Is this normal? More staffie advice please.

PinkFairy

PinkFairy

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Remember my thread ages ago about how my OH's eldest staff (she's 5) has lost a lot of weight to the point where my OH took her to the vet. He tried everything to help her gain weight but to no avail, the vet weighed her and said she was the perfect weight for her breed and size.

OH's sister has a very wide range of pets, including some hens which she keeps outside in their own enclosure and OH's dogs have been to her house many, many times, sometimes overnight when OH has been really busy with work.

OH's sister told us that the staff had got into the enclosure, attacked a hen and actually eaten most of it which OH was surprised at, he said it's not the first time she's done it but it is the first time she's eaten any of it.

This isn't to say she gets in there every time she is at his sisters house, it's rare, but she has done it before.

Is this something to be worried about? OH is worried about the fact that she's got a hearty appetite yet puts on no weight. As she's not my dog and I have no experience of Staffs, I am pretty clueless about this, including whether it's something to worry about. He wants to take her back to the vet, but the vet didn't seem concerned when we took her about 3 weeks ago or so.

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Vino and chocs for getting to the end.
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Havin a good chew down on the hen is usual, my akita nearly chomped through a whole dead cat
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(wont try try explain that one)
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If she is still loosing weight I would take her back to vets for blood tests, there are a few conditions that would see her lose weight rapidly yet still eat like a pig.
Im sure vet thought she was bright and healthy, and if weight was ok she was prob over weight before, but if she is still loosing im sure vet would want to check her again for poss further tests.
 
I told him I thought that it was dog behaviour at its most natural even though not its most domesticated? (With regards to eating the hen that is.)

She feels awful to stroke, I can feel her spine and her ribs, as well as feeling the gaps between the bones in her ribs, it doesn't feel normal to me but then again, my own dog is a ball of curly fluff so again, I'm not used to it.
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He will definitely take her back to the vet for another check, no doubt about it.
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I would take her to the vets.

Eating the chicken is TOTALLY normal. It could be anything affecting her weight, a food absorbtion problem etc.
What is she on now, what is her exercise regime like?
Is she a stressy dog? Does she fence-run or do laps of the house?

Could you post a pic?
 
OH feeds her a tin of dog food a day, can't remember the name of it and she goes for a walk perhaps two or three times a week - it would be more but OH works long hours and his sister also works part time.

They get lots of play time when someone is in and they get this pretty much every day.

She does go nuts - running all over the house, bounding from sofa to sofa etc but she does also sit and calm down so isn't always leaping around. She is also the only one of the two staffs who jumps right up to face level but again, this stops after a few minutes and she sits quite happily, chewing on a bone!
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(Not a chicken bone I must add
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I'll see if I can find a pic but it won't be a very good one..Or I could wait til I go to OH's house next and take one of her.
 
Personally speaking I would walk more than two or three times a week, IMO it is not enough for an adult, active breed. I know people have to work, but could you help or could he get a dog walker in?
It provides mental stimulation as well as exercise.

Have you tried varying her food or trying different foods to bulk her up? Does she get any meal at all or just the tin?
Tinned dog meat is mostly water.
If she is losing weight and you are not altering or adjusting her feed, it is understandable that there won't be any difference.

I was asking about the exercise thing because I have a female who will literally run all her weight off if she is allowed. I combat this by putting her in an area where she can't pace and fence-run, and lots of vigorous walking - so I exercise her, rather than her self-exercising, if that makes sense.
 
Have to agree tin of meat is not a good diet at the best of times, I dread to think of future dental bills
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Is it a large ir small tin? not that it makes much difference she def needs some bulk in there in the form of a good quality dry food........and def up the exercise once she is checked again by the vet, staffs need alot of exercise hence the bounding energy she has in the house......nothing worse than a staff full of energy
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I would add some vegie oil to her food and put her on a good quality dry food with meat mixed in, but again def have her checked by the vet, they would have no doubt recorded her weight and will want to check her condition again.
How old is she?
Is she neutered?
Drink excessivly?
 
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She's 5 years old, not been neutered, she has had puppies before when she was very young OH said she and his sister's staff mated (not what anyone wanted - pesky b*ggers!) and her pups didn't survive.

I wouldn't know if she drinks a lot, she has a massive bowl of water topped up to the brim but she shares this with the other dog.

OH feeds her the tin but mixes in some dry food as well if he has it.

I will relay the idea of veg oil in her food to my OH, thanks a lot for the advice etc, I really appreciate it. OH is going to try and take her to the vet this week.
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I hope so too, she's a lovely girl even though I find her a bit too nuts for my liking!
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Will update you all on her as soon as I can.
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Well as Cayla says, if all is OKed by the vet, I really would alter her type of exercise - in the nicest possible way, an active breed dog will go nuts if it is only getting out for a walk two or three times a week.
 
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