# Need help with meal plan - fattening up a dog.



## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

I am sorta stumped... a friend of mine has a female GSD, who just can't seem to keep weight on. She has been tested for everything under the sun and everything is coming back normal.

In the beginning they were told to feed improperly so the dog lost a lot of weight very quickly but has since gained a bit back, but still not at an ideal weight. You can see hip bones and ribs easily. They are starting to really worry about her, as am I.

We are looking for advice in how to manage a meal plan for her that will work at adding back the weight in a healthy way and one in which they can maintain her body weight.

The dog should be about 80lbs at a healthy active weight. She is very active and participates in a lot of different activities as well. 

Anyone have any advice as to what they can do?

Her meal plan currently looks like this (per day):

1.6lbs RMB - Turkey neck, beef rib bones
1.6lbs MM - ground beef, pork heart, beef cubes, lamb fat, chicken livers
0.9lbs OM - beef liver, chicken livers, pork liver

1/4 cup - potatoes
A few sprinkles of green beans
1 Raw eggs
2 table spoons Cottage cheese (14%)

The dog is getting this in smaller increments throughout the day. No diarrhea, no vomiting.

They have tried satin balls, and they work for a short time but then once they stop feeding these and the weight is back, she looses it again.

They are looking for a meal plan they can stick with that will help maintain her weight.

Thanks guys!


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

Can they add some canned tripe?

Can they add more egg?

Can they add some carrots or apples?

You sure she's been tested for EPI?


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

> Can they add some canned tripe?


They add this a few times per week.



> Can they add more egg?


They feed 1 egg per day.



> Can they add some carrots or apples?


Carrots are given a few times per week, blanched and mixed in meal. Apples, she won't eat, even if grinded up and given in food. :S



> You sure she's been tested for EPI?


Yes, EPI, thyroid, SIBO, etc.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Isn't Angel a canine nutritionist? What does she suggest?


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

less liver

something with a wider source of vitamins and minerals


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

carmspack said:


> less liver
> 
> something with a wider source of vitamins and minerals


What would you suggest Carmen?


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Instead of canned tripe I'd give fresh(frozen) supplementing it every meal.


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

onyx'girl said:


> Instead of canned tripe I'd give fresh(frozen) supplementing it every meal.


Great suggestions, I will recommend. How much would you think to feed on top of their meal?

My guys get fat even looking at food, so I always ration.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I'd probably give 5/6 oz per meal. Or more, tripe is really the perfect food!


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

I raised my Luka on raw until she was about 6-7 years old. At that point, she started having a hard time keeping weight on. After trying different raw meals with no success, I switched her to a good quality kibble and she got back up to a good weight, and maintained it. So, although raw is a good diet for dogs, there are some who seem to do better on kibble for whatever reason.


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

Yeah, I suggested going back to kibble but they are against it at this point. She did well on Acana and Origen but seems to have a hard time maintaining weight since she lost it about 4-6 months ago.

Jane - my two agree with you! They would eat ONLY tripe, if I allowed it! Even my picky boy Stark LOVES it. And Zef, well... she'd eat anything you told her she could.


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

I have found my dogs do best on more red meat though for adding weight, chicken leg quarters work wonders.


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

lhczth said:


> I have found my dogs do best on more red meat though for adding weight, chicken leg quarters work wonders.


That was recommended by someone as well and I believe they are starting to switch over to mostly red meat as a staple for her now. Unfortunately it's quite expensive out this way! LOL


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## Chris Wild (Dec 14, 2001)

I think Lisa was suggeting chicken leg quarters for putting on weight and I'd agree. Try switching out some of the turkey necks and beef rib RMBs for them.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Turkey necks and the beef rmbs are more bulk than nutrition...the turkey necks seem to go right thru my dogs, I can always tell when I scoop poop which is from a turkey neck meal. I agree with the chicken as rmbs....they are easily digested and the skin on the chicken is nutritious/ contains a fair amount of fat to balance out the bone and meat.


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

Will definitely tell them to switch over and see if that works. Thanks guys!


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

Yes, thanks Chris. My dogs are in better condition with more red meat, but leg quarters will fatten them up.

If they are too heavy I feed more turkey necks. They tend to be very lean so they can eat more #/#. I don't have the issues that Jane has with them.


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

My guys do extremely well on turkey necks, pork heart and other proteins mixed in weekly and I have never really had an issue with their weight (well, Zefra is sorta heavy, for me, even though people think she is skinny).

I will pass this on. 

Thank you guys so much. I think it also helps hearing it from other sources.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

lhczth said:


> Yes, thanks Chris. My dogs are in better condition with more red meat, but leg quarters will fatten them up.
> 
> If they are too heavy I feed more turkey necks. They tend to be very lean so they can eat more #/#. I don't have the issues that Jane has with them.


I don't have any issue with feeding turkey necks, my dogs love them, and I feed them often! But I see more bulky stool when I feed them, so I know they aren't being completely absorbed like a chicken leg 1/4 is.


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## Seer (May 24, 2011)

Beef fat in good proportions has worked well for weight gain and management. Its really hard to keep weight on some of mine with the expenditure of energy. Fat solves this problem pronto for me. You cant gain or maintain weight if you expend more then your intake. If they are and have been on raw for a while no noticeable stool change by adding a huge piece of fat or two daily for my thinned ones. I think the dog sledders have/will use pure lard to maintain energy and stamina during high output times.


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## ladyluck (Jan 28, 2004)

Increase the MM decrease the RMB. My female gsd requires twice as much as my male to maintain her wt. She is way more active. I would also feed more chicken leg quarters to use as my RMBs. I agree she needs more calories. How about beef heart with the fat still attached? we get bulk beef heart with the hard white fat still attached. we give the fat part to the female and leaner cuts to male.


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