What to feed a dog to gain wieght?

**lv4dogs** · 07-10-2006, 02:09 PM

Have you had any bloodwork done on the dog? If not I strongly reccomend doing so.

the vet wasn't much help

Perhaps seek a second opinion.

**bckrazy** · 07-10-2006, 02:50 PM

Wow... Alpo?

Seriously, you need to consider switching her to a high quality food. My sister has her Lab on a grocery store brand similar to Purina One at one point, and he became dangerously thin even with tons of food. Switching him to a higher quality food and giving him extra meats & satin balls completely brought him to a healthy weight.

I am saying, IMO, you need to switch her to a premium kibble... like Natural Balance, which is available at any Petco. You must have feed stores in the area, they carry many good brands. Low quality food is ok, whatever, as long as your dog is healthy. If she isn't, that is a red flag for you to switch her to a healthier food with actual meat in it! Being skinny for so long will definitely have horrible side affects - I've seen healthy dogs first-hand who have been too thin for too long and developed hip dysplasia because the muscles on the hips were not built enough.

To answer your question, no, eggs with shells are not damaging to dogs at all. My dogs eat raw eggs with the shell daily & they love it. Just don't include the shell if it bothers you. Oatmeal is actually known to be gentle on sensitive stomaches. Please don't knock it til you try it, satin balls are a great tool to give your dog extra nutrients and fats, which your dog desperately needs.

Also, I find feeding kibble chock full of gross, nutrition-less fillers and animal by-products (which includes but is not limited to: hair, sawdust, feces, teeth, feet, & feathers) a LOT nastier than feeding clean, whole raw meat.

Just my opinion.

**Danegirl2208** · 07-10-2006, 02:53 PM

very well said bckrazy!! Agreed!!!

**GreyhoundGirl** · 07-12-2006, 08:56 AM

ok, i'm going to try and answer everything:

"Have you had any bloodwork done on the dog? If not I strongly reccomend doing so."

Yes, the vet did it, but told us she was fine, just too skinny. ( people started getting turned-off when you could see all the bones in her spine. Eww.

And I never feed her Alpo, that was what her previous owners feed her.

I got her the high-calorie purina 1 for active dogs. It has 16 % fat. And 26% protien.

"Which is available at any petco" We don't have a petco here. And I've never seen Natural Balance

I tried giving her some of the things in that recipie, I didn't have everything, so I sorta fooled around with it.

Yesterday, she gained 2 lbs ! Yay !

Thanks for your help !

**GreyhoundGirl** · 07-12-2006, 07:42 PM

Today we went to the vet. AGAIN !!! Since May, she has gained 1.2 Kilograms, Congrats ! ( I'm saying congrats to my dog, who won't ever be reading this... Am I crazy ?

)

The vet also gave her a once-over and said that about another 10 lbs or so and she should be good. 10 lbs? I thought she would need more than that... The vet said to put it on her slowly, as not to cause too many negative effects. ( Well, duh ! I was thinking )

How heavy should she be when I stop trying to make her gain wieght? I don't think she'll ever be 65 lbs- the average for a female grey. I think between 30-40 would make her look about perfect.

Is it all about looks, or could she be too skinny even if she looked perfect? I just don't know ? ! Argg....

**GreyhoundGirl** · 07-30-2006, 08:45 PM

Now Jenny has gained a LOT of wieght in a short time. She now weighs... Something, I'll post tommaro. Here is a pic. ( finally ) Is this fat enough for her to stop gaining wieght?

Birds eye view.