. It wasn’t even the first time I’d bought one but had been many years between and once I bought him home realised something wasn’t quite right. Got him to the vet and the seller had lied about how old he was and was only 6 weeks old. He’s doing fine now after a bit of extra help at the beginning.

I'd say five weeks tops by her size.

She doesn't look anything like mature enough for 8 weeks. Collies aren't my breed, but I'm relatively puppy experienced, and I'm guessing 5ish. So she's not fully weaned, which is why she's struggling with solids.

I agree with everyone who's said you need to take her to the vets asap.

In terms of the vaccine card, the stickers having the same number isn't an issue. The numbering is the lot or batch number, and every vial made in that lot will have the same number. Does that mean I think she's had all her vaccines? No, I'm pretty sceptical - she's too young for them even if she really is the age you've been told.

So, step one: vets. Step two: update us on how she is, please?

She does look tiny for 9 weeks. Please let us know how it goes at the vets.

It used to be normal (even 15 years ago) to get a puppy at 6 weeks, so if she's younger than was claimed, it's not the end of the world.

Get her fit, well and vaccinated and then socialise her really well, with lots of exposure to new sights, sounds, smells and experiences.

And, no, to answer you - being able to see her ribs is not normal. She should be plump and glossy all over!

Please take her to the vets if you haven't already?

Alll of us rooting for you and your wee pup OP.

Look forward to hearing what the vet says

And come back here for lots of advice and support. People on here are great - I've learnt so much!!

ps What's she called?

shes very cute - i echo the good advice here

i hope you are at the vets OP, she really does need to see a vet. she does not look like a 9 week old collie. Ive had a few and they are wonderful dogs but absolutely mental.

Hope all goes well for her this morning OP 🐾 🐾

I really hope she is ok this morning but this is a cautionary tale for anyone who decides to go against all the advice out there.

She looks really small in that pic. Like around 6 weeks rather than 8. My collie pup was a cast off runt from a farm and would have been disposed of if I didn't rescue him. He was tiny and was full of worms. It was really touch and go at first.

Have you managed to get into the vets?

She looks absolutely tiny bless her. It's good she's eating and drinking though.
How did the vets go?

Re the same lot numbers on vaccines - ldpup just had her 2nd vaccs today - same lot numbers as first set.

Have you managed to get her seen, OP? I hope she's okay.

My cat had vaccinations last week and the stickers do still have the red corner.

Is the name of the vets or phone number on the vaccination card? If so you could phone them to double check what she has had?

Hope she is ok

Here is my border collie at 8 weeks when we picked her up. I can’t remember what she weighed but she’s a lot bigger. Fingers crossed for yours, OP!

Did she go to the vet?

I am also sure that is not an 8 week old collie. What worries me is that this man is offloading the puppies so he can breed from his dog again ASAP. Please report him to the Council /RSPCA so that he can be stopped.

I also worry about the long term impact on your dog as well as short term worries. Collies can be very neurotic even without being taken from their mother too young so please get advice from a good trainer / behaviourist in the longer term as well as the vet short term.

Having said that we did everything wrong with our last dog. We heard he was going to be knocked on the head so we paid £75 for him, and rescued him from the shed where he was locked up alone. The farmer claimed he was 8 weeks but he had very long legs and was clearly nearer 3 months. He had diarrhoea on and off until we finally worked out he needed cereal free food. BUT he was the loveliest boy and filled our house with love and laughter for 13 years. Though he went blind and developed another terminal inherited health problem when he was 13.

This time I did everything right because I wanted a health checked dog with known breeding. My first pedigree Collie after 5 taken from farms and he is by far the most demanding, a total diva with the car chasing obsession... (but still loved)

I hope all is okay with you and little pepper, OP!