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## Redlove (Sep 7, 2012)

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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

I would suspect EPI if she is emaciated. Has your vet done any testing?


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## ChancetheGSD (Dec 19, 2007)

Could you post some pictures of her from the side and over top of her? How tall is she?

I personally wouldn't be feeding Nutro, it's caused a LOT of health problems in dogs and cats. Have you tried to see if maybe she likes something else better?

What are her poops like? EPI could very well be an issue.


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## Redlove (Sep 7, 2012)

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## Redlove (Sep 7, 2012)

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## Nigel (Jul 10, 2012)

Redlove said:


> Well after reading symptoms, thankfully that does not sound like her. She has solid, regular poops and no gas, a great shiny coat, etc. she's just tiny. I'll try to take some pics and figure out how to post them


I'm glad she doesn't match those symptoms. As for food, the California naturals would be a better choice IMO. The "sticky threads" in the pictures section should help for posting pics.


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## Redlove (Sep 7, 2012)

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## GatorBytes (Jul 16, 2012)

Symptoms can mean all or some. 
EPI could be the culprit or search anemia, more specifically B-12 and intrinsic factor. This is related to lack of appetite and weight loss. Inability to thrive, if weight "loss" is not as specific as inablity to put on. There is also a relation to the thyroid in all this.

If lack of intrinsic factor (IF), then it has to be determined why (auto immune?) Treatments of oral B-12 may not be of use if IF is not present. Injectable b-12 can be done by vet and taught to be done by self. There are also a couple of oral brands that contain IF.

or may be simple B-12 deficiency w/o the IF issue (could be parasite/bacteria stealing it away).

You should have a CBC and Chem screen done w/ a TLI B-12/folate
Note: excess folate can mask a b-12 deficiency 


pernicious - Diseases and Conditions | Aetna InteliHealth

Anaemia due to vitamin B12 deficiency (pernicious anaemia)


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Redlove said:


> Hi everyone! I'm new to this forum and found you while searching for answers. I have a beautiful two yr old (May 1st) spayed black and red shep. We've had her since she was ten weeks. She was the runt, and her mom was about 60 lbs, so we figured she'd be on the small side. ... Old vet said feed her more (gee why didn't I think of that)... New vet says as long as she's eating and pooping fine, she's fine. I disagree. This is not my first shep, and she is too thin. By quite a bit. When she's lying down, she actually looks emaciated.



Sometimes dogs are just small. We have the runt out of a litter of Boxers. Her ideal weight is about 42 lbs. She's just small. As long as her weight matches her bone structure I would not be concerned.

I"m not a fan of Nutro. Had sick dogs on a bag of that. Since she has no signs of EPI, IBD, etc. then my first question is how much exercise does she get? Is she very active?

I would look for a kibble that has a higher caloric content per cup since she's a picky eater. You could add some canned tripe. I've never seen a dog refuse that! Look for Trippett on amazon or petfooddirect.com.


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## ChancetheGSD (Dec 19, 2007)

Redlove said:


> Was rereading dog food advisor and Nutro Ultra dry is on their list of best dog foods... What problems has it been known to cause and where can I read about this?


The problem with that site is it is written by a human dentist who doesn't research the brand, manufacturer, ect when he "rates" the foods, simply by looking at the ingredients list.

1,227 Complaints and Reviews about Nutro Pet Foods

Sad when a food gets 1.5 star review out of 1,227 "tried" reviews. (74% of those reviews being 1 star rating) Even that is too many "stars" after what it did to my girl. She is a chow hound who stopped eating, was so lethargic we had to pick her up and take her outside to potty, she had bloody diarrhea and was VOMITING up BLOOD! After vet checks and lots of $$$, I switched her food and amazing how the problems stopped and she was happy to eat again.

Many dogs and cats have suffered kidney and liver damage/failure after eating this food too. I don't trust Nutro and never will.

I would go for the California Natural Chicken & Rice. It has just over 500 calories per cup vs. most foods that only average around 350 per cup. (Nutro Ultra Adult is 334 calories/cup) Picking up some Trippett like Jax suggested would be good too. It's stinky but I've never seen a dog stick their nose up to some good ol' green tripe!!

Some pictures would still be pretty helpful though.  (Plus we all just love seeing every ones pups! )


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## Redlove (Sep 7, 2012)

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## Redlove (Sep 7, 2012)

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## chelle (Feb 1, 2009)

I think she looks pretty darned good from those pics!


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

I think she looks fine. We are so used to overweight these days that normal seems thin.


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## Nigel (Jul 10, 2012)

She looks good!


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## GatorBytes (Jul 16, 2012)

She may just have a high metabolism. and she is only two, so she still has room to grow. put a book on her shoulders with help if you need and grab tape measure to get her height...the breeding experts on here will know best. But I think she looks young, not underweight


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## furweed (Sep 9, 2012)

*slim dog*

I always look at how many times the food has been recalled. Nutro has been recalled twice in three years, to me that is to much.

I use Purina One Beyond, Purina has never had a recall on their own foods only on products that have been bought by the company, and even that has been very little.

I have 2 MegaE GSDs and 1 EPI GSD and they are all doing very well on the diet. One of my MegaE dogs is the only one I have trouble adding weight on her. Her MegaE has a persistent right aortic arch. 
One MegaE shep needs to have her food soaked and made into meatballs, the other MegaE shep needs to have his food soaked and mashed into a milkshake consistency, and the EPI shep needs to have her food soaked and enzymes added. 

Does your GSD vomit often?


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

i would rule out anything medical. if she past the tests then she's fine.
why do you think she needs to gain weight? some GSD's are heavier
and some are lighter. i bet your dog could fly through an agility course.


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## Anthony8858 (Sep 18, 2011)

I have to laugh at this thread..

She reminds me so much of my Kira, and I hear the same remarks. 
Kira is only 58 pounds, and people always ask if she's either a full breed or runt.
I've gone as far as telling people that she's a miniature, pygmy German Shepherd, imported from Germany, and used to herd smaller sheep. LOL
( I guess a stupid remark, deserves another)

Your dog is beautiful.

IMO, just try to put a good quality food in her. SO many good options. Listen to the folks around here for that.


On a positive note, your dog's hips and joints will thank you for keeping her lean.


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## Redlove (Sep 7, 2012)

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## Anthony8858 (Sep 18, 2011)

Oh no! A toy shepherd !! 
Lol. 




Sent from my iPhone using PG Free


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

I would love a toy Shepherd! Mine is already a moose and he is only 8 months


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