# Skinny new foster won't eat :(



## moei (Sep 28, 2007)

Mods: please move if this should be in the Health section. I wasn't sure where it would get best response.









My new foster (DUKE - BrightStar) is very skinny. I will be posting pictures in the Follow-up section tonite to give an idea how thin he is.

He has me stumped!







He will not eat boiled chicken!!!







I pulled him on Saturday and since then he has only eaten 1/2 cup of brown rice with some turkey in it. Few pieces of RC kibble, 1/4 cup of Canidae (soggy) and chewed a little on RMB. I have been feeding these various things to get his interest. Did not eat yogurt and barely nibbled on cheese.







Of course, all this only if I hand feed him. Moment I put it in his bowl, he loses interest.









HELP!! I am so worried, he is so skinny. He seems to have enough energy to chase and play with my resident dog all day, if I let him. He had his neuter surgery on Friday, so I am trying to keep him down-regulated.







Hoping his lack of appetite is because of surgery. And it appears he was neglected before, so he is very under-socialized. Just turned one year last month, the day he was dumped at the shelter


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## kshort (Jun 4, 2004)

moei,
Baby food will often stimulate their appetite. I usually get the chicken & gravy or turkey & gravy. Might be worth a try!


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## acurajane (May 21, 2008)

There has been times when i had to puree it in the blender and with a syringe( no needle of coarse) open mouth and squirt down.


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## moei (Sep 28, 2007)

Thanks Kris and acurajane.









They baby food did not work, he just turned up his nose ...









Where can I get a syringe? 

He digs up the turkey from the kibble and spits out the kibble ...oh dear, what do I feed this skinny, daddy-long-legs??

Does cat food work? the cheap stinky variety? Or will it cause the runs?


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## lsoilm1936 (Dec 28, 2003)

I just had to feed a parvo pup through a syringe so I feel like an expert at this! LOL You can get syringes from your drug store. I used a combination of baby food, yogurt and canned pumpkin. Once he gets a taste of one of those things, (forced) he might try it on his own!


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## lsoilm1936 (Dec 28, 2003)

Oh - if he likes the yogurt, try mixing the yogurt in with just a little bit of kibble. That works great too!


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## moei (Sep 28, 2007)

Thanks Lori. He has shown no interest in yogurt nor cheese!!! First dog I have met who won't eat cheese, even as a treat!! 

Who knows what the previous owner fed him, if anything.


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## kshort (Jun 4, 2004)

Cat food SHOULD work, but if baby food didn't, this little guy is making it hard... I think once you get his appetite stimulated, then he'll get hungry and it won't be so hard. What a little pistol!

Have you tried ground beef? Just rinse it after it's cooked and it will take the grease out of it.

I'll keep thinking...


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## pupresq (Dec 2, 2005)

Other things to try - Science Diet A/D canned food, boiled chicken, hamburger and rice. 

The A/D is my go to thing for skinny pups. If necessary it can be thinned slightly and syringed in. Get a large syringe, like 20-30 ccs if you can.


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## kshort (Jun 4, 2004)

You could always try Arby's - Jean swears by it!


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## moei (Sep 28, 2007)

Thanks all. 
Now to go shopping. I going to have a whole new shelf of different brands of dog and cat food pretty soon.









Hannah, he turns up his pointy nose at boiled chicken!!







First dog I've seen do that. You should have seen DH's face when Duke spat it out, like it was poisoned!







He has no problem licking my resident dog's butt all day long if I allow it


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## RebelGSD (Mar 20, 2008)

How about tuna, pink salmon or mackarel?


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## lsoilm1936 (Dec 28, 2003)

> Originally Posted By: RebelGSDHow about tuna, pink salmon or mackarel?


Now you're making ME hungry!


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## RebelGSD (Mar 20, 2008)

Or stinky cheeeese?


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## moei (Sep 28, 2007)

Thank you for all the great ideas. I am going to try all of them and then some, till it works out. 

RebelGSD - he turned up his nose at cheese <sigh!> I guess I will have to find Limburger cheese









Here is a picture of Mr. Picky. He has long legs and a long body. At the shelter, they said he weighed 73 lbs !!!







I find it hard to believe, though maybe it is because of large bones?? Once he fills out he is going to be big boy.


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## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

OK let's try this. Resident dog will work for food? Get resident dog working for food. Then start having your "border" work for food. Don't offer it so blamed freely. Barker the Elder has always been a bit picky but having her work for food developed some interest.


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

Merrick canned food--it's mostly gravy and they usually love it.


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## MoongazrNH04 (Feb 9, 2004)

Moei, I had a (senior) foster that was 93lbs when I picked him up. I was a bit surpised when my vet said that Sabor was underweight...he was also a very large boned...and a "long" dog....something my vet commented on every time I brought him in, lol. (once a month over the 5 months I had him) You can see his length at the bottom of this page-> http://www.moongazrswallpaper.com/german_shepherd_rescues/Sabor/sabor.html
There's not a day that goes by, that I don't think of him.







He was an awesome dog!

Once you have your boy eating, you may want to try making up some "Satin Balls." (google it) Works wonders for putting a little weight on the thin ones, and puts a wonderful shine on their coats...I've never had a dog turn em down yet!


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## moei (Sep 28, 2007)

Thanks a lot everyone! Some great ideas - will try each one of them, till it works


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## Timber1 (May 19, 2007)

Hot dogs and gravy;worked for my rescue.


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## marksmom3 (Dec 17, 2007)

Scrambled eggs?


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

Seems like you got a lot of good answers! 

http://www.thepetcenter.com/imtop/recovery.html
http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/ClientED/feedStarved.aspx 

Has some more information. 

Is he eating? If not, I'd take him to the vet, because at that weight, with unknown blood values...no knowledge of possible GI issues like EPI, etc. it could get dicey. Oh-and he got neutered on Friday-so that might also slow down the appetite, post anesthesia. 

I won't be around today so if this needs to be moved to health, please PM an admin!


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## moei (Sep 28, 2007)

He ate! He ate! He ate!




























- the same amount that my resident dog eats! what worked was softened kibble with Merrick's. Also ate half an RMB.

And he has become a true gsd puppy - wants to play all the time - grumbled about going to bed, but did settle down. And his poop was good too.









Did I tell you guys he ate?









Thank you everyone! Thanks for all the ideas.


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## pupresq (Dec 2, 2005)

YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## ncgsdmom (Jun 24, 2008)

Awesome!! Good job. My foster was not into the kibble when I first got her, even though she was really thin. I started adding chicken livers sauted with a bit of garlic...she dove right in....(plus a bit of extra protein couldn't hurt)


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## marksmom3 (Dec 17, 2007)

Glad to hear he's eating!!


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