Guest firegypsy Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 One of my babies is SUPER skinny. When I got her I was told that no one could get her to gain weight no matter what. Her thyroid is fine, and she's not at all hyper. She's in great health, but she's PAINFULLY skinny. TO me in the human world this would indicate an allergy or food sensitivity. I've been cooking her eggs, yams, rice and giving her toast to push things in the right direction. Her bowel movements are still on the soft side, but no longer runny (thanks to TOTW!) I feel so badly-you can see her whole spine, all her ribs and her hip bones. My other grey is thin, but sturdy. She just looks so...frail. The vet isn't concerned so I'm guessing it's not an emergency, but does anyone have additional tips? (She was in a home before she came to me and apparently they spent a lot of time trying to fatten her up, but to no avail. I do not know what they tried, however-just that this is a long standing issue for my gal.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sambuca Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 I had tons of trouble fattening boy my up and he will probably always be a bit too thin. It took 8-9 cups of TOTW a day for him to gain any weight at all. He now maintains on 6 cups a day. How much are you feeding your girl? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverfish Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 It seems I have one now! New guy is painfully thin, and does not seem to eat enough to gain weight. We've not had him long, and he's had some horrendous dental issues, so I'm hopeful, but so far it's difficult to get him to eat enough. He'll eat, alright, but not the quantity he seems to be needing. He's had a geriatric blood panel and all seems well. He has an enormous amount of energy for a nine year old. It may just be the way he is. Puppy food is usually a good way to get extra calories into them, or many small meals a day. Trouble here is I have Sid who really cannot be allowed to put on any more weight than he's already carrying (and probably should lose a pound or two), and he wants to eat all Ranger's left overs! You could try satin balls too, but I don't have the recipe to hand. Do a search in all forums and you'll probably find it! Quote The plural of anecdote is not dataBrambleberry Greyhounds My Etsy Shop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocsDoctor Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 Like people they can have different body-types, I think. Doc is a big, rangy-looking dog, who never wants to put weight on - he eats his food with relish, but won't eat more than he needs, and has stayed at his racing weight. My vet (who keeps big dogs herself and has lots of other greyhound clients) always says he looks just fine and makes a nice change from all the chubby dogs she sees! If I think he is looking too thin, then on her advice I up his rations with a bit of extra protein rather than increasing his regular food - adding in for example some cheap human-grade beef mince, a raw egg, or a small can of sardines. Very popular with Doc and works better for us than extra carbs/ fat/ more of his dry food. Quote Clare with Tiger (Snapper Gar, b. 18/05/2015), and remembering Ken (Boomtown Ken, 01/05/2011-21/02/2020) and Doc (Barefoot Doctor, 20/08/2001-15/04/2015)."It is also to be noted of every species, that the handsomest of each move best ... and beasts of the most elegant form, always excel in speed; of this, the horse and greyhound are beautiful examples."----Wiliam Hogarth, The Analysis of Beauty, 1753. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3greytjoys Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 One of our hounds is super thin (exactly like you described). I've been trying to entice her to eat more for four years. She was 3 years old when she arrived. Vets have said there is nothing wrong medically, some dogs are just thinner than others naturally. (Not the answer I wanted to hear.) She's not losing pounds, she's just never gained enough to cover ANY ribs. I do believe our girl has a much higher metabolism than our other Greys. I've tried everything (including puppy foods). She limits her own quantity. Problem is if I do any short-term addition (like satin balls) to add a little weight for a week or so, it doesn't last because she'd have to eat it on-going. (Satin balls are too high in fat to be safe long-term.) Good to stick with a super high calorie, nutrient rich kibble long-term that your girl will eat. Warming kibble in the microwave slightly helps release food scent which often helps entice them to eat. Our girl was "reverse sneezing" a lot during her first 5-6 months. Local vets couldn't diagnose it. I finally diagnosed it myself: Nasal mites. (They're not common in CA.) We were finally able to treat successfully, and I believe she regained her scenting ability. After four years of pulling my hair out trying to entice her to eat, I've relaxed and just let her eat the quantity of kibble she desires. She does have an instinct to eat more about every 3 days, similar to a wolf in the wild. I jump on that opportunity by adding more kibble to her bowl on those nights. Our girl runs away from breakfast, but will eat late at night. I hope your girl has a better appetite. BTW, it's always a good idea to have a fecal test run, just in case her last fecal was taken during an "in between stage" of worm development, or if she has drunk from any natural outside water source - puddle, creek, lake, bird bath, flower pot, river, or pond that contains Giardia. A food sensitivity could show up in skin problems, a rash, excessive scratching, vomiting or diarrhea, etc. If stools don't firm up enough on TOTW, you could try CA Natural Lamb and Rice. 430 calories per cup. That food hardens up stools better than many, and it is on Whole Dog Journal's list of recommended foods 2011. (Innova is 504 calories per cup but has more ingredients, and doesn't have the same stool hardening result. TOTW may taste better to the dog than Innova, but I don't recall it's caloric count.) Good luck! I certainly empathize with you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fostr_Mom Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 I was also going to suggest worming. My last foster was very skinny and didn't put on any weight despite eating well. Just as I starting thinking there was something really wrong, I found a tapeworm in his stool. Once he was wormed, I added a midday meal and he picked up weight nicely. Quote <p>Mom to Kyle (Diehard Kyle) & Angel Gracie (KB's Sankey) Foster Mom for AFG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rickiesmom Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 Worming is a good idea. When I needed to get weight on one of my girls I gave her a one-egg omelet with breakfast and dnner, cooked without any seasoning in a little organic coconut oil. It's very digestable, added calories and she loved it. She still gets one every day, split between two meals. And I have become very accomplished at making omelets in general as a result of all the practice If you go this route maybe start with one egg split between two meals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest KennelMom Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 Rocky was always a very slim dog, but Prajna was painfully thin...to the point that I hesitated to take him places b/c I didn't want people to think we weren't feeding him! But, the more you fed him the more he pooped out. A raw diet helped a bit, but it wasn't until he turned 12 or so that his metabolism started slowing enough for him to gain some weight. Make sure the dog is otherwise healthy and doesn't have worms, but once you've done that you may just have a dog with a naturally high metabolism. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BrianRke Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 I gave Frank puppy food for about 5 months and he finally gained weight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest firegypsy Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 wow, it seems quite a few have dealt with this! Thank you for the responses. She's had worm testing done repeatedly. I'll do it again, but it's never come back positive. Her stool was fine until I took her in, it seems and we're getting back there. I put her on Orijen when I got her and that was a BUST. Then I went to TOTW which is doing good things. I've upped protein/fat and carbs (I save bacon fat and douse her food with it, cook her eggs in it and have 5 gallons of organic coconut oil here so she often gets that too! We live on that stuff!) I do sweet potato and rice because with humans having a hard time gaining its the carbs/fat that generally helps, but I'll try to add more protein and see what happens. She's happy and frisky so I'm not overly worried. But I want her to be her best self! I'm doing 3 cups of TOTW twice a day plus extras every day in the form of human food, but she's more than happy to eat. They *were* giving her 2 cups of food twice a day with no additional extras. Her appetite is brilliant so maybe I'll up it even more. Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest WhiteWave Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 I have one now. He is currently 8lbs below racing weight. He is 2 yrs old and extremely active. I am feeding high calorie, high protein/fat food, just started adding Satin Balls, boiled eggs and oil. He is slowly putting on a little weight, but he never quits moving! He has been wormed even though fecal was negative just to make sure. He is healthy, very muscled, but is super skinny. I'm hoping the satin balls will do the trick. He can not eat enough kibble to gain and maintain his weight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheFullHouse Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 I have a litter of 3 that didn't put on any pounds until they became seniors. I spent hours trying to find the right combinations of foods, treats etc. trying to put weight on them until I just decided that's the way they're going to be and then they became seniors, now I have to watch how many treats they get because they put on weight like there's no tomorrow. Quote Judy, mom to Darth Vader, Bandita, And Angel Forever in our hearts, DeeYoGee, Dani, Emmy, Andy, Heart, Saint, Valentino, Arrow, Gee, Bebe, Jilly Bean, Bullitt, Pistol, Junior, Sammie, Joey, Gizmo, Do Bee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brindles Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 I feel your pain - My Dazzle has always been a hard keeper. If it makes you feel any better, it's much healthier for them to be on the thin side than on the fat side. Quote | Rachel | Dewty, Trigger, and Charlotte | Missing Dazzle, Echo, and Julio | Learn what your greyhound's life was like before becoming part of yours!"The only thing better than the cutest kitty in the world is any dog." -Daniel Tosh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest firegypsy Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 I know. If only *I* had the same problem! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest d0ggiem0mma Posted August 1, 2011 Share Posted August 1, 2011 The loose stool may be from all the oil & fat you are adding. The body can only process a certain amount of fat/oil at a time. Any more than that is just passed in the stool. I would really up the carbs and protein, but be careful adding too much fat/oil as it will make it harder for her to digest everything else! My whippet, Zipp, self regulates his weight and is always much thinner than the other dogs. He looked like a Holocaust victim for a while and we had a full workup done (bloodwork, urine, fecal, etc. etc.) but it all came back normal. We tried high protein, high fat foods like EVO and Wellness Core with no luck. A higher carb food with grains finally put some weight on him. Now he eats Eukanuba and looks MUCH better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeofNE Posted August 1, 2011 Share Posted August 1, 2011 Sounds to me like a perfectly healthy dog that's just skinny! I think they're like people--there really are healthy people who eat whatever they want (and don't "recycle"!) who stay skinny no matter what. There are people who barely eat enough to keep some folks alive who are always a few pounds into the plump range. If your vet finds nothing wrong with her, if she's happy, energetic, if her eyes and coat look good, I'd relax if she were mine. Feed her as much healthy dog-appropriate food as she wants, and let her be a skinny girl! Quote Susan, Hamish, Mister Bigglesworth and Nikita Stanislav. Missing Ming, George, and Buck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest firegypsy Posted August 1, 2011 Share Posted August 1, 2011 thank you! Yes, I also think carbs are the ticket for her. She is healthy, but she's bald on her belly and haunches. So it does seem to me that something is a bit off-but we'll keep plugging away! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sja5032 Posted August 1, 2011 Share Posted August 1, 2011 thank you! Yes, I also think carbs are the ticket for her. She is healthy, but she's bald on her belly and haunches. So it does seem to me that something is a bit off-but we'll keep plugging away! That is pretty normal actually for a lot of greys, if her thyroid is good then its probably just genetics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sobesmom Posted August 8, 2011 Share Posted August 8, 2011 (edited) My Diana has always been super-skinny. And she was just fine. I worried about it too, like you, for quite a while, but she was FINE. That was just her build. She was 100% healthy. I just posted the other day in this forum that -shocker of shockers!!! Diana has gained weight - a lot!!! She raced at 54 lbs, and has been 57 lbs. most of the 4+ years we've had her - and now has pudged up in the last year, up to 65 lbs! She's still on the thin side, but more "normal" looking. If you rule out any medical issues - and your dog is healthy and happy - don't worry about it. Some dogs are just built that way. It's like that girl in highschool you had to hate because she ate like a horse and was ALWAYS skinny! Edited August 8, 2011 by sobesmom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greytlady94 Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 One of my babies is SUPER skinny. When I got her I was told that no one could get her to gain weight no matter what. Her thyroid is fine, and she's not at all hyper. She's in great health, but she's PAINFULLY skinny. TO me in the human world this would indicate an allergy or food sensitivity. I've been cooking her eggs, yams, rice and giving her toast to push things in the right direction. Her bowel movements are still on the soft side, but no longer runny (thanks to TOTW!) I feel so badly-you can see her whole spine, all her ribs and her hip bones. My other grey is thin, but sturdy. She just looks so...frail. The vet isn't concerned so I'm guessing it's not an emergency, but does anyone have additional tips? (She was in a home before she came to me and apparently they spent a lot of time trying to fatten her up, but to no avail. I do not know what they tried, however-just that this is a long standing issue for my gal.) Have you considered raw feeding? Quote Greyhound angels at the bridge- Casey, Charlie, Maggie, Molly, Renie, Lucy & Teddy. Beagle angels Peanut and Charlie. And to all the 4 legged Bridge souls who have touched my heart, thank you. When a greyhound looks into you eyes it seems they touch your very soul. "A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more then he loves himself". Josh Billings Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest firegypsy Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 yes!!!! and I'm starting TOMORROW! I'd put it off since I have 3 young kids and the fence needed to be repaired. I didn't want that raw food inside. HOWEVER the fence people have been here and are finishing tomorrow. So doggies get to be outside and I will start them on raw. I've no question it's the way to go, it was just the practicalities of it since my gal likes to bring her food onto the carpet to eat it. I'm super excited to see how things go. Now I just have to hit the store to find some yummy things for them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greytlady94 Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 Good! Quote Greyhound angels at the bridge- Casey, Charlie, Maggie, Molly, Renie, Lucy & Teddy. Beagle angels Peanut and Charlie. And to all the 4 legged Bridge souls who have touched my heart, thank you. When a greyhound looks into you eyes it seems they touch your very soul. "A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more then he loves himself". Josh Billings Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest firegypsy Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 well, they seemed to enjoy it once they figured out what to do with it. They had chicken feet and a chicken quarter each. They both sucked down the chicken feet. It took them about 15 minutes to eat them. They would nibble and gnaw and then run away. Then come back and toss it around and start up again. They even traded half way. LOL. Ultimately one of them ate both quarters, so I fed my gal kibble since she didn't get much of the chicken. Tomorrow I think I'll just keep them separated so they both get the full quarter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greytlady94 Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 (edited) Renie, one of my bridge angels never gained weight until I started feeding raw. Feeding her 3% of her weight daily did the trick. (edit for msp) Edited August 12, 2011 by Greytlady94 Quote Greyhound angels at the bridge- Casey, Charlie, Maggie, Molly, Renie, Lucy & Teddy. Beagle angels Peanut and Charlie. And to all the 4 legged Bridge souls who have touched my heart, thank you. When a greyhound looks into you eyes it seems they touch your very soul. "A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more then he loves himself". Josh Billings Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest firegypsy Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 good to know! still struggling here. the dog that needs to lose is happily eating raw. the doggie that needs to gain has no interest. I'm going to keep offering, but she doesn't really have much interest in eating. IN fact she even turned up her nose at kibble tonight until I put bacon drippings on it. She totally has me figured out. She refuses food, I do whatever I can to make it more appealing. LOL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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