A Weighty Topic

[Sadie]

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As you know Jack is 5 months now and a real live wire. He runs everywhere and is as fit as a fiddle. My only concern is something I've not experienced before. How can we get some weight on him!

Diet:

1) 1 Weetabix plus milk early morning, then 6 small cocktail sausages cut up and mixed with Royal Canin soaked biscuit meal.

2) Lunch time is either scrambled egg or Tuna with Royal Canin.

3) Evening is 1/2 tin dog food plus Royal Canin.

He has 1 med sized marrow bone biscuit each day and a few doggie treats.

His poo is solid and his coat glossy. His pin bones are covered but not his ribs, and I am wondering if we could supplement/change something in his diet to help put some meat on them! His legs are like tree trunks compared to the rest of his body so he is going to be a big boy!

Any thoughts?

Hannah x

 

[~Annie~]

I've just trawled through for pics of Jack and he looks fine to me in the one I found first (admittedly he is lying down) ... Finn was very ribby at 5 mths but he's a good size now. If you are worried personally I'd drop the weetabix and sausage in favour of some minced lamb (raw or cooked) or green tripe, and maybe try (salt free) sardines instead of tuna for the extra fat. Dogs essentially smooth guts can't take as much of the nutritional value from weetabix and such as our diverticulated guts can, things pass through too quickly. HTH

Annie

 

[Sadie]

Thanks Annie. I have been feeding Weetabix or Ready Brek for the milk value as much as anything. Sardines without salt? Never heard of them but I can buy tuna in oil which should be similar.

Jack's breeder has the same weight problem with one of two of his girlies so perhaps it is a genetic thing? It doesn't help that our Sam is so big at 30lbs! Talk about little and large! :teehee:

Many thanks again.

Hannah x

I've just trawled through for pics of Jack and he looks fine to me in the one I found first (admittedly he is lying down) ... Finn was very ribby at 5 mths but he's a good size now. If you are worried personally I'd drop the weetabix and sausage in favour of some minced lamb (raw or cooked) or green tripe, and maybe try (salt free) sardines instead of tuna for the extra fat. Dogs essentially smooth guts can't take as much of the nutritional value from weetabix and such as our diverticulated guts can, things pass through too quickly. HTH
Annie

 

[jinnyfizz]

Don't worry too much yet, Hannah :huggles:

As you say, he is going to be a big lad, and he is only 5 months old so at the moment he is putting all his food into growing!!! That means no particular weight gain They all go through that "gawky" stage, don't they!!

I have heard that Royal Canin isn't one of the best dry foods ..... apparently too many chemical additives etc? :unsure: Maybe try him with Arden Grange, James Wellbeloved or Burns? They all do a junior range :thumbsup:

My Tizzy is 9 months now and is a real live wire - burns off loads of energy so I feed her as much as she can eat!!!! That way I have managed to keep her pin bones and ribs covered but "feelable".

There is some really useful information on feeding here .........

http://www.k9community.co.uk/forums/index....showtopic=11525

:thumbsup:

 

[Hula]

Thanks Annie. I have been feeding Weetabix or Ready Brek for the milk value as much as anything. Sardines without salt? Never heard of them but I can buy tuna in oil which should be similar.
Jack's breeder has the same weight problem with one of two of his girlies so perhaps it is a genetic thing? It doesn't help that our Sam is so big at 30lbs! Talk about little and large! :teehee:

Many thanks again.

Hannah x

I've just trawled through for pics of Jack and he looks fine to me in the one I found first (admittedly he is lying down) ... Finn was very ribby at 5 mths but he's a good size now. If you are worried personally I'd drop the weetabix and sausage in favour of some minced lamb (raw or cooked) or green tripe, and maybe try (salt free) sardines instead of tuna for the extra fat. Dogs essentially smooth guts can't take as much of the nutritional value from weetabix and such as our diverticulated guts can, things pass through too quickly. HTH
Annie

I think you would get more nutritional value from feeding him good quality dog food rather than weetabix and milk .

All the whippets I have had have been very thin at least until they were around 18 months and that's what I would expect .

 

[~Annie~]

Salt free sardines as in in spring water (I buy Sainsbury's own) rather than in salted water or tomato juice, which also has added salt ... pups really shouldn't get added salt in their diets. How about for the dairy substituting natural goats yog for the weetabix and milk ... that's what mine get (and not just the pups), and they love it. They're not proud ... they have it on top of their sardines !!

Thanks Annie. I have been feeding Weetabix or Ready Brek for the milk value as much as anything. Sardines without salt? Never heard of them but I can buy tuna in oil which should be similar.
Jack's breeder has the same weight problem with one of two of his girlies so perhaps it is a genetic thing? It doesn't help that our Sam is so big at 30lbs! Talk about little and large! :teehee:

Many thanks again.

Hannah x

I've just trawled through for pics of Jack and he looks fine to me in the one I found first (admittedly he is lying down) ... Finn was very ribby at 5 mths but he's a good size now. If you are worried personally I'd drop the weetabix and sausage in favour of some minced lamb (raw or cooked) or green tripe, and maybe try (salt free) sardines instead of tuna for the extra fat. Dogs essentially smooth guts can't take as much of the nutritional value from weetabix and such as our diverticulated guts can, things pass through too quickly. HTH
Annie

 

[cyfrin]

Hi - I can tell you (from experience!) that raw minced lamb went straight thu' Pica! Altho' he is whippie x beddie + a bit of grey he too is lean, but fit, healthy, shiny & a real live wire! I was mixing the mince with James W'beloved and a friend told me he was getting too much protein. Now he is so much better. Also - if I ever now give him dairy it is always goats milk.

I did read somewhere that a 'dollop' of probiotic natural yoghurt helps too - but I haven't tried it yet!

 

[~Annie~]

Hi - I can tell you (from experience!) that raw minced lamb went straight thu' Pica! Altho' he is whippie x beddie + a bit of grey he too is lean, but fit, healthy, shiny & a real live wire! I was mixing the mince with James W'beloved and a friend told me he was getting too much protein. Now he is so much better. Also - if I ever now give him dairy it is always goats milk.
I did read somewhere that a 'dollop' of probiotic natural yoghurt helps too - but I haven't tried it yet!

Not suggesting you didn't, more commenting for others who may read this thread and not think of it ... but any change in food should be tackled slowly or tums do get upset. Also mixing raw mince and dry kibble, although many dogs would tolerate it, is not generally a good idea ... so that again could have caused your problems.

Your friend may well have been right that the protein content of your dogs diet was too high for your dog, but I'm interested in how that was calculated ... every 100g of minced lamb contains roughly 20g of protein, 5g assorted minerals etc. etc. and 75g moisture, so if you do a wet/dry comparison clearly the lamb if dessicated would be 80% protein to the kibble's 24%, but you don't feed the lamb dessicated you feed it raw and full of moisture, so if you feed 100g raw lamb (20% protein) and 100g dry kibble (24% protein) there is actually less protein in the portion of lamb, reducing the protein content of that 200g of food to an average of 22%. Hope that makes sense.

Try the yoghurt ... they love it and it is very good for them :thumbsup:

Annie

 

[cyfrin]

Thanks themetalchicken! That was helpful to me, and others too, I'm sure My mistake was to give the raw mince & kibble at 50-50 Silly me! No damage done tho' - just several days of me worrying what was causing the very loose poo!

I shall certainly try the yoghurt soon

 

[Dar Khan]

Can vouch for the yoghurt :thumbsup: Goats milk seems good to :thumbsup: Dunno about all these weights and measures ? Work out what to give mine by the cupful or the handful .

 

[~Annie~]

Can vouch for the yoghurt :thumbsup: Goats milk seems good to :thumbsup: Dunno about all these weights and measures ? Work out what to give mine by the cupful or the handful .

The weights and measures weren't about how much to feed but about relative amounts of protein in wet and dry foods :thumbsup:

 

[Dar Khan]

Like there or thereabouts as measures in all things :thumbsup:

 

[Sadie]

Lots of good advice and suggestions there. We let the dogs lick our yogurt pots but never thought to give them more than that. Goats milk sounds very healthy!

Jack loves a bit of pasta as a change to the soaked meal.

I weighed him today and he goes 27lbs which means Sam is about 10lbs heavier at 37lbs but most of that is due to his meds.

Thanks for sharing folks!

Hannah x

Like there or thereabouts as measures in all things :thumbsup:

 

[Tigernidster]

I've been told by a couple of folk in the show world to get weight on Joss so as her rib cage fills out! Apparently I should do it before she gets any older (she's just over 8 months).

I am feeding extra Nature Diet with Trophy Active Complete, tinned Trophy (not an excess of water content like most tinned foods) and tripe. I have been told green tripe is best but I can't get it. Apparently up here it is only available from abattoirs and you need a licence!

 

[dabroad]

Hey sadie luigi is hitting 5 months and im having th same problem. They go through that lanky stage. Instead of cows milk mix it with goats milk. Cows milk isn't good for them as its to high in lactose. Just a little tip. Also i personally wouldn't give mine wheat a bix due to it being exactly that "wheat" and it's not great in a dogs digestive system and can cause allegies etc. As for meat go for a proper good quailty meat such as nature diet not pedigree chum(is has not enough meat and to much sugar and mushed derivatives) Also salt. (not good) I give Lui (mr lanky lol) Nature diet (half a pack) in the morning half a bowl full of goats milk and bowl full of wayne wrights biscuits for lunch (seperatly not mixed ewww) And another bowl full of biscuits for tea. also unlimited chewing treats like hide as hes teething (there good because there high in fat too)

Hope it helps.

I studied dog and cat nutrition in my old job. So hoping it pay off good luck :thumbsup: xxxx

 

[dabroad]

I've been told by a couple of folk in the show world to get weight on Joss so as her rib cage fills out! Apparently I should do it before she gets any older (she's just over 8 months).
I am feeding extra Nature Diet with Trophy Active Complete, tinned Trophy (not an excess of water content like most tinned foods) and tripe. I have been told green tripe is best but I can't get it. Apparently up here it is only available from abattoirs and you need a licence!

Nature diets good! oh and green tripe ewwwww! thats unwashed tripe as in unwashed intensines! yuck! x

 

[dabroad]

good point made by themetalchicken about giving your puppy raw meat like that would cause diahorrea striaght away way to rich and should be weaned slowly when changing diets! :thumbsup:

 

[Dar Khan]

I've been told by a couple of folk in the show world to get weight on Joss so as her rib cage fills out! Apparently I should do it before she gets any older (she's just over 8 months).
I am feeding extra Nature Diet with Trophy Active Complete, tinned Trophy (not an excess of water content like most tinned foods) and tripe. I have been told green tripe is best but I can't get it. Apparently up here it is only available from abattoirs and you need a licence!

Nature diets good! oh and green tripe ewwwww! thats unwashed tripe as in unwashed intensines! yuck! x

Cant get my head around the tripe stink but dogs seem to love it .

 

[Sadie]

Many years ago we fed our 2 whippets on tripe which we kept in the garage freezer until the night before. Once defrosted it smells disgusting and with a little warm water on smells even worse - but as you say, the dogs love it and certainly adds a sheen to their coats.

Took a snap of the boys playing yesterday. This will give you some idea of long-legs! He is definitely getting heavier so I shouldn't really worry. Thanks for all the advice.

I've been told by a couple of folk in the show world to get weight on Joss so as her rib cage fills out! Apparently I should do it before she gets any older (she's just over 8 months).
I am feeding extra Nature Diet with Trophy Active Complete, tinned Trophy (not an excess of water content like most tinned foods) and tripe. I have been told green tripe is best but I can't get it. Apparently up here it is only available from abattoirs and you need a licence!

Nature diets good! oh and green tripe ewwwww! thats unwashed tripe as in unwashed intensines! yuck! x

Cant get my head around the tripe stink but dogs seem to love it .

 

[~Annie~]

He really does look fine to me :thumbsup: the handsome boy :wub: