Weight gain needed

[littlebranshill]

I am trying to sort out my dogs stomach/bowel problems. The vet has ruled out giardia/worms/camplyobacter and tests showthat his pancreas is working fine. I have now got solid motions using brown rice, white fish & cod liver oil tablets cooked in a slow cooker. BUT he is loosing weight. I don't mind keeping him on this diet as its relatively cheap and simple to do but I desperately need to put weight on him. I can't give him any more in quantity as his portions are huge. Has anyone got any ideas please? The vet wants me to put him on tinned Chappie. I have started gradually giving this to him but since then he has had two "accidents" at night albeit solid ones!!! which I put down to the Chappie. I am sorry but I refuse to pay £60 for a bag of specialst diet food when surely there must be something better and more natural that I can feed him.

 

[amarief]

Although not at all pleasant to look at or smell we find fresh green kennel tripe is excellent for weight gain in our dogs (terriers/lurcher). We hate it but the dogs love it (good "motions") and it is all natural.
Chappie has always been a cheap and cheerful favourite but I do know where you're coming from with the toilet troubles!!!

AM.
Seaofiron Bedlingtons/Lurcher.

 

[Kallibear]

He sounds like he has a serious food intolerance.

it's a case of trial and error to find out what makes him ill.

I'd steer clear of processed foods (basically all brands other than the specilaist diets like SH's ZD) as they contain a mixture of things. Common intolerances are wheat, eggs and strangely, chicken, which almost all dog food contains.

Get his digestion stable again then slowly add things in.

I'd start off with lamb or beef as it's a very 'natural' meat of them, much more so than chicken or fish (wolves don't eat birds or fish, they eat sheep and and deer!). Try the muscle (meat) then liver and kindeys and heart etc. It's very hard to balance a diets like that though!

If you can't get his digestion stable to start with though you may need to bite the bullet and feed the expensive specialist diets, esp if his weight loss becomes serious. They really do work.

 

[fruity]

I had this with my terrier and good old tripe from the local pet shop freezer will put condition on him in no time.

 

[Foxyfilly]

Breast of lamb, bone in............raw

 

[haycroft]

tripe...breast of lamb...or some owners say that Burns dry food is good and one for sensitive tummys

hope you find a suitable feed for him

 

[KarynK]

[ QUOTE ]
Breast of lamb, bone in............raw

[/ QUOTE ]

Second that red muscle meat gains weight, sounds like he is crying out for a raw diet with all those problems, vet will probably choke if you mention it though as they have often received somewhat bias nutritional training!

I nearly had to revive one once when he commented on the health of my dog and how clean it's teeth were, then promptly nearly feinted when I disclosed the diet, he quickly realised I was not going to buy the stuff in the waiting room!!!!! However some are very receptive and see the benefits.