# Safely Putting Weight on Emaciated GSD



## Karma2009 (Sep 6, 2014)

I am adopting a senior girl from a local shelter, she was horribly neglected and left to starve. The dog is 46 lbs and literally skin and bones, also missing 75% of her fur. Can anyone offer some advice for caring for an emaciated dog or offer advice on how to safely get this girl to her ideal weight. She needs to put on about 30 lbs. Also, should I be doing anything in the way of vitamin supplements to help her fur grow back, or be giving her medicated baths? This is my fourth GSD, but my first rescue experience, and my first experience dealing with such horrific neglect.


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## ksotto333 (Aug 3, 2011)

Hopefully Carmspack will see this thread...she has so much knowledge to help you. How wonderful for her that your are saving her.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

Take her to the vet and follow his/her advice. Feeding too much can kill them if they are in a certain level of emaciation.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I second going to the vet. Also, have them check for EPI. EPI can drop dogs weight incredibly, and you will not make headway on it without enzymes. If she is a senior, full bloodwork makes sense anyway. She could have thyroid or any number of issues. 

Thanks for rescuing her.


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## Nikitta (Nov 10, 2011)

Good for you to take on this poor girl. I'm hoping she recovers. I'm sorry but I am falling into rant mode. GRRRRR blanketyblack sub-humans who do that to a living creature. I'd like to tie THEM up in the middles of no where and shrug when they begged for food and drink. Oh well you are pretty old-- Why don't we just shove you in a pen and then they "put you to sleep: YOU BLANKYBLANKS 
sorry This stuff makes me MAD


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## Karma2009 (Sep 6, 2014)

A vet visit will be my first stop. She was tested for heartworm and fortunately is negative. She has been given all of the necessary vaccinations but no other vetting has been done. I quite frankly don't understand how anyone could do this to an animal, it's beyond cruel, it's downright sadistic. Could they have dumped her at the shelter BEFORE they starved her?? Oh well, it feels good to rant even though I know it won't change anything. Getting her well is my priority now.


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

I will tackle this later -- take it slowly . 

Good clean protein and fat -- moderate calories .

any estimation on her age ?


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## BARBIElovesSAILOR (Aug 11, 2014)

*in the same boat*

I am currently fostering an underweight gsd too. She came in weighing 50 lbs, bones sticking out and the whole bit. When i took her to the vet they reccommended sardines mixed into her dog food because her coat was in bad shape. But also the sardines make her more interested in eating. I feed her 3 sensible meals a day w sardines. Not huge meals, maybe like 1 cup each meal so smaller side. Also i dont over exercise her either so she can gain weight. She is 53 lbs now after 2 weeks but (has kennel cough so appetites been bad and thats y its taken her longer to put on weight) hopefully this helps w your girl. And when it comes to being angry about the people who starved her, just remember... she is safe now with you and no bad will come to her again. 
P.s.
Try feeding satin balls. You can google that if u dont know what it is.


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## Harry and Lola (Oct 26, 2013)

Yes definitely ask your vet to test her for EPI. Unfortunately EPI is quite prevalent in GSDs and double unfortunately some owners can't be bothered to treat their EPI GSD and leave the poor dog to starve itself to death, which is what will eventually happen to a dog with EPI that do not get replacement enzymes to help them digest food. So you could be dealing with this, or just another _kfhiokehfkdhglh_ owner that neglects this beautiful breed.

As for gaining weight, if she does have EPI then you will need to feed her 1 and 1/2 to double the recommended amount of food for her breed and age plus replacement enzymes and treat her for SIBO and increase her B12 levels to a high level. If she has just been starved to death, I don't have experience with this, however I wonder if you would be better to following what owners with EPI dogs do in the beginning of treating their dog - ie feed her small amounts often, if you can 4 times a day feed her a small portion of food. It is up to you whether you want to feed her with dry or raw or both, but just start out small. As for supplements, I like to use organic virgin coconut oil and organic seaweed - a good one will contain A, B1, B2, B3, B, C, E, minerals and trace elements – iron, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, selenium, iodine, copper, cobalt, sulphur and boron

Here is a link for information on EPI, for your interest Overview - EPI * Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency

Good luck with your journey and it is wonderful to know there are people like you willing to help her.


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## Karma2009 (Sep 6, 2014)

Thanks so much everyone for the good advice. The person who dumped her at the shelter said she was 7 or 8, but I believe her real age is closer to 10 or even 11. 
My other concern is that I saw signs of her "knuckling under" and I know from first hand experience that is a classic early symptom of DM. Had a dog that died from that horrible disease and I recognized it right away. Hoping that this is just a byproduct of her neglected condition, and not DM, but whatever happens she will have a home for life.


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## my boy diesel (Mar 9, 2013)

no satin balls.
personally I would feed a lesser quality food such as purina or some such until she starts putting on weight
you would not feed a steak dinner to an emaciated person you would start with potato soup or a bland meal
dogs are like that
too much too soon can make them very sick
The weight will come back in three weeks if she does not have an underlying illness making her so thin
Remember part of emaciation is dehydration so let her have all the water she can drink


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

I agree , no satin balls. 

I don't agree with "personally I would feed a lesser quality food such as purina or some such " because this is an aged dog with age and care related diminished capacity to digest and absorb .
The age of the dog , and again the care which may have accelerated aging , will have an effect on the organs , telomeres shortened , leading to reduced capacity to renew .
The dog needs a junk / filler free , good clean , easy to digest , easy to absorb , nutrient dense , calorie conservative diet , which includes minerals which are the spark plugs for enzyme activity.
Dogs can metabolize raw (unadulterated) animal fat well , and this rather than carbohydrates is a good energy source.


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## my boy diesel (Mar 9, 2013)

i would agree but my concern is watch to see if she can gain for a week or so then mix in better food until she is on it 100%
that's how I'd do it
I mean don't go straight to evo or orijen
start with pro plan :shrug:


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I would follow the vet's advice on serious underweight dog. But rather than feeding a lower quality food so that it is like "potato soup" I would go with a decent food and add some green beans, and rice to give calories and possibly cut the ratio of protein/fat/etc. Not really dealt with this though so I really don't want to give any advice. 

I have had some dogs I wanted to put some weight on, and I have an EPI dog who is doing well now. But none were to this point. 

I don't know about the knuckling under. Yes it is a sign of DM, or a sign of something pressing on the spinal column. Whether total lack of muscles/weight can cause this, I really don't know.


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## Sabis mom (Mar 20, 2014)

my boy diesel said:


> i would agree but my concern is watch to see if she can gain for a week or so then mix in better food until she is on it 100%
> that's how I'd do it
> I mean don't go straight to evo or orijen
> start with pro plan :shrug:


I agree. Poorly bred GSD's are notorious for tummy troubles. Rich, high protein foods are often counter productive. Yes I am assuming that she is likely a BYB dog, maybe I'm wrong. I start the dogs we rescue on Pedigree, add in fresh food as we go to tweak appetites and add nutrients and then wean them onto better food. Your vet is going to likely recommend the food they are getting a commission on so be wary of that. 
Believe it or not there are dogs who do extremely poorly on 'top quality' food.


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

a very old , compromised , catabolizing dog , with diminished capacity for repair and digestion does not need junk or filler .
A dog in this condition is working with essential metabolic processes only - which may exclude or reduce detox .
Providing "junk" will tax kidneys more as more needs to be eliminated .

small meals , frequent meals, full amino acid protein -- digestible fat.

weight is not the priority -- rebalancing and bringing into some state of not declining further is .


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

Karma , go to the butcher shop -- get chicken (tough old bird just fine !) , plus lots of necks , frames with the keel still on . Get the biggest pot that you have . Put all those bones and cut up stewing chicken generously covered with water , put on lid, and bring to rolling boil . 
(A pinch of sea salt , and a few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar will help draw out any minerals adding to the benefits )
Then reduce to a long slow simmer allowing the water to evaporate so that you have a concentrated bone broth.

Remove all the bones . Allow the bones to cool . Pick off any white knobbly bites (condoyles - source of chondroitin) 
-- save . Pick off any chicken meat -- save .

The broth will be very welcome , very nourishing , soothing and will incentivize the dog into eating .
Ever so slightly warm , like "blood" temperature , will help digestion , plus the aroma is attractive to the dog.

This preparation can be a vehicle for supplements , to soak kibble if that is what you choose , to give as a food in itself by taking some of that stripped chicken meat and running through a blender till you have a baby food paste .

you can float a lightly poached egg in this broth , adding high quality , bio available protein !


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

Agree with small, frequent meals. I also add a probiotic, digestive enzymes (Prozyme), and sometimes bovine cholostrum (which is a human supplement you can find at Whole Foods, or any health store).

Here's the most extreme senior our rescue nursed back -- she was very, very old: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrXeeBKwM-U#t=17 . Our vet kept her in the clinic for at least a week after we pulled her. She was my dear friend's foster. If a dog like this can make it back to health, know that your girl can too!

Some vetting things to talk with the vet about: 
(1) fecal test (I've never seen an emaciated dog that came in as a stray that wasn't _also_ full of worms, usually hooks and whips in my area -- she may need a few rounds of deworming)
(2) radiographs of the stomach (the dog in that video that I linked had been starved for so long she ate rocks, sticks, and anything she saw to try to make the pain in her empty belly go away -- our vet got the junk in her tummy through her by keeping her in the hospital for a good week, without surgery, taking frequent xrays to watch it moving)
(3) full bloodwork (senior panel with T4 would be where I would start) -- you really need to get a snapshot of what's going on with all her organ systems


Once the vet clears the dog for foster care, I actually DO like using satin balls as a supplement to very high quality kibble (I've used Fromm and even Orijen with these kinds of dogs very successfully). The key is what's in the satin balls -- satin balls are only as good as what you put in them!!! If you make them with junk, they'll be junky.

When I make satin balls for an emaciated or sick dog, I bake them -- I avoid raw with an immuno-compromised dog like this because she's too weak. I use organic eggs from the farmer's market or a friend with chickens (or ducks, if I can get them--even more nutritious for the dogs). I buy a special "dog food" meat mix from an artisanal, local slaughterhouse that sells only at farmer's markets or to high-end restaurants and specialty stores -- very, very good meat. The owner saves the cow hearts, tongues, livers, and kidneys to grind up for the "dog food." These are left over parts he has no market for in his human product line, so he sells them very cheaply to me. I mix this ground meat up with the fresh eggs (with shells ground up--very important), organic oats, wheat germ, organic coconut oil, and a touch of black-strap molases. 

I give no more than 4 ping-pong sized, baked meat balls per day, broken up with the small meals. They are an excellent way to hide other senior supplements (fish oil, Ester-C, NEM, etc.) or meds. The liver in the mix smells up the whole house when it bakes, but the smell is pure heaven to the dogs. That smell will spark the appetite of even the most sick, anorexic dog.

I think the high organ content of this meat mix delivers a big dose of B-vitamins that these dogs need badly. There's something very wholesome about this stuff that brightens them and gets their system rebooting --you can see in their faces when they eat the meat balls that they know it's what the body needs. Again, not too many--an "extra boost," not a main meal. Phoenix, the dog in the video, ate these organ-filled satin balls with her kibble during her recovery. The ingredients in them seem to have a magical effect on some dogs. I'm really convinced it's the organ meat.

My optimal, "best case scenario" goal in putting weight on emaciated dog is 10% per week. That's a HUGE gain for the dog. Some weeks it will be much less, particularly if there's also illness. It will slow as the dog gets closer to the goal. You should be doing weekly weigh-ins at the vet, so that they can keep it all in her chart. 

The poop will tell you if the dog is absorbing all that you are feeding.

With the skin hair loss, I would do a skin scrape at the vet just to be sure no demodex or scabies. Chlorhexadine or Ketachlor shampoo (available online, or from the vet) will knock out surface bacteria and yeast while the body heals itself inside and regrows the hair.

My vet also delays vaxing emaciated dogs. We get them healthy first.


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## Karma2009 (Sep 6, 2014)

I so appreciate the good advice, and I am thankful to all of you who have responded. I am confident my senior girl is going to bounce back. BTW that video is amazing, what an inspiration!


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

excellent Magwart -- now those are satin balls I would go for . I've run across some recipes where you would wonder that they don't inflame the pancreas -- really bad ones . 

wishing the best to the dog , who is lucky beyond belief to have been found by Karma


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

Karma, please post pics here so we can see your progress and cheer you on!

One thing I do want to mention--something for your own psyche--it may be a good idea to pick up an "I'm a rescue" bandana or something like that for this dog to wear to vet appointments, and eventually once she's stronger, on very short walks. I mention this only because when you are out anywhere with a severely emaciated dog, it's common to get withering stares from people who are "sure" you are responsible for doing this to the dog. Some people even say things. It happens waiting for vet appointments a lot. Once people know what a wonderful thing you've done, their attitude changes. A bandana diffuses the whole thing.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

Magwart, thanks for that video, (*Kleenex, please!). I had an identical case with a Black lab, brought into the pound to be put down; dripping with milk (they had taken her from her 4 week old pups, emaciated, mastitis. I took her home. She barely made it at not even one year old. Started to play with my dogs, trusting people again, learning the joys of the beach and after a few months she found her forever family. She is 14 now and still healthy. She still remembers me in the few times I have seen her back. She is my ultimate success story and I love her deeply. I am so glad people do this work.


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## Sabis mom (Mar 20, 2014)

Magwart said:


> Karma, please post pics here so we can see your progress and cheer you on!
> 
> One thing I do want to mention--something for your own psyche--it may be a good idea to pick up an "I'm a rescue" bandana or something like that for this dog to wear to vet appointments, and eventually once she's stronger, on very short walks. I mention this only because when you are out anywhere with a severely emaciated dog, it's common to get withering stares from people who are "sure" you are responsible for doing this to the dog. Some people even say things. It happens waiting for vet appointments a lot. Once people know what a wonderful thing you've done, their attitude changes. A bandana diffuses the whole thing.


I will second the bandana idea. I have gotten out right threats a few times. Please do post pics though.


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## SusiQ (Jul 27, 2007)

I used Nutrical (she can lick it off your fingers) to put weight back on my girl following oral cancer surgery - comes in a tube and is high calorie - high nutrient. Also, Science prescription diet A/D (only Science diet I would ever use) - the cans are small and very palatable. Good luck and bless you for helping this baby!


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