hello there i have a westie and he is 14 weeks old and im really worried about him.he wasnt he usual self yest he seemed quiet and like he didnt know what to do with himself, last night when we put him in his pen he started to really cry which he doesnt usually do so we got him out and he sat on the sofa with us and just laid down which he doesnt do as usually he is a ball of energy and wants to play all the time but he just wanted to cuddle.we settled him down and put back in his pen and he went to sleep.this morning i woke up to him crying again which he doesnt usually do he waits nicely for me to get up.when i let him out he was quite nippy i put his food down and usually he eats it all and he didnt touch it for a while then only ate abit.he was following me around and crying and when i sat down he rested his head on my foot and he attempted to play then would lay down again.so i put him back to bed and he has been asleep for a couple of hours.am i just worrying or should i ring the vet.ive never had a dog before so this is all new to me.some advice would be great thanks sam

I would Def take him to the vet Today,
Check his gums are they pale? and if possible take his temperature
But my advice is get him to the vets today to be in on the safe side.
If he is not is usual bouncy westie self then get him checked out xx

When in doubt it's always best to seek professional help - pups in articular can go downhill very quickly when showing signs of being unwell.

He may have eaten something which is toxic, have a blockage, infection etc so better to be safe than sorry and have him seen a.s.a.p.  Changes in behaviour are often the first indicaton of underlying health problems.

regards, Teri

thanks for both replies,he has just to play again but he is still quite nippy.i shall ring the vets thank you

i now have an appointment with the vet for 2nite so hopefully he'll be ok.are puppy's noses ment to be warm and dry?

Hi again sammie84

I'm glad you have an appointment with your vet :)

Dogs' noses are normally moist and cool - they can sometimes appear dry if sleeping in a warm room (central heating on for example).  Has your puppy been drinking normally?  Any sickness, runny motions? 

The pup may be a little dehydrated.  Try pinching the skin between your thumb and forefinger on the back of his neck or shoulders - does it spring back or seem to "tent"?  If "tenting", i.e. staying up and only slowly going back to previous state, then your pupy is dehydrated and I'd suggest you have your appointment brought forward.

Are the gums paler or darker than normal?  Lift the lips at the side and check the colour above the teeth.  If they are pale/grey and "sticky" to the touch or if they are seemingly redder/darker than normal and therefore congested, again, have your appointment brought forward - I'm sure if you explain to your vet that s/he will prefer to see the puppy sooner rather than later. 

Teri

thanks for the advice. he has an throat infection

Thanks for the update :)  I'm glad it wasn't anything too serious and hopefully your puppy is more comfortable now and on the mend.

Best wishes, Teri