Severly underweight rescue dog

WobblyDog

I'm not sure, but I have the impression that some dogs just don't thrive in rescue centres, and won't eat properly while there. With dogs like that, it might be better to release them to a responsible new owner while still underweight, rather than wait indefinitely for them to gain weight in the centre.

hethmar

Bless him, I hope he soon bangs on the weight and enjoys his new life.

*But Wobbly, they had hung on to the dog as apparently no one wanted to pay out £250 for him, so he had been there ages! Some dogs do find kennels very stressful and certainly dont thrive - in which case you find him a knowledgeable foster home to build him up.

Caroline_a

My first Dane was a rescue dog, he was in a dreadful state when I got him, the rescue place had only had him 24 hours. I took him straight to the vet who recommended a diet of green tripe and bran. Initially everything I gave him went straight through him for a few days but gradually he turned the corner and I could see a difference. 6 months later he was magnificent, so all the horrible smells of tripe and my misgivings about giving a dog with an upset stomach bran were totally unfounded!

Rev

Firstly congratulations on your new dog. Good on you for rescuing him.

I'd get him off the IAMS asap. Crap, over priced food, made by a company with a dodgy reputation.

If you have a pets at home near by I'd highly recommend their wainwrights wet food, £8 for 12 trays, they do lamb and duck flavour which are good for getting weight on. Other god wet foods are nature diet, natures menu, natured harvest. Pets at home sell all them too, and most small pet shops sell naturediet.

Arden Grangs lamb and rice is also good for putting a bit of weight on. But I'd be adding wet too, at least just till he was up to fighting weight.

I'd also feed little and often too, at least three times a day.

The vet will probably recommend hills/royal canin. Or whatever brand their practice gets a kick back for selling. I trust my vet but realise that vets in general know as much about animal nutrition as regular doctor's know about our. IE, nothing beyond basics. You can get much better for less than what the vets will be selling.

Good luck with him.

virgin_moneysaver

well - good news from the Vets today, even though he's underweight he has a narrow frame anyway so will never be a large version of the breed - the vets scales made him 21 kg, so looking at putting on 4kg minimum, his coat will improve with the diet & he has a very low grade heart murmer, which the vet said was no cause for concern & could even be due to the stress he's been under & may disappear altogether once he's at peak condition, but if it doesn't its not affecting his organ function so not to worry. I've been doing 3 small meals a day, & the vet said to put him on a food suitable for lactating females & working dogs to bring him uo to speed, then switch to a product for his size etc. My Vet didn't recommend any in particular, didn't mention the food his practice sells, he just said to finish off the bag of Iams puppy I'd bought, then switch to the above mentioned formula. We've had this Vet for several years, also my family use him for their pets, & I trust his advice. So feeling a lot better tonight

virgin_moneysaver

Rev wrote: »

Firstly congratulations on your new dog. Good on you for rescuing him.

I'd get him off the IAMS asap. Crap, over priced food, made by a company with a dodgy reputation.

If you have a pets at home near by I'd highly recommend their wainwrights wet food, £8 for 12 trays, they do lamb and duck flavour which are good for getting weight on. Other god wet foods are nature diet, natures menu, natured harvest. Pets at home sell all them too, and most small pet shops sell naturediet.

Arden Grangs lamb and rice is also good for putting a bit of weight on. But I'd be adding wet too, at least just till he was up to fighting weight.

I'd also feed little and often too, at least three times a day.

The vet will probably recommend hills/royal canin. Or whatever brand their practice gets a kick back for selling. I trust my vet but realise that vets in general know as much about animal nutrition as regular doctor's know about our. IE, nothing beyond basics. You can get much better for less than what the vets will be selling.

Good luck with him.

will look into the food you've mentioned - we have a pets at home about 8 miles away so will pay them a visit

Padstow

virgin_moneysaver wrote: »

well - good news from the Vets today, even though he's underweight he has a narrow frame anyway so will never be a large version of the breed - the vets scales made him 21 kg, so looking at putting on 4kg minimum, his coat will improve with the diet & he has a very low grade heart murmer, which the vet said was no cause for concern & could even be due to the stress he's been under & may disappear altogether once he's at peak condition, but if it doesn't its not affecting his organ function so not to worry. I've been doing 3 small meals a day, & the vet said to put him on a food suitable for lactating females & working dogs to bring him uo to speed, then switch to a product for his size etc. My Vet didn't recommend any in particular, didn't mention the food his practice sells, he just said to finish off the bag of Iams puppy I'd bought, then switch to the above mentioned formula. We've had this Vet for several years, also my family use him for their pets, & I trust his advice. So feeling a lot better tonight

I'm glad he's home with you.
Rather than finishing one food and then starting a new one, it might be better to buy the new one and mix the two.
This is because changing foods can upset their stomach, the last thing you want right now.
I hope you have many happy years with him.

Sagz_2

Congratulations on your new dog x

Another vote here for Arden Grange, I've used it for years to fatten up rescue dogs, depending on how underweight I'd feed 3 to 6 small meals a day. I'm sure away from the stressfull atmosphere of the kennels and with some TLC he will soon be up to weight and looking a picture of health.

robocop

Am a member of an animal rescue forum in Ireland. There was a recommendation on there by a husky rescue organization for using freeze-dried meat to put weight back on underweight dogs. Pedro is a brand over here but Chudleys Greyhound Crunch is the same I think. You re-hydrate it in warm water apparently. I have a female red setter who is 31KG so you have a way to go yet. Best of luck.

hethmar

Skinners seems to be a food that a lot of people use for working dogs - may be worth looking at. I give my boys Orijen which is very good food but very expensive