i feed my dog more then she should but shes still to skinny wat should i do?

Question

the breed is chiuahaua mix and i give her a little more then she has to eat

Answer 1

How much are you feeding her and what are you feeding her? have all health problems been ruled out? these are important questions that need to be answered before I can give any advice...

Answer 2

The first step should be a visit to your vet to rule out any health problems. You don't say how old your dog is and that can play a part in weight gain or loss (older dogs start to loose muscle and therefore loose weight, a puppy that is growing very quickly may seem skinny because the energy from the food is going into building bone, muscles, and fat) as well as have some bearing on what health conditions are most likely to be a concern (a young puppy that isn't growing as expected may have a liver shunt or other congenital defect, an older dog may have bad teeth or organ failure). Your vet should do at least a basic physical exam and a fecal test to make sure your dog doesn't have intestinal parasites taking nutrients away from your dog. While you are at the vet, ask them what an appropriate weight would be for your dog. A lot of people think their dogs are skinny when they are actually in ideal shape and many people think their dogs are fine when they are really a little overweight. If you can't have a dog at the ideal weight, it is always better to be a little skinny than a little overweight.

Next, you need to take a good look at your food. Anything you can buy at a grocery store or WalMart isn't a very good food. Cheap foods are full of fillers and a dog has to eat a LOT of it to get enough calories. More expensive foods cost more per bag but will be cheaper in the long run because you don't need to feed as much to meet your dog's caloric needs and you will spend less in vet bills if your dog is on a healthy diet. Also, keep in mind that the serving size listed on the bag is just a suggestion. Most dogs don't actually need as much as the bag says to feed but some dogs do and some dogs may need more than the bag says depending on their individual metabolism. If your vet has ruled out any medical reasons for a failure to gain weight and you are feeding a high-quality food then you may need to switch to something more calorie-dense. This may be a high-energy formula or if your vet feels your dog is too skinny and needs the extra calories a puppy formula. As a general rule, lamb and other red meats tend to be more calorie dense than chicken and other poultry, so you might want to try a lamb-based food.

Answer 3

I agree, take a stool sample to the vet to make sure she doesn't have any intestinal parisites or worms.

If she doesn't I would try a premium dog food for a high energy dog (i.e. NutraMax Adult High Energy food). It's what we're using to add weight to a Maltese I just got from a rescue. This way she's gaining the weight healthily instead of by being fed people food.

Also, make sure whatever food you buy has a minimal amount of fillers such beet pulp and by-products - foods that state they have chicken by-products have head, feet and guts which have no nutritional value.

In regards to the beet pulp, it is a filler that makes the dog feel full because it expands its size without giving the dog any nutrition. I'm sure you've seen what happens when a dog drops a piece of food into its water bowl and it gets puffy and soggy - that's what it's doing while inside the dog's stomach. All food will "puff up" a little, but your cheaper and less nutritous foods will increase 3-4 times larger when wet.

Hope you find this helpful!

Monica :-)

Hope this helps!

Answer 4

She might have an intestinal parasite that is not letting her absorb all the calories she needs. Or an intestinal health problem. Does she eat all the food you give her? If so, try giving her more to see if she eats it. Mix her food with canned food, it has more calories. Also, make sure you're feeding her a good brand of dog food that is nutritious for her. If that doesn't work, take her to the vet.

Answer 5

If you're really concerned about her weight, you can take her to a vet to see if she has any worms and such that are depriving her of the nutrients from the food. She may just be naturally skinny. Make sure you're feeding a good quality food. That does not include Iams, Eukanuba, Science Diet, Pedigree, Beneful, etc. Some of the best brands out there are Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul, Merrick, Canidae, Evo, Innova, etc.

Answer 6

If she's extremely active, you may not be feeding her enough.

And since you have a tiny dog, it pays to buy the best dog food available. Cheap food = bad results.

If you haven't already done so - take your dog to the vet, and bring a stool sample. She may have worms, diabetes, hyperthyroidism or a host of other treatable ailments. You should get her to the vet fast if she's lethargic (no energy), vomiting, has runny stools, or seems to be uncomfortable.

Answer 7

don't feed her any more than she is supposed to have its not good for her health. my pup is 12 weeks and we started feeding her too little so she was starving, now we feed her normally she is much healthier. if you feed her too much she will eventually get fat and obesity is not funny it can be fatal.hope that helps!

Answer 8

she might just be a skinny dog. One of my dogs looks like he is starving, you can see his ribs and everything, but that is just the way he is. I give him plenty of food.

Answer 9

Thank God! An overweight Chihuahua- wobbles to an early grave. If your little dog is healthy & happy- then the BOTH of you have nothing to worry about. :)

Answer 10

Yes she may have worms take her to the vet with a stool sample they will check it ! LOL