Emaciated pup

[kelpiegirl]

My Danny will be a year in a few short days, which I find just impossible to believe! Anyway, he has of late, lost weight. He went away for training, but instead of putting on weight when he got home, he lost it. He has no fat anywhere. I can feel his hips, spine, shoulders, you name it. I had his stool checked, and it was positive for Giardia. He has been treated for three days on Panacur. Now, what to use to put weight on him. He is on Healthwise adult, and loves it. All the other dogs who eat this love it, and need very little to keep in goo nik. Danny gets almost 3 cups a day, plus numerous biscuits.

 

Raw is not an option, but are there any good dry foods that can keep up with a busy boy? Danny does work sheep, but not as often as I would think would be considered hard work.

[Sue R]

One thing I would consider, Julie, is adding fat to his diet. Most dog foods have sufficient protein (this can vary tremendously with the different brands) but often the fat in the feed is not balanced with the protein. You should be feeding about 3:2 (protein:fat) as a percentage - 21% protein would be balanced by 14% fat. (Now, I'm thinking is that grams or calories?)

 

Anyway, I find that adding some fat (I use beef fat because that's what I have, cooked or raw, but have also used bacon grease or pan drippings, or fat trimmings from any of an assortment of meats - some folks use some form of vegetable oil but I stick with animal fat), usually about a teaspoon to a tablespoon per meal, and just watching the dogs' conditions to be my best alternative.

 

I also do find that coat and skin seem improved with added fat - shinier coat, more supple and non-flaky skin.

 

Of course, finding a food that offers more calories for the same weight/volume might be another option but I would also still look at adding fat and making sure to avoid increasing carbs (the grain portion of the feed).

 

Good luck with your good Danny-boy!

 

And, just by the way, my Dan (who just turned 11 months) has largely stopped growing frame but is barely maintaining weight. I wonder if it's a bit of an age thing - he's very active, doesn't seem to want to consume any more food (well, not kibble - he'd eat his raw meat and so on if I gave him more). Since he's slowed down growing and hasn't started filling out, he may just be at an eating plateau right now.

 

I honestly wonder about the effects of giardia, especially if it's undiagnosed for some time or present for a while in a smaller pup - our Bute came to us at 12 weeks with it and his digestive system was never good - but that may have had absolutely nothing to do with the giardia (and he had it at a much younger age than your Dan).

[bc friend]

You might also want to add a dollop of cottage cheese or yogurt to his kibble.

[juliepoudrier]

I've used regular oatmeal to put weight on dogs. Not the instant kind, but the old-fashioned rolled oats. I always add a little milk (or cottage cheese).

 

I also second what Sue said about adding fat. In addition to fish oil caps, my dogs all get a tablespoon + of safflower oil in their kibble daily.

 

J.

[Debbie Meier]

My Danny will be a year in a few short days, which I find just impossible to believe! Anyway, he has of late, lost weight. He went away for training, but instead of putting on weight when he got home, he lost it. He has no fat anywhere. I can feel his hips, spine, shoulders, you name it. I had his stool checked, and it was positive for Giardia. He has been treated for three days on Panacur. Now, what to use to put weight on him. He is on Healthwise adult, and loves it. All the other dogs who eat this love it, and need very little to keep in goo nik. Danny gets almost 3 cups a day, plus numerous biscuits.

 

Raw is not an option, but are there any good dry foods that can keep up with a busy boy? Danny does work sheep, but not as often as I would think would be considered hard work.

 

 

One of my new rough coated males is recovering from a huge weight loss that came about just since winter set in. I first increased his food by 1/2 and split the meals to three times a day by the end of the week I had increased each feeding so that he is now getting 2 times his normal. He's getting 4 cups per day which is double the recommended feeding for his size and double what everyone else is maintaining on. It's been just over a week and he looks and feels a lot better, I'm going to start easing him back down by discontinuing one feed. By doing it this way it did not upset his stools. At this point everyone if back to kibble, feeding Kent Native Level 2, it's a Chicken and Rice 26% Protein and 16% fat. We were feeding a higher fat percent last winter but noticed the dogs lost weight, we reduced the fat and they gained. That same fat percent was fine during the summer when they were working hard.

 

Deb

[urge to herd]

I'd add a probiotic daily as well, to make sure he's digesting his meals fully. We use Jarro Multi Dophilus.

 

Ruth

[diane allen]

I will second Ruth's probiotic recommendation. Curiously, we also use a Jarrow product, but it's called PetDophilus, with some of the 'species' specific to dog guts. (It's a bit hard to find on their web site, but it is there....) Fat is also a biggie - in limited quantities of course. Cottage cheese, full-fat plain yogurt, and oats are all good choices.

 

diane

[kelpiegirl]

Thanks everyone. Will be hitting the market today, and ordering some pro-biotics. We need some weight on this waif!

[jenkshipley]

instead of putting on weight when he got home, he lost it. He has no fat anywhere. I can feel his hips, spine, shoulders, you name it. I had his stool checked, and it was positive for Giardia. He has been treated for three days on Panacur. Now, what to use to put weight on him. He is on Healthwise adult, and loves it. All the other dogs who eat this love it, and need very little to keep in goo nik. Danny gets almost 3 cups a day, plus numerous biscuits.

 

Make sure you re-treat with Panacur for a minimum of 3 days in 3 weeks!!!

 

Add some whole fat yogurt, cottage cheese or some cooked ground meat to his food. You could also consider some canned Evo or Wildnerness Blue Buffalo that has no grain and good fat content.

 

Best,

Jen

 

Flute AAD, AX, OAJ, OAC, OGC, NAJ - semi-retired

ADCH Enna TM - Silver, SACH, GCH, SCH, JCH, RCH, MX, MXJ - rescued champion

Rising Sun's Hot to the Touch - aka: Fever - retired due to epilepsy

Kasi EAC,EGC,EJC, OA,OAJ - (1992-2007)

[Maralynn]

And, just by the way, my Dan (who just turned 11 months) has largely stopped growing frame but is barely maintaining weight. I wonder if it's a bit of an age thing - he's very active, doesn't seem to want to consume any more food (well, not kibble - he'd eat his raw meat and so on if I gave him more).

 

Kenzi is just about a year and skinny as all get out - a friend of mine said she hardly wanted to pet her cause you could feel every bone. She is 30# and eats 2 1/2 + cups /day. I bought her a coat so she doesn't use any extra energy trying to keep warm. I gave her oatmeal for a while, but I think I should start up again.

[Laura L]

Not to high jack the thread, but I've got an older LGD that I'm trying to keep weight on this year. Any suggestions on how much oatmeal, cottage cheese or yogurt to add to his diet? He's 85# and getting 6 cups of dog food a day. I've been adding 2 tbs of beef fat since October. He's not losing weight, but since he's outside I'd like him to gain a bit more before it gets really cold.

 

Thanks,

Laura

[juliepoudrier]

To add weight on a 43# border collie, I fed a cup of cooked oatmeal as a second meal (the first meal was kibble, probably 2 cups or so). So maybe start with two cups of oatmeal and adjust up as needed. Also, are you feeding a lower quality food to the LGD? If so, maybe just switching to a higher quality food would make a difference (and you might be able to feed less). Generally I feed cottage cheese as an additive, so if I were giving two cups of oatmeal, I might add maybe 1/4 c. cottage cheese. You may just have to fiddle around with amounts until you see him gaining weight. (For reference, I think my maremma weighs 75# and she gets 2-2.5 cups a day of the same kibble I feed the border collies. I add a tbsp of safflower oil, and she gets 1000 mg fish oil and 400 iu vit E daily. I add in stuff like eggs, cottage cheese, leftovers, whatever to her kibble pretty much daily.)

 

J.

[Liz P]

Not to high jack the thread, but I've got an older LGD that I'm trying to keep weight on this year. Any suggestions on how much oatmeal, cottage cheese or yogurt to add to his diet? He's 85# and getting 6 cups of dog food a day. I've been adding 2 tbs of beef fat since October. He's not losing weight, but since he's outside I'd like him to gain a bit more before it gets really cold.

 

Thanks,

Laura

 

What are you feeding the LGD? Rather than add unbalanced extras why not try a high calorie food for working dogs? I used Eagle Power Pack for years when I ran sled dogs and was very pleased with it. EPP does contain corn, but I found that my dogs didn't have a problem with it (even the dogs who couldn't tolerate corn in other brands of food). EPP seems to be very easily digestible, it has lots of good research behind it and it is affordable.

 

I love Evo but it's expensive.

[hsnrs]

Thanks for bringing up this topic. We have a male Aussie who is skinny too. Won't oatmeal give him the runs?

[Pam Wolf]

Xtra Bloom Wate is a great way to just add fat calories to the working dog. I found it some years ago for an anorexic GP and now use it for my Kelpie and some of the adolescent BC's who have trouble keeping weight on. Unless I give too much, the stools stay good too. I find it at Dressler's Dog Supply

[kelpiegirl]

So, I went to the store, and I picked up the supplies suggested. Finding yogurt with fat was not easy. I finally found Stonyfield, which had a cream top? Anyway, Danny LOVED it, and is very happy with his new addition. I figure the Yogurt could also help to put the good bacteria back in his gut.

[WildFlower]

Stonyfield is good yougart!

 

And the bacteria in the yougart should help with digestion.

[Laura L]

To add weight on a 43# border collie, I fed a cup of cooked oatmeal as a second meal (the first meal was kibble, probably 2 cups or so). So maybe start with two cups of oatmeal and adjust up as needed. Also, are you feeding a lower quality food to the LGD? If so, maybe just switching to a higher quality food would make a difference (and you might be able to feed less). Generally I feed cottage cheese as an additive, so if I were giving two cups of oatmeal, I might add maybe 1/4 c. cottage cheese. You may just have to fiddle around with amounts until you see him gaining weight. (For reference, I think my maremma weighs 75# and she gets 2-2.5 cups a day of the same kibble I feed the border collies. I add a tbsp of safflower oil, and she gets 1000 mg fish oil and 400 iu vit E daily. I add in stuff like eggs, cottage cheese, leftovers, whatever to her kibble pretty much daily.)

 

J.

 

I'm feeding the same food (Nutri Source Chicken & Rice) that the BCs are getting. It's 26% protein and 16% fat so it's not far off the 3:2 ratio. In the summer the LGDs get 4 cups a day and in the winter between 5 & 6 depending on the weather, age, whether they're inside or out. They do occasionally get eggs that are broken or frozen but it's not a daily thing. I could start giving him the leftovers & eggs more regularly. I figured that since I eat the real oatmeal myself, it wouldn't be a big deal to make some extra.

 

Theo's in good shape for his age I just don't want him to lose weight in the winter. Thanks for the advice.

 

Laura