My Boy Needs To Gain Weight.

[MDBeland]

We adopted Marty Dec. 17th 2017. His racing wt. was 75 lbs.

 

The day we left the adoption center he weighed 74.7 lbs.

 

Jan. 2nd he weighed in at his wellness check up at 73.4 lbs. Our vet contributed this loss to be stress.

 

Jan. 29th (yesterday) I took him to be weighed again and his weight was 72.2 lbs.

 

We have been feeding him Pro Plan Salmon and Rice - 4 cups a day (2 cups AM and 2 cups PM).

 

I take him out for walks 3x a day. Morning walk is a half mile, afternoon walk is a half mile to 1 mile, and evening walk varies depending on temperature half mile to a mile. On average though about 2-3 miles a day.

 

Our vet recommend that we increase his food to 4.5 cups a day. We are going to try this for the next 2 weeks and if there is no weight gain then we will be getting a blood test done. I am hopeful this increase in food helps and we are able to get his wt. back up. I'm also considering changing his food - something that is more substantial in order to cut back on the amount of servings.

 

Any suggestions?

[macoduck]

Current thought is not to use the racing weight as what your dog should be at. Walking, even several times a day, may be less exercise than what he needed to retain his muscle mass. Add to that the stress of adjusting to home life. I think it's way too soon to worry about weight loss.

 

Here's a good article by an adoption group: http://www.greyhoundcrossroads.com/index.php?page=weight

Edited January 31, 2018 by macoduck

[cleptogrey]

the lamb and rice version of pro plan has more calories. check it out.but adding carbs(rice, yams, potatoes) will help and that's what i would do.cheese is pretty fattening as well(use it for training). but always check for worms. since he's still adjusting to life off the track give it time. remember muscle mass weighs more and he might be loosing muscle which is pretty common.

[GreyTzu]

He really does NOT need to gain weight. His weight is fine. However, if you choose to up his weight a bit, my guess is that a good pet weight for your dog is about 80 pounds.

 

Dogs in general do NOT need to be "Labbie" fat. The majority of pet dogs are overweight, usually grossly so.

 

Keep in mind that the amount of food suggested by a dog food company is just that, a suggestion. Every dog has different needs and will need a different amount of food. Your Vet is also making a suggestion.

 

I have a big male who did not race. When I brought him home, he was about in the low 70's. I kept him about 77 to 80 lbs and he looked good. I noticed that he had tanked up again and is about in the mid 80's now. He will be going on a diet to drop some weight.

 

My dios eat 1 to 1.5 cups of Purina One lamb and rice once a day. They get a treat when they come inside from a potty trip on the yard. No one is starving in our home. Now if you ask the dogs if they are, of course they will say I starve them, brats!

[NewGrey2017]

We got our dog in late October and I'm feeding him the same amount of the same food + Olewo carrots. Our walk schedule is similar to yours, about 1-2 miles depending on weather. He poops 5-6 times every day, but I can't get him back to his racing weight of 71 lbs. He is consistently weighing about 66-68 lbs. You can see all ribs and hip points, etc.

 

I can tell you that mine is very positive for hookworms, I'm hopeful that when we get these under control, some weight may go back on him.

 

If your vet hasn't done a check for these yet, it might be worthwhile.

[MDBeland]

We got our dog in late October and I'm feeding him the same amount of the same food + Olewo carrots. Our walk schedule is similar to yours, about 1-2 miles depending on weather. He poops 5-6 times every day, but I can't get him back to his racing weight of 71 lbs. He is consistently weighing about 66-68 lbs. You can see all ribs and hip points, etc.

 

I can tell you that mine is very positive for hookworms, I'm hopeful that when we get these under control, some weight may go back on him.

 

If your vet hasn't done a check for these yet, it might be worthwhile.

 

Poops 5-6 times a day? Is that due to the hookworms? My hound goes 2 times a day (morning walk 1 hour after meal and evening walk 1 hour after meal).

 

How long will it take to get rid of the hookworms? The last check for my hound was at the adoption center.

[NewGrey2017]

 

Poops 5-6 times a day? Is that due to the hookworms? My hound goes 2 times a day (morning walk 1 hour after meal and evening walk 1 hour after meal).

 

How long will it take to get rid of the hookworms? The last check for my hound was at the adoption center.

 

We've been through so many rounds of Panacur, Drontal, Interceptor and Advantage Multi that my head is spinning. We've had him 13 weeks and he has been positive the entire time in the 3+ range. The vet thinks the hookworms steal a lot of his protein and thus it is hard to put weight on him. My dog came from West Virginia, but reading this website, hookworms are prevalent in many new adoptees from all over. The fecal test costs me about $45 and will scan for all kinds of worms and other parasites. If you are feeding him an amount that you think should increase his weight, but isn't I'd get this check done just to rule out worms and parasites.

 

I envy your 2 pick up per day life!

[LaFlaca]

This is a treat/weight gain recipe from my adoption group. It can be adjusted to make smaller quantities.

 

Satin Balls

10 pounds hamburger meat [the cheapest kind]
1 lg. box of Total cereal [or comparable natural brand]
1 lg. box oatmeal
1 jar of wheat germ
1 1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/4 cup of unsulfured molasses
10 raw eggs
10 envelopes of unflavored gelatin
pinch of salt
Mix all ingredients together, much like you would a meatloaf.
Divide into 10 1-quart freezer bags and freeze.
Thaw as needed.

[cleptogrey]

it's the food that results in that many poops a day. a 10# bag of potatoes, nuke or boil them, mash and mix into food. hooks will not necessarily be the cause of that much pooping.

 

after worming interceptor for heart worm monthly helps keep the worms at bay.

[GeorgeofNE]

It's perfectly normal for a retired dog to lose muscle mass, which weighs more than non-muscle mass (can't say fat with a greyhound!).

 

My first boy lost about 5 pounds, and never gained it back. My second boy has gained weight, and at times too much weight. Your dog will be healthier and happier if he trends towards thin, not towards heavy. The entire "five pounds over racing weight" chestnut that is so often tossed about is nonsense.

 

I'd find an experienced hound owner and just ask them what they think. Your vet is probably not actually the best judge of healthy weight for a greyhound unless you live in an area with lots of them!

[LaFlaca]

My vet is quite Greyhound savvy. There is usually at least one other Grey at the clinic when I visit with Lola. Lola was 68 lbs when I took her in for her first wellness check and I mentioned that I wanted to put a couple of pounds on her. Both the doctor and her tech said, "Don't you dare!". Just confirming what I already knew; putting 5 lbs on them when they come home is nonsense.

[MDBeland]

My vet is pretty savvy. We live in the Birmingham, AL area and adopted our boy from the Birmingham Race Track - he came to us right off the track.

[amalexia]

Cameron's racing weight was 62 pounds. We maintain around 61 pounds. More importantly, we make sure she looks like she is at the proper weight: proper waist tuck and muscle definition, along with the muscle curve on the back (as described in this post: https://www.facebook.com/dennis.mckeon.33/posts/10154756116326829).

[sobesmom]

I see no issue at all. The slight, and it is SLIGHT, decrease in weight is worth nothing. I wouldn't change what the dog was used to eating. I know new adopters, that are educated and looking to do everything right are so careful - I was one of those - but ... this is NOT an issue. Relax.

 

Your dog is FINE. Ounces do NOT matter. Focus on the acclimation stuff. Do NOT focus on weight. Greyhound's weight can fluctuate week to week by pounds, for nearly no reason. Do NOT get hung up on that.

 

Focus on your dog's health, happiness, and acclimation to the household. Stop getting your dog weighed. Look at it, and know what to do.

[GreytHoundPoet]

I wouldn't focus on that small amount of weight loss right now unless he starts to look and act like something is wrong. Has he been checked for worms? He's adjusting to retirement and a new life. Unless you are keeping him in top performance condition (which entails more than walks) he will lose weight as he loses muscle mass. All of my Greyhounds have stayed at or under racing weight their entire lives. A lot of people put weight on them as a general rule and, as their performance muscle deteriorates unless kept well conditioned, fat piles on and replaces the lost muscle. There are a lot of variables when considering general build so no hard, fast rule applies to all dogs. Unfortunately, I see a lot of fat Greyhounds, and even obese ones.

 

This is an excellent guide to Greyhound weight: http://www.greyhoundcrossroads.com/index.php?page=weight.