weight problem - Page 2

Have you taken him to a vet? Although most times its missed,by fecal examination,it could be he has picked up a Whip-worm. I have experienced this problem as well as others I know and with the medicine provided from the vet for this came with good results. Just give your dogs weight to the vets office and ask for a whip-worm pill as the test may show no results(save your money) Also I will mention,the Whip-worm can be picked up from even clean environment.

thanks all for the suggestions. but anu, dont u think creatine is not good for dogs. I had read it on a website, it was more of a messageboard like this. By the way, i m from india. i have already been consulting my doc regarding my dogs weight prob & have been advised of putting him on high protein diet. Supplements like the ones suggested here r more of human supplements & am not sure at using them. but will consult my doc for this. I will also get the facecal test done asap.

If satin balls don't put weight on your dog, then I'd be suspicious that he has some sort of health issue and would ask the vet to do a blood panel in addition to the fecal. I really don't know the pros and cons of creatine or any of the other supplements DecoyD recommends but I suspect he would not suggest trying them unless he was sure they would cause no damage to a dog. He sounds like a guy who has done his homework. For me, it just easier to whip up a recipe with burger, cereal, etc roll in into balls and feed it to the dog. I don't think meat alone, raw or cooked, is going to give enough extra calories to add weight. The satin balls contain extras and I undestand they can be considered a complete food. Just don't go overboard at first, they are rich and if your GSD is like mine, he will get diarrhea if he eats too many. He will certainly eat all you give him, the entire 10 lbs if you let him LOL.

There are different routes one can take to get to the desired goal. I have to say, I agree with Blitzen 100%. Its always best to get back to basics, and KISS(keep it simple stupid). Satin Balls are just packed with calories and excellent ingredients. The cereal and oatmeal are great carbs. The Potassium is critical for muscle contraction and fluid balance. The banana is the poster child for potassium, but for Potency, the Molasses in Satin Balls humiliates the banana. 2Tbsp of Molasses just 1oz has 410mg of Potassium. To gain weight calorie intake must be upped. I cant think of any better way or calorie loaded food than Satin Balls. _________________

The dull coat is a big one for me.. I would worm him with panacur and see if that helps..

Worms is my bet, get a good wormer medication from your vet. Second thought is that it could be an enzyme deficiency. There are some dogs who are missing enzymes for proper digestion of their food, and hence, never gain/maintain weight. You might ask your vet about this as well. Good luck!