Why is my chihuahua thin and ribs showing despite eating enough?

If her ribs are really sticking out and there is no fat or muscle, then see your vet. There could be a medical cause for her condition. If your vet clears her, increase the amount of food offered until she is at an appropriate weight. Ask your vet how to perform a Body Condition Score (BCS) on your dog using the 9 point scale. Ideally, she should have a waist when looked at from above. Her ribs should be seen and easily felt under a layer of fat/muscle. From the side, her chest should tuck up into her abdomen.

Dogs can get thin as they get senior or geriatric. I recommend giving a good quality senior diet and you may try adding in another small meal during the day or before bed. Giving additional healthy dog treats will increase the calories he’s eating to prevent continued weight loss. If he starts not eating well, or the weight loss continues I do recommend a veterinary exam and tests to determine the reason so you can start any treatment if needed before he gets too debilitated. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Oban.

I am sorry to hear about Marley! I would recommend an examination by a vet to see if his weight is healthy. While "chubby" chihuahuas may be cute, it is not healthy for a dog to be overweight. Often we are so used to seeing overweight pets a pet of a healthy weight looks too thin to us. You can use these images to try to evaluate your pet's body condition: https://www.purina.co.uk/dogs/health-and-nutrition/exercise-and-weight-management/dog-body-condition-tool If your dog is truly underweight, then the vet can discuss tests to check for medical causes for his low appetite or weight issue.

Hello. Genetics can be pretty tricky to interpret in dogs, especially if each parent was a combination of breeds. As long as Bella is eating & drinking well, active & engaged with all around her, I would not be too concerned about how she looks when compared to her litter mates. Is she up to date on her vaccines, wormed on a regular basis & on heartworm preventative? If she is well cared for, eats a name brand food & does not seem overly hungry, then changing her food will not probably change much. She is still young, & truthfully, staying a little thinner is actually healthier than being overweight. If you are concerned, a good evaluation by your veterinarian would confirm if there are any issues to be dealt with. But, all sounds pretty normal. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Apple looks a little too thin for the breed. You should only be able to see the last rib and I can see the last 4. Some dogs are naturally thin and it can be hard to keep weight on them. Feed him 2-3 meals a day and make sure he is examined by the veterinarian for parasites. I hope this helps.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is hard to know without being able to see Timber. However, it is possible that this means that he needs to gain a bit of weight as usually ribs sticking out is one of the criteria veterinarians use to determine the body conditions score of a patient. Perhaps make sure that Timber is being fed the needed caloric intake based on his specific information which takes into account the breed, activity level, age, among other things. This is something your veterinarian can calculate for you with some additional information. Good luck and have a great day!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Loss of appetite can be observed with many conditions such as gastroenteritis, dietary indiscretion, kidney disease, pancreatitis, among many other possibilities. I recommend that you have Rambo evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check for these possibilities and others depending on the findings on exam. Treatment would be based on findings. Good luck and have a great day! Hoping for a speedy recovery!