# Super Skinny Chi



## aQeuous18 (Aug 7, 2008)

Luna is incredibly skinny. She eats twice a day what the vet recommends, but I can see every bone in her body including her ribs, hip bones, and spine. If I feed her anymore she poops way too much. A friend of mine who is a Vet Tech said she is fine and that her metabolism is just really high right now. But I feel like when people look at her that they think I starve her. She is super active. Will she ever fill out or is she doomed to be emaciated forever? lol


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## cocopuff (Mar 27, 2004)

My TinkerBella is also quite active. She will eat twice as much food as the bag says she should have but she is still super skinny. 

If Luna is really active she is probably burning off all the calories that she eats.


> If I feed her anymore she poops way too much


 If she is pooping too much you might have to change her food so that her body absorbs it more, not limit the amount she eats. She needs as much food and nutition while she is growing as she can get.


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## Rubyfox (Jul 11, 2005)

How old is she?

my Ella was like that till she was 2 I had to feed her puppy food to put her weight on .


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## aQeuous18 (Aug 7, 2008)

Thanks for your reply! She eats Nutro Ultra Puppy right now, which is an Ultra Premium food. She takes to it a lot better than the Natural Choice I used to feed her. She hasn't been pooping as much lately. Should I just offer her as much food as she will eat for now to help her gain weight?


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## cocopuff (Mar 27, 2004)

I would let her free feed if you can. When they are puppies they usually only eat when they are hungry. 

I try to free feed TinkerBella but there times when I have to pick up her food so that Cotton (my booda) doesn't eat it. Because of her sensitive stomach her vet just took her off of Hill ID and put her back on SD puppy (she's only 7 month old). That wouldn't be my first choice of food but if it keeps her from having super soft/runny stools I guess I will go with it for now.

Now...where are some more pictures of her??? =)


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## MissB (Sep 6, 2008)

My guy who's 2 is really skinny. I don't do free feeding here just because I don't think it's good for them plus Gucci eats better when I put his food out twice a day rather than let it just lay there all day. He then knows it's time to eat if I want food. I would suggest you add some meatier food to her diet. Cook some chicken maybe and add some to her food once a day, cheese, veggies or whatever she likes. I got that tip not too long ago and my boys love it! And Gucci has put on a little weight. He looks healthier and I think he feels better too. I even use oil (not Omega 3 but another kind that I don't know how to translate) that I think helps too.

No I'm not against free feeding if it works for you, don't take my statement wrong. I just don't think it works for my boys because they actually eat less when the food is there all day than when it's breakfast and dinner time.


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## MissB (Sep 6, 2008)

Another thing I thought of, when have you dewormed her last? From what I have understood they can loose weight and eat alot more if they have worms but I haven't ever had that problem so It's just a guess. Good luck!


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## jesshan (Sep 15, 2005)

A lot of the time puppies have far more important things to do than eat. All that playing and not enought hours in the day! LOL

Seriously they do go through the "ugly" stages at around 5 months, they look leggy and skinny. One breeder affectionately called Brad "the bald, skinny runt" (she was only joking by the way) because I had so much trouble keeping weight on him. He is totally fine now. It just takes time. 

Saying that I don't reduce my puppies meals to twice a day until they are 6 months old. 

I give mine scrambled eggs for breakfast, meat on an evening and let them free feed on Royal Canin all day while they are younger.


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## BellaLina's Mom (Mar 16, 2007)

Your skinny puppy Luna looks like my skinny puppy Bella. We could see puppy Bella's ribs and backbone, and she weighed 3.5 pounds at 11 months of age when we adopted her. Her first family fed her Beneful dry puppy food. She was itchy all over and had bald spots on her fur. Her skin was extremely dry. Bella has food allergies and a sensitive stomach, but her first family was not aware of this. 

We immediately changed puppy Bella's food to 1/2 heaping cup *Innova* dog food. Innova is a very rich and dense food, high in calories for a puppy. We also added cooked eggs or cooked chicken, 1/2 - 1 teaspoon natural Enzymes, and 1,000 mg. fish oil to her dog food daily. No more itchy, dry skin and no more bald spots in her fur.

At 2.5 years of age, Bella now weighs a healthy 5 pounds. She has a fast metabolism and is very active, athletic, always on the go, running and playing. Bella is now eating 1/3 heaping cup of *Wellness Core *(high protein, grainless dog food) split into 2 meals for breakfast and dinner. We continue to add 1/2 - 1 teaspoon natural Enzymes and 1,000 mg. fish oil to her dog food daily.


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## MissB (Sep 6, 2008)

jesshan said:


> A lot of the time puppies have far more important things to do than eat. All that playing and not enought hours in the day! LOL
> 
> Seriously they do go through the "ugly" stages at around 5 months, they look leggy and skinny. One breeder affectionately called Brad "the bald, skinny runt" (she was only joking by the way) because I had so much trouble keeping weight on him. He is totally fine now. It just takes time.
> 
> ...


I must have read way too fast, need to go back now and read. Of course a puppy should eat at least 4 times a day. I'm talking about my grown males when it comes to 2 time a day feedings.


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## aQeuous18 (Aug 7, 2008)

Thank you everyone! The only qualms I have with free feeding is that it makes it very hard to regulate when she has to potty. She is still in potty training mode. Has anyone had any luck with plain Calorie Supplements? A fellow trainer recommended it to me. I'm just hesitant to give her anything when the vet said she looked okay.

She did have Demodex Mange a month ago, so her immune system was suppressed. But now she is all clear, skin not itchy or bald spots anymore! She was dewormed at about 16 weeks.


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## OrchardLane (Aug 30, 2008)

We have been there before with many rescues and what I would suggest you do is the following:

Have her into the vet for a blood work panel including thyroid as well as a fecal test for worms. This will completely rule out any "medical" issues that could be causing the weight issue.

Once you rule out (or treat) medical issues - you know it is nutritional/growth related. Even as puppies grow, on the right regime they should be able to maintain a good body condition score.

So, try upgrading her feed from Nutro (which is a 3* or 4* food depending on the one you purchase - which is MUCH better than many foods out there on the market but it may not be what your little one needs right now) to a 6* food based on http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/ This higher quality food will give her a bit of a boost since her immune system had been suppressed and it might help her maintain her body weight better.

I would then add in a little bit of NutriCal to her diet daily as it is a high caloric supplement. You can also try adding in things like fresh fruit, veggies, yogurt etc - all which will give her added nutrients and calories.


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## Jangles021204 (Sep 20, 2006)

OrchardLane said:


> Have her into the vet for a blood work panel including thyroid as well as a fecal test for worms. This will completely rule out any "medical" issues that could be causing the weight issue.


Ditto everything OrchardLane said.

I would also consider adding a good acidophilus/probiotic supplement to help with immune support and nutrient absorption. And another excellent website that will help you choose a good dog food is The Dog Food Project.


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## aQeuous18 (Aug 7, 2008)

Wow, I thought Nutro Ultra was such an awesome food  We don't carry any of those super foods at PetSmart. Our ultra premium foods consist of Nutro Ultra, Blue, Avoderm, Royal Canin, Nature's Recipe etc.

I heard Innova and Canidae were really good. If I can't get them at PetSmart, where do I get them?

Thank you for the link, it was awesome!


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## OrchardLane (Aug 30, 2008)

aQeuous18 said:


> I heard Innova and Canidae were really good. If I can't get them at PetSmart, where do I get them?


Truly premium foods 5* and 6* are generally not found in large chain stores. You find them in Pet Health Food Stores or sometimes from small shops/breeders. 

The best way to locate a store near you is to use the brand's website store locator. I have included the necessary links below. Make sure to call ahead before going to ensure that they have it in stock - especially for Innova as sometimes that is a phone in order only or the store might not carry Innova but their other brand.

We feed and recommend Orijen. It is a 6* rated food and it is great. We haven't had a dog turn it down and our rescues have done amazing on it. Those that needed to gain did and those that needed to lose did. Their site is here. Orijen's Where to Buy store search is here.

Innova is also a 6* rated food - their website is here. Innova's Where to Buy store search is here.

Canidae is a 3*-5* rated food depending on the formula you choose. Also it should be noted that Canidae recently changed their food formula without telling their customers - which caused tummy upset in many dogs. So something to consider. Their website is here. Their Where to Buy store search is here.


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## rubia (Jul 3, 2008)

My pup was very active (ok-still is). I free-fed RC puppy mini all day, suplimented with Nutra-Cal puppy, chicken and eggs. Like maybe once a day he'd have a bit of scrambled egg, then use cooked chicken as a training "treat", I put the Nutra-Cal in his mouth and on the food sometimes. Rico also got big walks, everyday. He is a muscular like chi, very strong.

I have cut back on his feeding now, no more Nutra Cal much less supplementing.


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## barefoot (Sep 24, 2008)

I think PetSmart carries Blue Wilderness which is a 6 rating on dog analysis.

Em


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## BellaLina's Mom (Mar 16, 2007)

aQeuous18 said:


> I heard Innova and Canidae were really good. If I can't get them at PetSmart, where do I get them?


*Pet Supplies "Plus" *stores sell Innova, Wellness Core, Orijen, and other excellent premium dog foods. Here is their link to find a store near you: http://www.petsuppliesplus.com/


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## aQeuous18 (Aug 7, 2008)

We do carry Blue Wilderness, but I don't know if there is a Puppy for it. Thank you all again for the wonderful links!


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