# Soooo skinny!



## Cakegirl (Mar 28, 2014)

Hi Everyone!

We've had Dakota, our 10 week old, for 3 weeks now. He is incredibly thin. He looks better than he did when we brought him home, where we could see his spine and hipbones. But he is still very, very ribby. We are feeding him Fromm's puppy food, and he never seems to finish it. He also gets duck and potato treats when we are training him. He has been wormed twice, and will be for a third time next week.

Thoughts on how to bring his weight up a little bit? Our trainer sells raw food, so that could *possibly* be an option.

TIA!


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## mlg1900 (Jun 12, 2013)

our vet had recommended a performance type dog food with higher calories and fat content when Ginger was too skinny as a puppy. We used Purina Proplan Performance 30/20 all life stages. We also would mix the dry food with a few tablespoons of wet puppy food mix it all together with a little water and heat it up for a few 15 seconds in the microwave to make it more appealing.


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## lilyloo (Jun 20, 2012)

I know this doesn't help much... But why in the world was a 7 week old puppy that thin when you brought him home? He should have been pudgy. Has he been thoroughly checked for other health issues?


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## tatertick (Feb 19, 2014)

When we brought Tucker home at 8 weeks, he was very thin too. I believe he weighed in at just under 10 lbs. When he went back to the vet for his 12 week checkup, he was up to 14.8 lbs. We could see his ribs, backbone, and hips too, and he too would not finish his food or seem very interested in eating much. We went back to the vet at 14 weeks because he was acting sick, and we found out that he had a tapeworm! He got two pills to clear up the worm, and now he is eating three square meals a day, and is filling out nicely. I believe he is up to almost 20 lbs now!


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## MCD (May 4, 2013)

I had a lot of problems with Dharma getting digestive upset from anything but her kibble. Putting weight on her was impossible. The breeder said to give her an egg, cook some liver, or just give her some boiled chicken mixed in with some moistened kibble. Dharma also needs to play with her kibble before eating it and throws it all over the room. So we try to feed her in her crate with the door open and it seems to work.


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## Vizsla Baby (Nov 4, 2011)

Our female was skin & bones until she was about 16-17 months and then she filled in nicely. 

Now she is muscular, lean and the fastest dog I've ever seen. As long as your pup has good energy I wouldn't fret too much about it.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

All my puppies were at a healthy weight when picked up from the breeder. Little fat, red, wrinkly puppies. Its the only time in their lives that being fat is cute. Yes, worms can cause drastic weight loss, but the pup should have been checked, and wormed before it ever came to seeing ribs and spine. Is your vet checking for worms, or just worming? I would want them to do a stool check before they just keep worming the pup. If the pup doesn't have worms and something else is going on, you need to know.
Pups do go through growth spurts, where they get really lean and leggy. But the spine showing is a severely under weight pup, and could be anemic. Have you looked at his gums? They should be pink, and not white in color.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Post up a few picture of him at different angles.
Its easier to tell if he is just lean, or is truly under weight with pictures.


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## redbirddog (Apr 23, 2010)

If there are no worms or other things, just keep feeding good quality food and exercise.

One day he will be a grown up dog. Bailey once was a skinny pup.

http://redbirddog.blogspot.com/2010/06/dog-food-for-very-active-vizsla.html

Growth spurts will come and go. DO NOT neuter early (18 months minimum).

Have fun.

Bailey (intact male) at 5 years old.


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## mlwindc (Feb 8, 2013)

W was pretty thin as a pup. We even worried about his weight gain, a LOT. Until he was about 5 months, then he picked up the eating and just grew. FAST. At one, he was 62 lbs and he basically hovers around there depending on the season and how much he eats (he is 18 months now). He is a big vizsla (everyone comments on how HUGE he is). I would get him checked for medical (worms, etc) and then just keep feeding him high quality food. He will get the hang of it. FWIW, Wilson isn't a big hoover either when it comes to eating. He eats when he's hungry. Sometimes we even have to give him hard boiled eggs to choke down his food.


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## VictoriaW (Mar 16, 2011)

Cakegirl, were you able to meet Dakota's littermates when you picked him up? When I look closely at your photos from when you picked him up his spine does seem to be visible? Was his mama well fed?


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## einspänner (Sep 8, 2012)

I started Scout on Fromm. She liked it, but more of it ran through than stayed in. You can always up the amount, but if he isn't digesting it efficiently he won't put on weight. Once you're certain he's in good health you've got a few options. Feed an extra meal, supplement with other foods, try a new kibble, switch to raw or home cooked. 

Good foods to supplement with for weight gain are peanut butter, yogurt, tuna, sardines, mackerel, whole raw eggs, ground beef, and chicken (thighs have more calories). Raw marrow bones and poultry necks a few times a week for an after dinner snack would be great too.


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## Cakegirl (Mar 28, 2014)

Sorry it's taken me so long to get reply, been busy with Easter stuff!

Today we took him to his trainer, who works primarily with Vizslas. I asked him about his weight, and he felt like he was looking really good, and made a point to say he looked way better than even a week ago. He said how ribby he is now is maybe a touch thin but still on the healthy side of thin, so to not worry about it right now. 

When we got him, at 7 1/2 weeks, he as about 9.1 Lbs. a week later I took him back into the vet, and he was up to 12. I don't know why he was so thin from the breeder.. The breeder was feeding them purina puppy chow, and I think feeding them as a group. So I'm wondering if he just wasn't getting much food due to the competition of the other puppies? 

I'm feeling much better after talking to the trainer, and he goes back in to the vet Monday so I'm going to talk to her more to make sure.

Thanks guys! .


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