[Zenunlild]

About a month ago we rescued a tri color male from death row. He was brought to the pound and not even given a chance. We named him Repo. We estimate his age to be between 1.5 and 2 years.

He is sooo sweet, but he is scarily underweight. We have taken him to the vet and followed his advice. Repo was wormed and we started off by feeding him things like oatmeal, hamburger and rice, scrambled eggs, along with TOTW and vitamins.....but he still has not put on any weight!

Friday the vet gave him something to kill tapeworms and this morning we had a big scare! Repo could not get up and he was very cold to the touch. The vet said to wrap him in a warm blanket and after awhile he seemed to get better. He was up and moving around slowly, and he ate his food....the vet thought the tapeworm meds might have been too much on his system?

Anyways, I think we are going to have to find a new vet, but I just wanted to ask if anyone who has been in a similar situation may have any tips or advice to help us save this poor dog. Also, he has had a lot of hair loss....

Here is a pic of him....all you can see is his head because he is so skinny.

[Khurlxgq]

He needs to be fed consistently, but in small portions several times throughout the day. I would keep the egg (raw or cooked.. I feed them raw). But rice, hamburger, and oatmeal are for sensitive stomachs and for clearing out the system. You can add a bit of rice to his food if it seems to upset his stomach. I would also add in plain yogurt.

Can you post a side view of him, to show just how skinny he is?

ETA: Blue dogs frequently have skin issues and allergies. Did the vet do a skin scraping for mange?

[Zenunlild]

Can you post a side view of him, to show just how skinny he is?

ETA: Blue dogs frequently have skin issues and allergies. Did the vet do a skin scraping for mange?

I will try to get a pic. He is so pitiful...emaciated.

We did a skin scraping, it was clear. He did not have any hair loss until after we got him. We gave him a blanket to sleep on, and the vet said that it was probably causing him irritation. We have since removed the blanket but he has not regrown any fur.

[Khurlxgq]

If he stays emaciated for too long, it will cause permanent damage to his internal organs.

You can also do a search for satin balls on here... I know they are used to add weight to a dog, but like I said - putting weight on an emaciated dog needs to be done SLOWLY.

Has he continued to lose fur since you removed the blanket, or has he remained the same? That is strange that the vet would say a blanket causes hair loss - is his skin irritated, red or itchy?

[Zenunlild]

Has he continued to lose fur since you removed the blanket, or has he remained the same? That is strange that the vet would say a blanket causes hair loss - is his skin irritated, red or itchy?

No he hasn't lost any hair since we took the blanket. His skin is not irritated or red, but he is itchy. We have bathed him in oatmeal shampoo to try to soothe it. He seems to be better skin wise.

[eCw56dzY]

you cant put a malnourished dog on a ton of food like that, its extremely bad for their piss poor system as it is,and will a shut down like that. like teal said, food needs to be given in small portions, throughout the day. also, do NOT overfeed. feed the same amount of food his normal body weight should be. no more.

[Khurlxgq]

Interesting. Was the blanket some special texture or type? It's most likely your detergent/fabric softener.

I wouldn't expect him to start growing hair back until he gains some weight, though.

[Zenunlild]

you cant put a malnourished dog on a ton of food like that, its extremely bad for their piss poor system as it is,and will a shut down like that. like teal said, food needs to be given in small portions, throughout the day. also, do NOT overfeed. feed the same amount of food his normal body weight should be. no more.

Oh, we don't give all that to him, lol. We have just tried those different things. And we do feed him several times a day and small amounts. He usually only eats a bit and stops.

I just feel like we are in over our heads with this one.

---------- Post added at 11:44 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:42 PM ----------

Interesting. Was the blanket some special texture or type? It's most likely your detergent/fabric softener.

I wouldn't expect him to start growing hair back until he gains some weight, though.

It is an electric blanket....but we didn't plug it in. I call it itchy, but my boyfriend doesn't think it's itchy. Polyester I think.

[Khurlxgq]

Oh, we don't give all that to him, lol. We have just tried those different things. And we do feed him several times a day and small amounts. He usually only eats a bit and stops.

I just feel like we are in over our heads with this one.

---------- Post added at 11:44 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:42 PM ----------



It is an electric blanket....but we didn't plug it in. I call it itchy, but my boyfriend doesn't think it's itchy. Polyester I think.

Trying all those different things would be the same as feeding them - his system isn't made for that. He should have been put on one food from the start, and fed it consistently I don't know why a vet would recommend anything different!

How much does he eat at a time? Do you leave the food down all the time, or give him portions throughout the day?

Add yogurt. Not only will it help add weight, it helps get picky eaters to down their food.

[CFstantony]

Teal has GREAT advice.
IF at some point you decide to go with Satin Balls ... this recipe has worked for me

Satin Balls

All ingredients are uncooked RAW and "Satin Balls" are served raw.

Small Recipe of Satin Balls for Little Dogs -- or to try out recipe to see if your dog will eat it.

1 lb cheap hamburger (for high fat %)
1 and 1/3 cups Total cereal
1 and 1/2 cups uncooked oatmeal
1 raw egg
6 Tablespoons wheat germ
1 package Knox unflavored gelatin
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
2 Tablespoons unsulfured molasses
Pinch of salt

Satin Balls Half Recipe
5 lbs cheap hamburger (for high fat %)
1/2 large box Total cereal (about 6 cups cereal)
1/2 large box uncooked oatmeal (about 7.5 cups oats)
5 raw eggs
1/2 of 15oz jar wheat germ (about 2 cups)
5 packages Knox unflavored gelatin
5/8 cup vegetable oil (this is pretty close to 2/3 cup)
5/8 cup unsulfured molasses
Pinch of salt

Satin Balls Full Recipe
10 lbs cheap hamburger (high fat %)
1 large box Total cereal (about 12 cups cereal)
1 large box uncooked oatmeal (about 15 cups oats)
10 raw eggs
1 15oz jar wheat germ
10 packages Knox unflavored gelatin
1 and 1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 and 1/4 cup unsulfured molasses
Pinch of salt

Notes:

"Whole Wheat Total" cereal (blue box) comes in large 1 lb 2 oz size (about 12 cups settled) and a smaller 12 oz size (about 8 cups cereal), which would work in Little Dog or Half Recipe. But in the long run, the large size is more economical. Don't get Raisin Total or Lo Carb Total.

Uncooked Oatmeal like "Quaker Old Fashioned Oats" and less expensive supermarket house brand, come in large 2 lb 10oz size (15 cups oats) or smaller 18 oz size (about 7 cups oats).

15oz jar of wheat germ is about 4 cups. Some stores only carry a 12oz jar of wheat germ, which contains about 3 and 1/4 cups of it.

Vegetable oil -- use a good one. I use grape seed oil; olive oil would be next best.

[SetSnonejog]

Ask the vet about nutri-cal.

http://www.tomlyn.com/pr_n_Nutri_Cal.html

[AXGreg]

A good probiotic really helped Trigger get weight on and get the gut flora balanced qnd helped to assimilate his food better. I didn't introduce him to yogurt as a probiotic source until later, not sure if that would have caused more issues being that it is dairy.

[Zenunlild]

Thanks everyone for the help.

He usually eats about a 1/2 cup of food at a time. His appetite is good, I just don't think his body can handle much food at once. I will try the satin balls recipe and we are going to research and find a different vet.

[cliceperperIa]

How often are you offering him food? If your only giving him 1/2 three times a day, your only giving him 1.5 cups of food a day. I'd assume that it would be ok to give him food every few hours.

[Zenunlild]

How often are you offering him food? If your only giving him 1/2 three times a day, your only giving him 1.5 cups of food a day. I'd assume that it would be ok to give him food every few hours.

We offer him more than 1/2 a cup, that is just all he will eat at once. He eats off and on pretty much all day. Every few hours at least.

[SoOW2LeA]

Just an fyi because blue dogs tend to have really sensitive systems..... I would either drastically modify the satin balls recipe to not include any grain products or simply not do it.

It would literally make either of my dogs explode if I tried it and therefore LOSE weight because of the drastic tummy upset. Just something to keep in mind with the sensitivities blue dogs often have...