Is the pup's loss of appetite the result of the hookworms? I quess what I'm asking is, when the hookworms are cleared up will he most likely get back to being a happy healthy pup? And what is the duration of the treatment? Is the pup in danger or is this something that Miles family can do the best they can during the treatment?
Well see, I got Miles when he was 7 weeks old. I took him to the vet the day after I got him. They gave him a shot for Parvo, and I brought in a stool sample. They checked for worms and found he had hookworms. The vet stated it would be no problem as hookworms are common in puppies and gave him an oral medication called Imathal to get rid of the worms.
After about a week and a half I noticed he was sleeping a bit more than usual, and not finishing all of his meals, but was still playful at times and having good stools and everything.
Then, the day I was scheduled to take him to the vet (wednesday) to get his 2nd shot, he seemed to be really lethargic, and only ate half of his first meal.
I informed the vet of what was going on and he prescribed a vitamin supplement to boost his iron level because he had become anemic due to the hookworms feasting off his blood. He also said he would worm him a again next month, if worms were still present.
The vet did not seem too concerned, but Mr. Miles here still will not eat, and that is a problem. He is a bony little boy, when he should not be.
The NutriCal would be a temporary fix until he is interested in his food again. He eats Canidae and loved it until just a few days ago. He is so lethargic and weak now, that all he wants to do is sleep. On the occasion he'll get a streak of playfulness in him for literally like 2 minutes, then he's pooped again.
I also think he may be becoming hypoglycemic because of this, which I believe the NutriCal would aid in this situation.
So, in the end, I would just be using this as a temporary fix to get him to gain some weight and feel like a puppy again until the worms are gone!
Thanks for all your responses everyone!