I'm Scared

[Rustyroo]

Franny is starting to lose a lot of weight. She's eating and she's active, well as active as a greyhound is. She loves her walks, but her ribs and her hip bones are really sticking out. I'm taking her into the vet this weekend for a weight check to see how much she has lost since her dental this spring.

[Guest june]

Sending prayers and hugs for you and Franny.

[EllenEveBaz]

[Houndtime]

Good thoughts for your girl. I don't know how old she is, but as they age, they really lose their muscle mass.

[Rustyroo]

She will be 11 in February. I know they lose muscle mass, but she seems to have a lost a lot in the last couple of months. She's feeling very boney.

[Guest MnMDogs]

Mork got very very bony over the last 2 years, despite how much he ate. He lost probably about 10 pounds total, and we had every diagnostic you could imagine- I was certain there was something very wrong with him. We never found anything wrong and just kept feeding him as much as he wanted. Hoping that it's nothing for your girl, also.

[Guest dmt]

My, almost 13 yr old, is losing weight too. She is eating well and still plays. I am starting to feed her a little bit of can food as well as her kibble. Good thoughts for your baby.

[NeylasMom]

If you don't find anything obviously wrong, you might think about a probiotic and digestive enzymes. Dogs' ability to digest food changes (worsens) as they age so this might help. With the caveat that I have really no experience with aging dogs like this, but a well trusted vet I know recommends those for all dogs and given just what I've seen as Neyla aged and now Zuri is, I think it makes sense. Can't hurt, might help sort of thing.

 

Hope there's nothing major going on.

[galgrey]

It's so hard not to worry. Hoping everything checks out and she just needs some additional calories. And digestive enzymes and probiotics can't hurt. I'm a big fan of both.

Edited October 1, 2014 by galgrey

[surrygreys]

[Guest normaandburrell]

So sorry, will send good thoughts your way.

[Guest k9soul]

Hoping she gets a clean bill of health and that maybe some supplements will help. My senior really got bony and thin too when she lost all her muscle mass, but it did seem fairly gradual.

[XTRAWLD]

Kasey can never keep weight on, I could overfeed him for months and I'd be lucky not to have a third rib showing. He'll be 12 in Feb! Ryder on the other hand, if I look at him wrong he gets fat!

 

I know your struggle and your worry. You aren't alone. Keep us updated.

[MP_the4pack]

If she gets a clean bill of health, give her Ensure for weight gain. At least it will help keep her weight up.

[Remolacha]

I hope it is just age related. Not all dogs lose weight as they get older, but it is pretty common.

[KF_in_Georgia]

You might also try an extra meal every day. She may not be hungry enough at normal mealtimes to consume much extra, but an extra meal at bedtime might help.

[XTRAWLD]

I just did some very quick research for keeping on weight. I looked up Ensure and since it has soy (which Kasey is allergic to) he can't have any, however what else was recommended for weight gain - Avocado. Does anyone know how safe feeding avocado is for dogs?

[MP_the4pack]

my girls attack me when Eggnog season comes. That puts on weight. Start easy since it is so rich, but it's pretty much egg, sugar and cream. And if you want better control, make it yourself with less sugar and maybe 1/2 & 1/2. Not as weight gaining but also not as rich.

[Burpdog]

Definitely check with vet. 11 is very young.

[NeylasMom]

I just did some very quick research for keeping on weight. I looked up Ensure and since it has soy (which Kasey is allergic to) he can't have any, however what else was recommended for weight gain - Avocado. Does anyone know how safe feeding avocado is for dogs?

I would consider the extra meal suggestion above as well as adding meat to the meals. Meat is palatable and a good source of digestible protein, especially something liked baked or boiled chicken, not to mention a more appropriate source of food for a dog than avocado or Ensure (not saying I would never resort to those as options, but meat would be my first choice).

[Rustyroo]

I'm going to start feeding her more. I think I'll start adding other things to her meals too.

[galgrey]

If you've never tried canned tripe, you could give it a try. It kept my boy, Cruz, eating for a good while in the last stages of CRF. I fed Cruz the Solid Gold, Tripett, and ZiwiPeak. He liked ZiwiPeak the best, but ate all three brands pretty well. Ideally raw tripe would be the most nutritious, but it's extra stinky and messy, so I would try canned first. Sending good thoughts.

[RaineysMom]

sending hugs to you and Franny, Jodie!

Edited October 2, 2014 by RaineysMom

[NeylasMom]

I just did some very quick research for keeping on weight. I looked up Ensure and since it has soy (which Kasey is allergic to) he can't have any, however what else was recommended for weight gain - Avocado. Does anyone know how safe feeding avocado is for dogs?

I just came across a chart on Facebook that lists fruits and veggies dogs can eat and ones they shouldn't and avocado was on the avoid list, fyi. I thought I remembered that you weren't supposed to feed them, but wasn't sure so glad I came across this coincidentally.

[turbotaina]

Re: avocados:

Is An Avocado Toxic to Dogs and Cats?

This much is true: Parts of an avocado contain an oil-soluble toxin called persin. Specifically, the fruit’s seed, bark and leaves are composed of this toxic, fatty acid derivative.

But is persin poisonous to our dogs and cats?

“Despite the rumors, avocado is not poisonous to dogs, nor likely to cats,” says Dr. Justine Lee, a board-certified veterinary specialist in both emergency critical care and toxicology and the CEO and founder of VetGirl.

“Dogs and cats don’t seem to be affected by persin,” explains Lee. “However, birds and large animals (such as horses and cattle) have issues with persin toxicity, as it can be deadly in these species.

“The bigger risk to dogs and cats is the foreign body obstruction that can occur when the avocado seed is ingested—it’s a large seed and can get stuck in the esophagus, stomach or intestinal tract.”

So, while avocado is safe for our dogs and cats to eat, the best bet is to limit their access to the fruit itself. This can prevent accidental choking as well as unexpected emergency surgery to remove the golf ball-sized pit from within your pet’s body.

Pet birds, however, should never be fed avocado.

 

And from the ASPCA site:

 

Clinical Signs: Birds, rabbits, and some large animals are especially sensitive to avocados, as they can have respiratory distress, congestion, fluid accumulation around the heart, and even death from consuming avocado. While avocado is toxic to some animals, in dogs and cats, we do not expect to see serious signs of illness. In some dogs and cats, mild stomach upset may occur if the animal eats a significant amount of avocado flesh or peel. Ingestion of the pit can lead to obstruction in the gastrointestinal tract, which is a serious situation requiring urgent veterinary care. Avocado is sometimes included in pet foods for nutritional benefit. We would generally not expect avocado meal or oil present in commercial pet foods to pose a hazard to dogs and cats.

If your pet ingested this plant, contact your local veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435.*

* A $65 consultation fee may apply.

 

 

Edited October 2, 2014 by turbotaina