When a dog doesn't eat enough or he eats but doesn't gain weight we have a serious problem that we must solve. It may be that the diet we give him is not the most correct or he may suffer from an illness.
In this article on our site we will explain what are the main causes that can cause your dog to not gain weight. Keep reading and discover why your dog is not gaining weight, as well as possible solutions.
My dog is too skinny
Before determining if your dog is too thin, we must know the characteristics of the breed. Not all dogs are the same and therefore each breed has a different body and weight.
If you have just adopted your dog and he comes from the street or has had problems, it is normal that at first he does not eat regularly. It is important to space out his meals, in small amounts, until he regains his weight. It is not recommended to overfeed the animal. In a short time you will see improvement.
If your dog has started to lose weight for no apparent reason, he is fatigued and you can see his ribs with the naked eye, he probably has a problem. To know if this is the case, we must know our dog's ideal weight.
The ideal weight
Obesity is a problem that affects many dogs today. For this reason, the values of í body mass index in dogs have been studied. These values indicate the ideal weight of a dog of a certain breed or size. It is very useful to know this information not only to determine if your dog is too thin, but also to control that he does not go over his weight.
Depending on the size of your dog, the ideal weight is between the following values:
- Toy breeds: 1-6 kg
- Small breeds: 5-25 Kg
- Medium Breeds: 14-27 Kg
- Large breeds: 21-39 Kg
- Giant breeds: 32-82 Kg
These values give us an approximate idea of what our dog should weigh. You can find out about the specific weight for your dog's breed. Some examples are the following:
- Beagle: 8-14kg
- German Shepherd: 34-43 Kg
- Boxer: 22-34 Kg
- Labrador Retriever: 29-36 Kg
If your dog is below these values he should gain weight.
Why isn't my dog gaining weight?
The main reasons why a dog does not gain weight or is thinner than it should are the following:
Bad nutrition
A poor diet, which does not provide the necessary energy for your dog, can cause serious insufficiencies. Inadequate feed, low quality or a small quantity will make our dog lose weight quickly.
Problems such as IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease) can arise which prevents nutrients from being absorbed properly.
Diseases or disorders
Intestinal parasites can cause a lot of damage to dogs. It is important to deworm internally and externally the animal every three months.
There are some diseases that make our dog lose weight quickly. They affect the intake of nutrients and, therefore, it is important to go to the veterinarian if we observe our dog losing weight drastically. Some of the diseases that cause thinness are:
- Diabetes: weight changes are very drastic. The lack of insulin causes serious deficiencies in the intake of nutrients.
- Addison's disease: weight loss accompanied by vomiting.
- Cancer
- Thyroid-related diseases
Excessive exercise
Excessive exercise if not accompanied by a proper diet can cause imbalances. Dogs in the growth phase or lactating bitches should not consume excessive amounts of energy. If our dog is very active, we must increase the amount of food. Always adapting to the level of exercise performed.
What can I do to gain weight?
To increase our dog's weight we must choose a quality feed Consider the size, age and physical activity that your dog performs to select the most suitable for him. When you have it, give the recommended amount and compare with the amount you gave previously. If the difference is very large, gradually increase the amount. This way you will avoid diarrhea and digestive problems.
The liver, rich in iron and vitamins can help your dog. You can give him cooked beef or chicken several times a week while he is gaining weight. Keep in mind that canned foods contain a lot of water, so they tend to contain fewer calories.
While he gains weight, don't subject him to excessive exercise Daily walks will suffice, so he will dedicate all his energy to recovering and storing some fat. On the other hand and as we have said before, deworming is essential for the he alth of our dog.
If after applying all these tips your dog does not gain weight, Go to your veterinarianso that he can determine if he suffers from any disease that affect his metabolism. If not, a fattening diet and vitamin supplements should be enough.
