Please help, my dog's acting wierd

[chriskuds]

Actually it's not my dog, i'm watching it for someone while they're on vacation. He's definately sad because his owners gone and he's in a new environment, but i just want to make sure there's nothing wrong. He has only ate once in the last 3 days, and he does drink but not very much. He's also only pooped once in the last 3 days. His nose is dry too. Is there anything wrong, or is this normal behavior when they're taken away from their home? Thanks.

[JustJo]

The most important thing is if he is drinking. Dehydration is dangerous so if he is drinking that is a good thing. He isn't pooping because he isn't eating. Bullwinkle used to quit eating for a couple of days after I left. Is the dog acting sick? This is a hard one to call. Dogs can be very upset being put in a new environment. The only way to be able to tell for sure if anything is wrong would be to have a vet check him.

[chriskuds]

i don't think he's acting sick, it's kind of hard to tell though. he lives with two other dogs, so they're always messing around and playing. now that he's with me, he just lays on his bed all day. he does still get really excited when i get the leash out, as he always has.

how much should he be drinking per day? he has only drank like half of his bowl (about 15-20 ounces) since yesterday, and he's about 70-75 lbs, lab mix

[JustJo]

Well from what I have read a dog should intake 1 ounce of water for every lb. of body weight. Here is a link:

http://www.petguide.org/dogwater.htm

[Magnum]

I think it is normal for a dog to not eat much when they are away from their family. As Jo said, making sure he is getting enough liquids is the most important issue. If he drank half a bowl in one day, and he is not very active, he should be fine. How long will he be with you?

[chriskuds]

He's been with me since saturday morning, and will be until Sunday afternoon.

[MariaRosa]

When I brought home my 3 year old dog, Coco, she had little interest in her water bowl.....in fact, I had her in the vet the very next day (just for a routine check up) and her blood tests showed that she was a bit dehydrated.

I would think your pup is exhibiting some depression from the changes in the household and will be ok. I would mention what you've noted, though, to his owners when they return, so that they can watch for improvement. If they return and he continues on this path, he may need to see a vet for some tests.

(((hugs)))
Paula n' Coco