Needs to gain weight

[wolfsoul]

Visa needs to gain weight but I am having a hard time making her do so. The vet says she needs to gain about ten pounds.

She is up from 2 cups a day to 8 cups a day. She is now off of EVO and RAW and onto a puppy formula. She gets one can of canned food a day mixed in with her kibble. I also mix in different oils, flaxseed, and sometimes an egg. I give her several treats -- infact, sometimes we go through an entire box in just one day (already today I've broken up two bagsfull of Pupperonis that I fully intend on using). She is also getting RMBs. Oh, and I've been giving her one energy bar a day.

She is in good physical health. She just had a titre done two weeks ago. She doesn't have worms. I am going to have her checked for hyperthyroidism. But I think she just has a high metabolism. Her breeder says that if she doesn't gain ten pounds within a month that she is going to take her back.

I can't give her Satin balls because she is allergic to oatmeal. I can't limit physical activity -- this is a groenendael, it would be cruel --- not to mention we start agility classes today. She has ony gained about a pound since I've started trying to fatten her up, about two weeks ago. Is there anything else I can do?

[Glacier]

Can she have rice? I've given satin balls, but replaced the oatmeal with rice. Works just as well. I fed them to Paxil when she was fighting cancer and dropping weight like crazy. She loved them.

My understanding is that dogs don't get hyperthyroidism, unless they have thyroid cancer, which is extremely rare.

Some dogs are just naturally lean. Mac eats more than my malamute does and weighs less than half what Heyoka does. He's just got a revved up metabolism and he's designed to be a lean, running machine! Sounds like Visa might be the same way.

[wolfsoul]

Thanks for the advice, I'll replace the oatmeal with rice, sounds good.

I've read that hyperthyroidism is just an overactive thyroid. When I got tested for hyperthyroid, they never said anything about cancer. Is it different in dogs?

[Glacier]

I've read that hyperthyroidism is just an overactive thyroid. When I got tested for hyperthyroid, they never said anything about cancer. Is it different in dogs?

It is an overactive thyroid. I think it can have a number of causes in humans and cats, but affects dogs differently.

[pitc9]

I had that problem with Sierra (and I still do) I had her tested for exocrine pancreatic insufficiency along with everything else, and all came up find! My vet and I have just come to face the fact that she's a skinny girl that eats like a PIG!!

[Kymcole25]

We have the same problem with Jagger, after he get's sick. Our vet gave us a "bulk-up diet" that works great, it took Jag from 6.2 lbs to 10.4 in a month.
I could post the recipe if your interested.

[wolfsoul]

The recipe sounds interesting, could you please post it?

[Kymcole25]

1/2 cup Cream of Wheat, cooked to make 2 cups
1 1/2 cups creamed cottage cheese
1 large hard-bolied egg
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vegatable oil


Cook Cream of Wheat according to package directions, including salt. Cool. In another bowl add remaining ingredients and mix well. Keep covered in refrigerator.

We normaly give him just the "White Stuff" as we like to call it, but at times we mix some of his wet food in with it. It really dosen't matter how you feed it!

Hope it works for you, like it worked for us!

[wolfsoul]

Thanks! I will go shopping for those ingredients today.

[bckrazy]

I cant believe the breeder is threatening to take her away! You should definitely tell her everything you've told us... how old is Visa? With many herding breeds, it's almost impossible to keep weight on them until they've fully matured. Gonzo weighed about 25-30 lbs until he was 18 months old, he was the same height he is today and now he weighs 45 lbs. He looked like we were starving him, but we fed him lots of high quality food ~ the vet wouldn't even let us neuter him until he got up to 35.

I think going from 2 cups to 8 cups is a BIG change, maybe try to make that more gradual? I've heard that drastically changing their food intake can do more harm than good for a skinny dog ~ they tend to get upset tummy's and lose even more weight from it. I would slowly change the 8 cups of kibble to half high quality, high calorie canned food with half kibble. Satin balls with rice is a GOOD idea! Give her plenty of high-calorie treats, like RMB's and cookies and pig ears, but I think 2 boxes of treats a day MIGHT be over-doing it LOL! A really high-calorie treat or food is Red Barn (or a similar brand) soft dog food in a roll. good luck!

[cali]

lol Visa is young is she not? as a herding breed she will likley be skinny for a while and fill out as she matures, Misty was pretty tiney for a while, she was around 25lbs, same as Happy, for like 2.5 years, she only now has started to fill out and her weight becoming a little more normal, she is 37lbs now a still nice and lean.

[wolfsoul]

Visa will be 3 years in January. When I first got her, she was almost a good weight. She only needed to gain a few pounds. So it's not that she is a young herding breed, because she was better before. She did need to gain some, but atleast she was in show condition. Her breeder is upset that Visa couldn't be shown these past couple of weeks.

I don't like the idea of feeding her that much food either -- -I would have rather have put her on RAW (which is what I was going to do). However, her breeder told me that I need to keep feeding Visa as much as she will eat. Visa was eating about 8 cups at the time -- now I can barely get her to eat 2 again. She won't even eat her treats anymore. The only thing she will eat is RMBs and the puppy's food (Science Diet, ewww). I don't know what to do. I think she did gain a bit more weight though.

[pnance]

I have/had the same problem with Nikka, she's a pointer/chow but has a pointer body so she's extemely lean as it is. When I first got her she was severely underweight. We went through a few different foods (she's really finicky, she'd eat a little but if she didn't like it that's it). I finally switched her to Canidae (not the highest calorie food on the market) but she loves it so tends to actually eat more. I fed her at will , she could just graze periodically all day and supplimented some canned food in the evenings for dinner, which helped her get to what would be considered normal. She will always probably run a little underweight because of her energy level and metabolism, but she's only 1 or 2 lbs at most. We still have the problem sometimes when it's hot she doesn't eat much, so I always try to feed as late as possible during those times and coat the dry food with wet food or gravy.

As for the breeder, what was her life like before you got her. Did she get as much excersize? If you add additional excersize to a high metabolism then your probably going to get a weight drop initially while she adjusts. Explain the problem to the breeder and see what she suggests. I'm not familiar with this breed but, this can't be her first dog she's had this problem with if the breed is prone to high energy/metabolism.

[lv4dogs]

That seems a little odd. Considering the breed & the circumstances I'd say the breeder should allow you a little more time, especially seeing as you are certainly trying.
If you can't get her to gain the weight by then try talking calmly to the breeder, explain that you are trying different diets, trips to the vets (offer proof from the vet), exercise regimans, etc...
If I remember right you haven't had her that long either, it takes a little time for the dog to get adjusted to everything & what not. So I'd bring that up as well.

How old is she? If she is under 2 explain that she is still a puppy therefore needs more time even yet.

Offer a compromise or maybe a contract with the breeder. Like ask if she will allow you one additional month, or if your having a real tough time getting her to gain wait (and especially if she is young) ask for 6 months AND in that time you will provide the breeder with info/updates from the vet, receipts from diets, weekly updates on progress etc... Tell the breed that if you fail to provide updates that she can then take her back when ever she feels like it.

Good luck!

[Thandi]

My new rescue is also very skinny, and the vet wanted another 10 lbs on her. We've had her almost 2 months and she's gained zip. She definitely has herding dog in her, according to vet. My labx eats the same amount (of "light" nutro) and gets heavier and fatter, Chloe just stays the same little lightweight!