is my dog malnourished?

Question

i have a 9 month old chihuahua puppy and we just moved into a house with two cats. since we moved he's been eating the cat food almost exclusively and he looks really thin (you can see his ribs). he still poops regularly and acts normal but i'm still worried. people continue to remark that he is really skinny. is there a risk of him being malnourished because he's not eating the right kind of food? what can i do to make him eat his own food? please help, he's my best friend in the world!

Answer 1

Cat food is very high in lean protein and low in fat and carbs, which your dog needs. You cannot let him live off cat food. Put the cat food high up on a table where your dog can't reach it, the cats will adjust and learn to eat wherever the food is. If all your dog has is dog food, he'll eat it. Try mixing canned dog food in with the dry to tempt him.

Also, take him to a vet- he could have worms or something, which would cause him to lose weight. Also, is he neutered? Neutered dogs tend to stay on the lean side no matter how much they eat.

Once he's eating his own food, and is neutered and free from internal parasites (if he's not already), he should gain weight.

If you like, you can also try adding cooked chicken, boiled eggs, or cooked steak to his dinners to help him eat.

Answer 2

Oh God, I hope the little guys OK. Giving cat food to a dog can cause death. My in-laws had a chihuahua also and let it eat their cats food. The vet immediately ordered blood tests to make sure it was alright. There's ingredients in a cats food that no dog should ever have. However cats can eat dog food with no harm to them. Get the best dry, canned or both dog food you can afford and feed only it to him. If he still won't eat his food, put a little gravy on it, what dog can resist gravy? If your can see his ribs well enough to worry, then he probably is too thin. I'd let him free feed for a while until his weight is up and you can feel his ribs with a light tough on them. Just remember NEVER give him cat food EVER again. Have your had him and your cats checked for worms recently? Worms can cause poor growth and low weight. The cats can transmit certain worms though sharing the food bowl. Try to feed your cats in a separate room with a gate across the door so the dog can't get in or like many do, leave their food on the counter, not my choice, I shoo my cats from counters, but sometimes you do what you need to do. If I had no choice, I'd break my rule and feed my cats on my counter. But I have 14 cats total and it would be kinda crowded.

Answer 3

I suspect there is a problem such as parasites, because cat food, although certainly not an ideal food for dogs, should not make a dog skinny. Cat food generally has more calories per cup than dog food, and is higher in fat and protein. Over the long term, cat food can cause problems in a dog because dogs are omnivores--they cannot handle the high protein in cat food. But the higher calories should cause the pup to gain weight, so there is something else going on. Only a trip to the vet will determine what.
As other people have answered, get the cat food up somewhere that the pup can't get to. Offer him a high quality dry puppy food. You may have to mix in a little canned food to encourage him to eat.

Answer 4

Put the cat food up so that he cant reach it but the cat can.Feed him dry dog food that is 100% nutritionally complete (small morsels so he can chew it). Mix canned dog food with the dry.Fatten that dog up..the ribs should not be showing!! Give him little biscuits for treats. Home made food for dogs is rice well done with boneless boiled chicken ,,beef,,fish or liver.Cool completely before serving. I also recommend having your dog tested for parasites (worms) by taking a sample in a jar to the vet.The vet can determine easily what type of parasite it is & treat accordenly.There are many types of worms & some cannot be seen with the human eye. The cost will not be expensive.

Answer 5

If you can see his ribs he needs better food. Feed him away from the cats, at different time and place and don't let the cats eat his food.
He should be eating at least twice a day. Water 24/7.
You should never see a dogs ribs or leg bones..it's s sign of malnourishment.

Answer 6

I have two Blue Heeler x Border Collies, one 9 months the other 18, the 9mo came to me as a rescue and needed to put on 9 kilos to be healthy. I fed him a combination of Hills Science Diet both dry and canned foods and gave him two bowls of a milk replacement substance called DiVetelact. you can find it a pet specialty stores. It's cheap, boosts immune systems and aids in the pups gaining weight. I highly recommend this and unless there is an underlying problem can guarentee it. Take him to the vet. While he eats the cat food he is not getting the nourishment he needs. Raise the cat food onto a table and allow him access to only his food. If you can't move the cat food, get a large wire pen and set it up somewhere close to people, and place him in there when you can't watch him. Discourage him from eating the cat food, my favourite way of doing this is distraction, when he goes to the cat food, make a loud growling noise and put him near his food. Make sure its well away from the cat food and he should eat. If I can help any more, I have e-books on the subject e-mail me: [e-mail]

Answer 7

You need to put the cat dishes out of his reach. Maybe feed the cats on the counter or something. Get him on a high quality dog food specifically for small breed puppies. Cat food is not providing him with the proper nutrients that he needs to grow.

Answer 8

It is very bad for dogs to eat cat food because it is made for cats. Especially little dogs. Put the food away to where only the cats can get to it. Make sure you feed him the food he is supposed to be eating. watch him eat. Put him on a schedule for eating. Sometimes when an animal is small or under weight, you can give them bread to fatten them up. This will help without upsetting their digestive system.

Answer 9

If you can, try to put the cat food where only the cats can get it and not the puppy. I have two dogs. When we got our second dog as a puppy, the puppy would eat the dog food and my older dog would eat the puppy food. The puppy turned out okay.

If you are still concerned, I would take the puppy to the vet.

Answer 10

Yes, feed him Purina Pro Plan puppy food until he's 6-8 months old, pups are supposed to be FAT. Then work in adult food when he's old enough (I suggest Flint River Ranch or Chicken Soup brands). Cat food is not dog food.