If he has not been wormed this could be due to a worm infection.
This could also be due to a problem with the pup's liver not processing food right.
If he has not passed any stool when stimulated to do so that could also be the issue.
I'd suggest for right now putting a couple of drops of Karo or pancake syrup on his tongue to see if raising his blood sugar levels helps him.
If the vet didn't check a stool sample for intestinal parasites you may need to do that.
If he was chilled when you fed him he may be having problems due to the food not digesting. Make sure he has a supplemental heat source to snuggle to if he needs it and that he can also move away from when he is too warm. He is right on the edge of the time when pups can start to control their own body temperature. They may eat if chilled but then the food ferments creating painful gas and upset instead of digesting.
You can try a feed of plain pedialyte between his milk feedings to see if that helps him.
Make sure he is urinating and defecating.
If you are feeding artificial formula I've had better luck feeding goats milk with a daily dose of liquid puppy vitamins. http://www.meyenberg.com/ may help you find a source for goats milk. In my area the Wal-Mart stores offer it at the lowest price.
You can read here about saving a fading puppy
http://www.showdogsupersite.com/kenlclub/breedvet/fading.html
You may be dealing with an infection but until you know for sure this is distemper or another viral infection treating for a fading pup and considering checking for intestinal parasites etc. is your best bet.
If you feel you need a vet tonight then this site may help you locate an emergency vet if you need one
http://www.vetlocator.com/hotline.php
Hope this helps you!
Dog Expert:Rescue, Train,Breed,Care
30+ yrs dog home vet care & nursing, rescue, behavior&training, responsible show breeding, genetics
How long should we wait to see if he will pass stool. He did urinate alot today and only stool once. It was the most solid we have seen. Our vet indicated that he thought he was too young to have distemper. Please advise
Sorry it can take some time before I can get back to reply.
He should pass stools a couple times a day at least. You can try a warm compress on his abdomen and then stimulate his anal area with a damp paper towel.
Whether the pup could get it would depend on if the mother was ever immunized against it.
http://marvistavet.net/html/body_canine_distemper.html
I was glad he had been wormed but if he was wormed today or yesterday the worms passing could cause the crying as they tend to get all stiff and unless they digest they can be painful for a pup as they move through the digestive tract.
You can try a q-tip or a thermometer with some mineral oil or petroleum jelly on it to open the anal area a little bit and see if that irritation helps the pup pass a stool if the damp cloth and abdominal warming doesn't work.
You cany try bringing him in a steamy bathroom to see if that breaks up any congestion.
If you think he is really bad then in person vet care with an emergency vet may be the best bet.
You didn't say why you took him so young but many times pups don't survive and he might have a health issue from a genetic problem or birth defect.
Are you burping him after feeding? a gas bubble will make a pup cry.
Pups should not leave their mothers and litters until they are 7-8 weeks old at the earliest. If mom was sick she likely passed anything she had to the pups.
Over feeding with the formulas is really easy. One of the reasons I prefer the goats milk is I got lots less gastric upset from using it when I've hand raised litters where the mother died.
Mylicon should be safe to use with the pup if you suspect gas.
Probably half an infant dose based on the size of the pup vs a human infant newborn.