Help Needed! Bulldog sickly skinny

[Brie98]

My bulldog is three almost four and recently she stopped using her back leg due to hip displacement. We took her to the vet and he said she's not in pain. But then she started to lose her appetite and now she's too skinny. Ribs and spine showing. She doesn't move to much either anymore but maybe when she gets energy she'll skoot herself but not too much before she falls. I'm thinking she might have cancer. But we need to put weight on her desperately today I have her some scrambled eggs for protein and some dog food but not much. What other protein sorces or food can I giver her to put some weight on her?

 

[Davidh]

First I would find a better vet to find out for sure what is wrong with her and get her some pain meds. Google "fat balls for dogs" there are several receipts there to chose from to help put weight on her.

 

[Vikinggirl]

Hi, the first thing I would recommend is that you get Bella checked out to see if there is some medical reason for her not eating and losing weight, or she could be in pain and not showing it, a lot of dogs don't show symptoms when they are in pain, because this shows weakness, and EB's in particular have a high pain threshold. She could be in pain from the hip displacement, I would get a second opinion on her hips. Has she had an X-ray? You can add cottage cheese or pure pumpkin to her food to help her gain weight, and give her smaller meals more often throughout the day.


How to Put Weight on a Skinny


Dog Care » Food » How to Put Weight on a Skinny Dog



Sometimes petting and praise can encourage a dog to eat.
If your dog is too skinny, it can be helpful to figure out the reason why. Reasons dogs are underweight include illness and parasites, as well as simple underfeeding, in which the dog is burning more calories than it is being fed. If you can see all the bones sticking out---including the head and the facial bones---and the dog seems weak and lethargic, he is emaciated and must receive immediate veterinary treatment. Whether you have just adopted your dog from a shelter, or have owned him for a while and find it difficult to make him eat, there are some techniques to promote healthy weight gain in your underweight dog. Have a question? Get an answer from a Vet now!



Feeding Tips for an Underweight Dog
1


Take your dog to the veterinarian for a thorough physical examination to find out if there is a physical reason he is thin, and to address health issues that may have been caused by malnutrition. In addition to the common causes of underweight, your vet may find evidence of a food intolerance, an intestinal obstruction or bad teeth. The vet may prescribe amino acids and a vitamin and mineral supplement for your underweight dog.


2


Feed your dog four small meals throughout the day, at roughly six hours apart. According to the Pet Care website, you should switch your dog's diet to a high-quality puppy food or growth formula.


3


Augment the puppy chow with healthy foods to encourage weight gain. Add a few spoonfuls of pasta or rice to supply complex carbohydrates, and try moistening the dog's food with low-salt chicken broth to make it more palatable. You can even buy sauces or gravy made for dogs at some pet food stores. Never use sauces or gravy that have been cooked for humans---they tend to be too salty, sugary, spicy or fatty for dogs.


4



Calculate your dog's RER---Resting Energy Requirement---to help you determine her caloric needs. According to the Pet Care website, a small dog of about 10 pounds needs about 450 calories, a medium-sized dog of 45 to 70 pounds needs roughly 1200 calories, and a large dog over 85 pounds needs 1800. Very large dogs---canines that weigh in at over 130 pounds---require about 2400 calories a day.


5


Weigh the dog twice a day and record the number, along with a record of what you fed him and how much he ate. This will help you and your vet evaluate the success of your feeding program


Recipe for Satin Balls for Weight Gain


1


Mix a pound of raw ground beef, an 8oz package of cream cheese, a jar of all-natural peanut butter, a dozen egg yolks, a 10oz package of wheat germ and a cup of flaked oats that have been soaked in heavy cream. According to the Dog Logic website, this recipe is used to help dogs gain weight quickly after surgery. The egg yolks contain cysteine, which may have protective effects on the liver; the peanut butter is a high-calorie, nutritious food rich in calcium and iron. The ground beef supplies high-quality protein.


2


Form the mixture into balls and place in the freezer.


3


Feed the Satin Balls as treats or food supplements as desired to help your dog gain weight.



Items You Will Need


High-quality commercial puppy food
Spoonfuls of rice and potatoes
Low-salt chicken broth
Sauces and gravy formulated for dogs
1 pound of raw ground beef
8oz package of cream cheese
16oz jar of all-natural peanut butter
12 dozen egg yolks
10oz package of wheat germ
1 cup of flaked oats, soaked in heavy cream
Tip


Praise and pet the dog whenever she eats. Most dogs want to please their owners, and your approval can encourage eating.


Warning


Don't offer the dog unlimited quantities of food; this can trigger a dangerous condition called Refeeding Syndrome. According to the Pet Center website, a good rule of thumb is to feed the amount of calories the dog would normally eat when at a normal weight.

 

[Kevikell]

Definitely seek a second opinion. There are canned foods by EVO and Evangers that are 95% which means it is almost all protein and have a higher fat content but extremely low carbs. High protein can cause pancreatitis though so you have to be careful. Dogs with cancer should eat as low carb as possible because cancer cells feed off of carbs but have a harder time utilizing fats and proteins.

We fed EVO herring formula to my girl when she became ill & dropped weight. After awhile she regained her weight and we no longer feed it to her. Hope you find some answers soon.

 

[Bulldozersma]

I'm so sorry your baby is going through this. I agree with everyone above, get a second opinion. I just can't imagine there is no pain.

 

[ddnene]

I agree w/everyone on here, please get a second opinion for your baby. You need to find out what's going on w/her.

 

[2BullyMama]

Your sweet girl... So sorry. If she has HD, there is some pain involved with it. Please find a new vet and get a second opinion. Also, I will tag some member to help you with putting weight on her.

where do you live, we may have a member near you that con recommend a good vet

 

[bullmama]

Great advice from above members, hope your baby girl starts improving soon.


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[cali baker]

Great feedback given already and I do hope you'll be able to bring your baby to another vet soon for a 2nd opinion.

For foods you may have on hand at home, I'd recommend: white rice, ground beef, eggs. You can also give some peanut butter since it's very calorie-dense.

 

[Manydogs]

[MENTION=12309]Brie98[/MENTION] If you love your dog, you will take her to another Vet to be checked out. There is obviously something seriously wrong if she has stopped eating and lost that much weight. She either has a lot of pain from her hip-or even worse. Find the cause and perhaps you can find the cure for her weight loss.

 

[Bully Lover 3]

My grand doggie is having the same issue and I was wondering if your dog has improved since July when you posted this?