I got a puppy about two weeks ago and she is very skinny. She eats her meals, drinks plenty of water, and does not have worms. I want to put a little more weight on her but I dont know how? Should I feed her something else? Right now she is eating dry puppy food. Should I give her can? Also I read that I can also give her puppy formula to have her get bigger. Is that true?
2007-06-24 13:48:27 · 11 answers · asked by Sasami M 2 in Pets ➔ Dogs
Well you puppy should definitely be on puppy formula because it has all the vitamins and nutrients that your puppy will need to grow and develop properly (preferably something without corn or wheat in it), and it will have lots extra fat and calories because the puppy is growing. It takes a little time to switch food safely without causing diharrea, so you'll need to mix the puppy's current food with the new food, and try to supplement the meals with plain full fat yogurt (up to 2 tablespoons a day). You can also give wet food, which is going to be fattier, but keeping dry food in the diet will help avoid loose or runny stools. If she's still not putting on any weight after a week, I'd take her to the vet because she likely has some other kind of illness of parasite that has been overlooked. Good luck!
2007-06-24 14:01:31 · answer #1 · answered by oh_shotdown 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
How do you know that she doesn't have worms? Has she been de-wormed in the last 2 weeks? ALL puppies have worms. It is passed from the mom dog to the puppies.
How skinny is skinny? What breed is she? How old is she?
How much dry kibble are you feeding her? How often?
You really need to do alot of research on how to properly take care of your new puppy. You can do a google search on proper puppy care, and looking on the bag of food for proper feeding guidelines will greatly help as well.
2007-06-24 14:00:01 · answer #2 · answered by TotallylovesTodd! 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Are you SURE the puppy doesn't have worms? Even though she's been wormed, sometimes they get them again. If that is not the problem, try adding some canned food mixed with some cooked rice or even baby rice cereal. An even better idea would be to feed her some lighly cooked ground beed with some cooked rice. She does not need puppy formula and it could cause her to scour (diarrhea) which could cause dehydratration.
2007-06-24 13:58:22 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you change her food it will make her have loose stool which could set you back a step. Be sure she has food available from the time she gets up until about 8pm. Be sure it is a quality brand of puppy food (nothing like Puppy chow or old roy). Since it has been 2 weeks she is still getting used to you and your home.. plus if there was a water change such as city vs. well or if you have a water softener that could effect her. Monitor her intake and outtake carefully.
Good Luck
2007-06-24 13:59:31 · answer #4 · answered by Peyton 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Sounds to me like she does have worms. Maybe you should get her rechecked. Either that or she is the runt of the littler. There is a nutritional supplement that is very high calorie for puppies like these. It definitely will plump her up, lol! Ask your vet for this, it comes in a tube and is like a gel. Dogs love it, it has a really strong beef smell to it, so even the most finicky puppies will eat it. Good luck! Hope this helps...
p.s. I believe you can get this at pet stores now too!
2007-06-24 13:54:18 · answer #5 · answered by ♫☆ Y!A Princessღ ♥ 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If this puppy is old enough to be away from its mother, it does not need formula. Also, there's next to no nutrition in canned dog food. If she doesn't have worms, and you're feeding her a premium quality dry puppy food, no grocery store garbage, she'll be fine. It could be just a growth stage she's going through, but if you're concerned, let your vet have a look at her or talk to the breeder.
2007-06-24 13:52:33 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Do you know it does not have worms because the vet did a fecal exam or because you wormed the puppy yourself? Wormers you buy yourself will not take care of all worms.
Do not use canned food. It will cause her to have soft stool and it will do no good for her.
Use the dry food, sprinkled with powdered puppy formula and a little bit of yogurt.
2007-06-24 13:55:16 · answer #7 · answered by hummi22689 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
1) she needs to get a good vet exam including a fecal test
2) she needs to be fed a good quality puppy food (unless she is a Dane)..NOT store brands such as Pedigree, Science Diet, IAMS/Eukanuba, Purina, etc..these are low quality grain laden foods...get a good food like Canidae, Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover's Soul, Innova, Solid Gold, Merrick, Fromm, just ot name a few
It would be good to also mix some good qaulity canned (canned has more meat and less to no grains and is low on carbs..it is a very suitable food for dogs) or some chicken, turkey, hamburger, cottage cheese,egg,etc into her dried food.
2007-06-24 14:02:14 · answer #8 · answered by Great Dane Lover 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
some dogs are nautually skinny my great pryanese she eats alot but she is 20 lbs under wight and she doesnt have worms eiether so she should be fine
2007-06-24 13:58:14 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
give her sum of the can puppy food...i heard it has more fat in it..
2007-06-24 13:51:08 · answer #10 · answered by ShOrTy2* 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋