Wont Gain Weight, What is best! - Doberman Forum : Doberman Breed Dog Forums

BMiller2 · 11-23-2012, 09:02 PM

My year and a half fawn will not gain weight she is very skinny to the point you can see her ribs. She does not look sickly we are just not happy with her looking so skinny! She eats more than the recommended amount and loves the taste of her food. We have switched many times and this is easily her favorite! Also she has little bumps on her back that a little bit of pus will come out (not really sure if related to food). She is currently eating Blue Buffalo Large Breed. And we are thinking about trying to add in some wet food or maybe switch to the BB Wilderness. Any suggestions?!

Rosemary · 11-23-2012, 09:16 PM

Has she had a thorough vet check, including a fecal and bloodwork? Have you tried simply feeding her more? She definitely needs to see the vet for the bumps. It could be an infection that she needs medication for.

mmctaq · 11-23-2012, 10:23 PM

Wilderness is a better, more nutrient-dense food than the regular Blue. The bumps could be an allergy dealie, though. While zillions of dogs are allergic/sensitive to corn and/or wheat, a very few dogs have an issue with flax... and, all of the Blue products contain flax. You might want to try one of the grain-free super-premium products that is also flax-free and see if that took care of the bumps.

falnfenix · 11-24-2012, 08:28 AM

vet. dog needs to go, at least for the "bumps." also, can you post a profile picture of her so we can see what she looks like?

Matt Vandart · 11-24-2012, 10:08 AM

I agree as my dog becca is 'skinny' but had her checked thoroughly and it turned out she was fine, she is just a skinny dog.

Julie W · 11-24-2012, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BMiller2

My year and a half fawn will not gain weight she is very skinny to the point you can see her ribs. She does not look sickly we are just not happy with her looking so skinny! She eats more than the recommended amount and loves the taste of her food. We have switched many times and this is easily her favorite! Also she has little bumps on her back that a little bit of pus will come out (not really sure if related to food). She is currently eating Blue Buffalo Large Breed. And we are thinking about trying to add in some wet food or maybe switch to the BB Wilderness. Any suggestions?!

Not enough information to go on. Pictures? Cups fed a day? Amount and consistency of bowel movements?

BMiller2 · 11-25-2012, 09:58 AM

She eats two cups in the morning and two and a half at night. The recommended amout is three cups total, so we have upped her food. She may be a "skinny" dog but she has been more filled out than this before. The pictures you can no truly tell how her ribs stick out. Again, she is not sickly looking we just want the best for her. She using the potty regularly and never has any problems. We do love the Blue brand because she has never loved her food so much!

Julie W · 11-25-2012, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BMiller2

She eats two cups in the morning and two and a half at night. The recommended amout is three cups total, so we have upped her food. She may be a "skinny" dog but she has been more filled out than this before. The pictures you can no truly tell how her ribs stick out. Again, she is not sickly looking we just want the best for her. She using the potty regularly and never has any problems. We do love the Blue brand because she has never loved her food so much!

You can buy a product online called K9 Showstopper and add that to her food. It is commonly used for show dogs to help keep them filled out for the show ring. It has the added benefit of being an excellent supplement for skin and coat condition, which is handy for a fawn. It's a powder that you add to their food and it's very palatable. It comes in one and four pound tubs, don't bother with the one pound for a doberman, get the four pound.

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Adara · 11-26-2012, 10:52 AM

At that age Flirt was eating 6 cups a day of grain free high calorie food. She 'may' just need more food. I would get a vet visit, make sure she is healthy and go from there. I like my dogs lean. I don't want fat covering all the ribs. On the other hand I don't want all ribs sticking out either. Are you sure she's too skinny?

falnfenix · 11-26-2012, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BMiller2

She eats two cups in the morning and two and a half at night. The recommended amout is three cups total, so we have upped her food. She may be a "skinny" dog but she has been more filled out than this before. The pictures you can no truly tell how her ribs stick out. Again, she is not sickly looking we just want the best for her. She using the potty regularly and never has any problems. We do love the Blue brand because she has never loved her food so much!

please post pictures.

mfkelly66 · 11-29-2012, 06:57 AM

My Bearded Collie, Oliver used to give me fits because he was an anorexic boy. Eventually he started eating when he finally grew up. Is she eating with real gusto devouring her food or just picking. If she is getting 6 cups of food and inhaling it at every meal I would up the amount, if she is picking then she could have a problem or more then likely just being a teenager! I would get a baseline blood work to make sure no issues and run a fecal just incase and if she is picking: the food goes down for 10 minutes, whatever is left after 10 minutes is picked up and she gets nothing until her next meal where the process is repeated. Usually they start to eat after 3-4 days. My guy was truly anorexic and we got to the point where he would only eat 2 1/2 cups of food a day and there were still days where he wouldn't even look at his food. The other thing that worked for him when he got a little older was a food made by Essex cottage farms, called better then a bone. Its a mix that you choose what oil, what protein ect to use and it can be fed raw or cooked( baked in oven). Thats what got my guy really eating. I fed for about 3 months and it broke the cycle, he put the weight on and finished his championship. And continued to eat even after I stopped cooking for him.
Mike Kelly