dog needs to gain weight-big time

[MonaD]

Hi all,
I have not posted in ages (must update Murphie's pic-she's a healthy 11 month old, 65 pounds now!), but I always pop in to read and catch any useful info. I always find it too.
Problem is not Murph, but my roommate's German Sheppard X, Sadie. She is a lovely dog but soooooo skinny. I mean its sorta scary, all ribs and backbone, especially with winter coming on. She has been to the vet recently and received a clean bill of health and has been dewormed but she is just so thin.
She gets pretty good food but is a rather delicate eater. Roomie has tried switching foods, but Sadie just eats how much she wants and that's that. She's a pretty active, happy dog and we can't FORCE her to eat more so my question is what can we do to put a few pounds on her? I'm thinking add extra protein and fats (she does get a salmon oil supplement, the odd egg and the occasional meaty bone) but apparently not enough to add pounds.
More oil supplements maybe? More meat? Donuts? (just kidding about the last one, but it worked for me-heh heh
Appreciate any advice.
Thanks,
Mona

 

[Gallien Jacks]

Hi all,
I have not posted in ages (must update Murphie's pic-she's a healthy 11 month old, 65 pounds now!), but I always pop in to read and catch any useful info. I always find it too.
Problem is not Murph, but my roommate's German Sheppard X, Sadie. She is a lovely dog but soooooo skinny. I mean its sorta scary, all ribs and backbone, especially with winter coming on. She has been to the vet recently and received a clean bill of health and has been dewormed but she is just so thin.
She gets pretty good food but is a rather delicate eater. Roomie has tried switching foods, but Sadie just eats how much she wants and that's that. She's a pretty active, happy dog and we can't FORCE her to eat more so my question is what can we do to put a few pounds on her? I'm thinking add extra protein and fats (she does get a salmon oil supplement, the odd egg and the occasional meaty bone) but apparently not enough to add pounds.
More oil supplements maybe? More meat? Donuts? (just kidding about the last one, but it worked for me-heh heh
Appreciate any advice.
Thanks,
Mona

LOL just be carefull to do things slowly, what food is she on?

 

[MonaD]

Sadie's latest food is the Kirkland brand you get from Costco. Chicken and Rice. She seems to like it, and eats close to the recommended amount. Perhaps she just has one of those metabolisms that burns calories like heck.

 

[MonaD]

I should clarify...
What I'm looking for is some safe and healthy foods we can supplement her diet with so she gets a few more calories in her. In addition to her regular kibble.

 

[Wings]

My GSD used to be like that too, just bones and you can see the ribs so clearly and her bones from her back leg stands like a small hill. Everyone I met on the road asked if i'm not giving the dog food and starving her. She was pretty sick for abt 1.5mths or so and was on Ekanuba puppy for large breed (didn't know it was such bad food till i joined this forum)
Now I fed her raw + steamed vegs (carrot/brocolli & potatoe) Eggs every weekend and cottage cheese too. With her food I add Yoghurt (in the day feed) & a whole apple (in the night feed). She is doing extremely well now and have gained weight steadily.

 

[fillyone]

How's her poop?
GSDs are prone to EPI (Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency) which can leave them almost skeletal! If you google canine epi you're find a wealth of information out there on it.

 

[Saje]

Does she like it when she gets the bones and eggs?? If she does I'd just add more. Maybe she could switch to a raw diet eventually? Or homecooked?

 

[fillyone]

Also if it's truely a need to simply gain some weight, take a look at this thread at a GSD board:
http://www.germanshepherds.com/ubbt...=0&Board=UBB64&Number=143007&page=0&fpart=all

 

[Mordy]

mona, you can add fish oil for example. it's high in essential fatty acids and adds some extra calories.

eggs are a good idea as well, and if you like you can slowly introduce raw bones with some meat and fat trim.

 

[GSDMom]

Satin Balls

10 lbs hamburger
20 pkgs Knox plain gelatin
2 boxes of Life cereal regular size
2 cups peanut oil
20 egg yolks
2 cups molasses
2 12-16oz jars of wheat germ
1/4 cup salt
Mix together and make into balls about the size of a ping pong ball Feed 2-4 thawed balls perday in addtion to normal daily meal

This will put weight on quick !!!

 

[GSDMom]

is Sadie spayed? I had a young bitch who sounds very similar to this girl
only ate enough to keep herself alive. We did testing on blood, stool everything was neg. we then did a urine test and she had a urinary tract infection, put her on meds but the infection came back.
Finally my Vet said if we spay her this will fix the problom - and sure enough
it did, she is a bit too heavy now

 

[MonaD]

Wow, thanks for the all great advice.
Love that recipe for Satin balls!
Sadie is not spayed yet, though roomie says it is in her near future. I'll check out the threads and websites listed, and we'll initiate "operation poundage" with all your great tips.

Mona