i have a very skinny little adult dog that i rescued 3 days ago! she was just bred and bred and bred in a puppy mill place. she is very scared of men and most things, today she walked on grass for the first time in her life and stood still when there is a gush of wind! she is half blind so she walks a litle way infront of me but then waits for me to see if i am still there! she is the cutest thing in the world!
now she is very very skinny so i would like to help to put on some weight in order for her to build a bit of muscle mass as well! she finds it very hard to climb up and down the stairs and keep up with my other dogs.
i heard puppy food would help? is that true? if not what can i fee her?
thanks!
2007-06-28 05:20:30 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Dogs
During my rescues I have had 2 Gsds that were very thin (skeletons)from lack of food or malnutrition. I fed both dogs alot of a top quality food for 2 mos w/o them gaining hardly any weight and was concerned. My Vet and the Rescue Head person both told me that when you get a dog that has been fed a crappy diet for so long it takes 2-3 mos for their system to adjust to using the top food and no matter how much you give them their system just can not utilize it. They were right, it took until the third month and all of a sudden they put on several pounds in one week and steadily gained. Canned food is more fattening so I would give her a top dry food with canned mixed in and warm water. Dry dry food is less digestible than wet dry food. The muscle will come with exercise and good food. Puppy food is usually more palatable so if she is a poor eater you could try it but it probably will not make much difference for a couple of months.
2007-06-28 05:30:43 · answer #1 · answered by ginbark 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
actually puppy food isn't the best idea. It does have some extra nutrients, but most puppy foods are formulated to help keep the dog from growing too fast. What you really want is an adult PERFORMANCE dog food. THey're balanced for very active dogs, have higher calorie and protein contents as well as fat, and they'll help her put on some weight and develop muscle.
when i say performance dog food...that isn't a brand, it's a kind of nutritional balance. Most "adult" foods are designed for the average couch potato dog. Working dogs, field dogs and so on need more nutrients. Ask your vet or at the pet store for a good performance food.
also, feed her at least twice a day, and more if possible. Take it easy on the exercise and be a little patient. It takes awhile for any of us to build up muscles!
2007-06-28 12:33:41 · answer #2 · answered by blk_sheep_fl 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
You are truly a hero for taking this girl in and giving her, her forever home!
Good on you for doing this!
My brother and SIL are going through the exact same thing with a 2 year old Chocolate Lab that they adopted two months ago today.
This guy was in truly bad shape.
He was so skinny you could see every bone in his spine, every rib and both hip bones.
His coat was dull, matted with mud, missing patches and a sort of dirty gray blonde instead of brown.
What they are doing is feeding him Canidae kibble with some Canidae canned food mixed in.
After two months, he has gained weight at a steady good pace and his coat is getting to be soft and shiny.
Good luck and congratulations on the newest edition to your family.
2007-06-28 12:39:06 · answer #3 · answered by Ani 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, puppy food is a good idea because of the extra fat. You might also want to try making Satin Balls:
http://www.holisticdog.org/Nutrition/Satinballs/satinballs.html
Ideal for putting weight on an undernourished dog.
Adding a few small spoonfuls of olive oil over her meals will also help.
Thank you for adopting her!
2007-06-28 12:24:50 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Poor thing!
Yes, puppy chow would be about the best thing for her: It will have the extra calories and nutrition she needs to get built back up, and will probably be easier on her digestive system than any adult dog food..
Good luck!
2007-06-28 12:40:02 · answer #5 · answered by Tigger 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your an angel for adopting her. I would get Chicken Soup for the Puppy Lovers soul and get some Chicken Soup for the Dog/puppy Lovers Soul and mix it together. If her teeth are bad, moisten the kibble and put it in the microwave for like 10 seconds and mix in the canned stuff.
Don't give her any garbage food like the dog foods that you can buy in a grocery store.
Good luck to you and your dog.
2007-06-28 12:29:18 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Puppy food is good for a little while. Especialy if she was breed alot. Puppy food should help her with energy.
2007-06-28 12:31:19 · answer #7 · answered by Elie0423 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
ohhhhh so cute.......yeah puppy food is great
2007-06-28 13:35:53 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋