German Shepherd Dog > How much food given to 17 month Old under weight GSD. (10 replies)
How much food given to 17 month Old under weight GSD. by Ammad Cheema on 10 August 2012 - 20:35 |
| Q-Please guide me how much give to my female 17 months old GSD she is under weight and the food given to her is (Royal Cannien ).? Q-How much water need to be add in her food i gave her food twice a day but if feed her bit more she left the food in her port and finished in later hours not on the spot.? Current Avg Temprature here is 30" C at night and 36 to 38 in morning..in Noon. ![]() ![]() ![]() Please advice. |
by Betta Wolf on 10 August 2012 - 21:17 |
Nothing really unusual about a 17 month old GSD being/looking underweight! They gain weight naturally, fill out on their own, after 2 years, to 3 years old. Slow growth, & filling out slowly, naturally, is best, in regard to hips, joints, ect. Re-read the post regarding adding raw meat, ect; but slow weight gain/growth is best!! |
by LauraRonda on 11 August 2012 - 01:07 |
| Define underweight? I agree. Dogs put on weight much easier on raw meat. Besides that it's a different source of calcium, so much better for the growth. (Often they look underweight due to fast growing) |
by Barenfell on 11 August 2012 - 02:04 |
| Assuming your dog has a normal appetite and stools, it should not be too difficult to put weight on your dog. A young dog will "fill out" as they age, but you seem to have specific concerns so I'll try to give you some food for thought. First, if either appetite or stools are NOT normal, then you need to work with a vet to get to the bottom of the issue, since things like parasites, small intestinal bacteria imbalance and pancreatic insufficiency (http://www.epi4dogs.com/) can cause malabsorption of food. Since you didn't give us any information as to activity level or caloric content of the food you're using, I am going to give you a link that should help you come up with a ballpark amount...which may need to be adjusted according to your dog's particular metabolism. Keep in mind that some dogs do not utilize grains as well as others, so you may want to check the ingredients in the food you're using. Also some dogs do better with multiple smaller meals spread out during the day. http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/diet-nutrition/150644-calculating-feeding-amount.html If your dog seems otherwise healthy, but still does not gain weight on an appropriate amount of food and you continue to be concerned...then I would discuss other physical causes (such as hyperthyroidism or Addison's) with your vet. If your vet recommends a TLI test to check for EPI, then be sure to check the folate and cobalamin levels as well. There is a good chart on this site (scroll down) that explains how folate and cobalamin levels can help your vet diagnose small intestine/absorption issues... http://www.newmanveterinary.com/VomitingDiarrhea_SmallIntestine.html Hope this helps. |
by Ammad Cheema on 11 August 2012 - 07:03 |
| Thanks to all for your kind advice. |
by ronin on 11 August 2012 - 16:04 |
| First rule of comedy; put the dog food down, wait 5 mins then pick up the bowl, dog gets its next meal at normal feeding time. Dogs that are allowed to graze when the bowl is left down all day are notoriously picky eaters, don't worry if she skips a meal now and then. There are no recorded deaths of dogs in loving homes dieing of starvation...LOL. Ronin |
by Ammad Cheema on 11 August 2012 - 17:22 |
| Thanks Ronin. |
by myret on 11 August 2012 - 20:33 |
| Agree with ronin I do disagree with your dogs is underweight I dont think so at all dogs should be very lean thats the most healthy way A raw diet would be good gives good mucle and slow growing with naturel vitamins and minerals |
by Ammad Cheema on 12 August 2012 - 11:04 |
| Please elobrate RAW DIET... |
by Sunsilver on 12 August 2012 - 15:15 |
| It is normal for dogs to go off their food in hot weather. The decreased activity due to the hot weather means they need less food, so a healthy dog will just naturally adjust their intake. Muscle weighs more than fat. If you are not able to exercise your dog due the heat they will lose muscle, and therefore lose weight. My advice, therefore, is to exercise your dog as much as you are able during the cooler parts of the day. Mother Nature will do the rest, unless there is a physical problem. As others have said above, a 17 mo. old female is not fully mature, and still has some growing to do. I am guessing there is nothing physically wrong with her. She looks healthy in the pictures you've posted. She just needs exercise to build muscle, and time to mature. |
by Ammad Cheema on 12 August 2012 - 19:18 |
| Thank you very much Sunsilver to give me confidence and i will try my level best to do more effort on her |









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