The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Pets & Working Animals => Dogs => Topic started by: minibn on April 02, 2016, 08:30:31 am

Title: Rescue Lucher needs to gain weight
Post by: minibn on April 02, 2016, 08:30:31 am: Hi

My partner and I have recently adopted a lurched, who is underweight. He currently weighs 23kgs. He has actually lost weight since I have had him, so I have put it down to stress of the move, as he is a very nervous dog, and taken a while to settle. He was being fed wainwright adult and was on three meals a day. My other dog is on skinners duck and rice and my new dog seems to quite like it.

I wasn't planning on keeping my adopted dog on wainwrights for to log as it turns out to be rather expensive.

Does anyone have any advice on food which is not to high in fat but packed with calories which would help him gain weight. He is on two meals a day, but never actually eats it all, either through nerves or is generally not hungry. He wears a coat whilst out to minimis more weight loss due to cold.

Any advice welcomed, or anything that I should stay way from.

Thanks for reading

Regards

Emily
Title: Re: Rescue Lucher needs to gain weight
Post by: Bionic on April 02, 2016, 09:02:35 am: Emily,
I'm not sure I can help with the weight gain but the vet told me previously that chappie is very good for dogs.

I also know someone who has a dog on a restrictive diet because of stomach issues and their vet recommended chappie for her too.
Title: Re: Rescue Lucher needs to gain weight
Post by: Old Shep on April 02, 2016, 10:36:03 am: You could add tripe to whatever kibble you choose - brilliant for adding weight!
Title: Re: Rescue Lucher needs to gain weight
Post by: Jukes Mum on April 02, 2016, 10:37:40 am: Tripe :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Rescue Lucher needs to gain weight
Post by: ramon on April 02, 2016, 10:59:15 am: I took on a skinny lurcher 2 years ago. Took a long time for her to put on weight as she was not too interested in a lot of the food offered. I found she liked boiled rice mixed with canned dog food and would wolf that down (tripe mixes a favouiteand also the occasional fish based cat food). A few dogs may be allergic to rice but I think that is rare. Try changing the food on offer until you find something the dog really likes.
Title: Re: Rescue Lucher needs to gain weight
Post by: SallyintNorth on April 02, 2016, 12:26:56 pm: You say she was on three meals a day but you've now got her on two, and she leaves some. Might she do better with three slightly smaller meals?
Title: Re: Rescue Lucher needs to gain weight
Post by: waterbuffalofarmer on April 02, 2016, 01:32:09 pm: How about trying her with fresh meat? meaty bones and stuff. What about porridge or cooked mince with oats? When i bought my beardie she was so fussy, she ended up costing us a fortune on the small tins of pedigree, she wouldn't eat anything else. Now she eats everything you give her ::)
Title: Re: Rescue Lucher needs to gain weight
Post by: minibn on April 02, 2016, 04:31:39 pm: :thumbsup: thank you for all your replies.

I think I'm going to give him a go with tripe.

Regards Emily
Title: Re: Rescue Lucher needs to gain weight
Post by: Blondie on April 05, 2016, 08:31:36 pm: our greyhound loves tinned sardines in tomato sauce - although not lots of calories might be worth a try to see if he will eat.
Title: Re: Rescue Lucher needs to gain weight
Post by: harmony on April 06, 2016, 08:58:24 am: I'd go with Sally's suggestion of three meals a day. Boiled pasta is sometimes preferred to rice. Add gravy or stock. Have you wormed him? Was he fed dried food before? Or did he get meat?
Title: Re: Rescue Lucher needs to gain weight
Post by: honeyend on April 06, 2016, 11:56:29 am: I have had two lurchers, one as a rescue and one from a pup and they are the only dogs I have ever owned that are not really interested in food.
They tend only to eat what you have had so I would make up a pan of mince and gravy, cooked as for human consumption and mix in with what ever dog food you are feeding them. Mine has just had left over meat balls. A treat hotdog sausages.
They easily get upset stomachs, both mine where on Arden Grange and did well on that, they would eat it and not get the squits. When you think they are a cross breed, you would think they would have more herd vigour and a bit more brains. Mine were/are both totally oblivious to recall when it suits them and totally self centred and will choose the sofa over me every time.
Title: Re: Rescue Lucher needs to gain weight
Post by: Marches Farmer on April 10, 2016, 10:34:30 am: Our vet recommended three meals a day when our BC needed to put on weight (hard with such a wired dog). Chappie is OK for his sensitive stomach - we poured a bit of gravy over it to make it more palatable at first.
Title: Re: Rescue Lucher needs to gain weight
Post by: trish.farm on April 10, 2016, 04:34:39 pm: My dogs are all on skinners duck and rice. One of my labs is very difficault to keep weight on but she does well on it. My little lurcher loves it but I do soak it for her, she much prefers it soaked with a little tinned food added.
Title: Re: Rescue Lucher needs to gain weight
Post by: shygirl on April 13, 2016, 11:51:25 am: why not high fat?
when my dogs need a boost they get a wad of beef fat out of the freezer which lasts them a few days and the weigh gain is quite rapid. otherwise they are dry food adlib.
Title: Re: Rescue Lucher needs to gain weight
Post by: Jukes Mum on April 13, 2016, 12:16:51 pm: Quote
why not high fat?
I think people are concerned that high fat can lead to pancreatitis in dogs.