Gaining Weight

That topic may sound a bit misleading however let me explain.

Misty has dropped in weight to the point that her boney hips are showing. We've had her vet-checked and he did blood work and treated her for possible worms however - everything came back great. Pre-deer season last year she was 50 lbs, she looked great and athletic/muscular, etc. Now, she looks like an advertisement for "feed the starving dog" commercials.

The vet just suggested, obviously, feeding her the dog food from his office, and increasing her carbohydrates - breads, pasta, rice, etc. and increasing the amount of dry food she gets a day. We're putting down 3.5 cups of dry a day and she never eats that much - she might eat half.

We feed her this: http://www.royalcanin.ca/index.php/P...g/MEDIUM-Adult

She started losing weight when my daughter was hospitalized about a month ago, my daughter was in the hospital for three weeks - my wife stayed with her, and so I could continue to work my other kids went to stay with their grandmother down the road. Misty seemed really depressed for this whole period, she stills seems "down", but the vet seems to think she's fine.

Ok - all that out of the way. Any suggestions for weight gain? A customer at the vet office I spoke with while waiting to see the doctor mentioned "Satin Balls", thoughts on this?

You can't compare cups of dog food. The caloric value of one cup of a certain dog food doesn't equal the caloric value of another cup of dog food. If my dog was a bad as you're seeing , I would go with the high caloric vet food if possible - I know it's expensive- until the weight is back, or see below.

example:

30/20 Pro Pac High Perf: 572 Kcal/cup
30/20 Eukanuba High Perf: 384 Kcal/cup
24/20 SportMix(Black Bag): 552Kcal/cup
24/20 Loyall High Perf: 379Kcal/cup

** Royal Canin medium ... 336 K/cup.... low for putting on weight- depending on the amount of exercise the dog is getting. Would probably be enough for a couch potato to put on weight. :)

** Pro Plan Performance .. 475 K.cup.... what I feed.. about $53.00 per 13 kg which you can compare to your vet food. Ask the vet how many K/cup in his/her food.

As you know I'm sure, switch over slowly starting at 1:4 (old food) to avoid diarrhea.

(Dogs do eat less in the hot months. )
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satin balls recipe:They do put weight on normally.

https://www.google.ca/search?sourcei....0.L7wa7NY3hqI

I have used the satin balls recipe many times after one of my female's had a litter of pups. This is in my opinion the best way to put weight back on a under weight dog. Easy to digest and fast absorption into the system for faster weight gain.

and it's not just the calories, cardboard has calories too, so it's digestible calories.
add fat, may be peanut butter.

I have talked to someone I know quite well who works for royal canin, and they mentioned that the have vets on staff that you are able to speak with that would be able to make recommendations based on your current feeding regimen.

I would just switch from royal canin. Your Dog is a hardworking athlete. It needs better fuel.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by vom Dufenshmirtz

and it's not just the calories, cardboard has calories too, so it's digestible calories.
add fat, may be peanut butter.

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True.
Hilarious blog on non - digestible calories:

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=1437021

Do the satin ball's recipe you won't regret it I guarantee it.

Fat is the key. Fat packs more energy than any other source -- that's why our own bodies use it to store pizza and beer.

I like the pizza and beer recipe better Welsh. lol