Why is my 10-month German Shepherd puppy not eating and underweight?

German Shepherds are lanky dogs, especially when they are puppies. Make sure you are feeding him enough and that he is dewormed regularly. If Boe is still abnormaly thin as an adult, then I would worry about something else going on. I would recommend to feed the Royal Canin German Shepherd Puppy Formula. This is a nice diet with the right calories for a growing puppy. Please post again if you have any further questions!

Sudden loss of appetite and weight loss in a puppy is very concerning and may be related to fever, infection or a bowel obstruction, particularly if accompanied with nausea or vomiting Please have her assessed urgently by a vet, reduced appetite is never normal in a growing pup

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Keep in mind that you may perceive him as being eating a lot but his caloric intake may not be sufficient for his body weight. This is easily calculated with the following formula: Trooper's body weight (in kilograms [which is his weight in pounds divided by 2.2]) multiplied by 30 plus 70. This total you multiply it by 1.8 and the result would be the amount of calories that he should be eating per day to gain and maintain a healthy body weight. You can always find the caloric intake of the food you are feeding Trooper online. If you have any questions regarding how to calculate his needed caloric intake per day, contact your veterinarian. Good luck and have a great day!

Losing weight fast is usually a sign of a serious medical condition, unfortunately this is also a very general symptom, you will need to take him to the vet to get it checked first, he will need to have a blood test and xray/ultrasound done to start with.

As German Shepherd dogs are very prone to having food sensitivities and also are prone to exocrine pancreas insufficiency you should not feed him any food that is not dogfood, ie human food, treats, etc. The best is to feed specific puppy food for German Shepherd Dogs such as Royal Canin Maxi Puppy Dry Dog Food Royal Canin German Shepherd Puppy Dry Dog Food or similar specific complete puppy foods for large dogs. As for quantities and how often to feed your puppy, , stick to the instructions on the bag as quantities depend on ingredients, weight of puppy and age. I would feed my puppy 3-4 times daily.

Dogs can vary quite a bit in size, even if they are the same breed - so it's more important to look at your dog's body condition to determine if he is under (or over) his ideal weight rather than comparing to averages for the breed. Ideally, you should be able to feel his ribs easily with your hands when you run them down his sides, and he should have a visible "waistline" or abdominal tuck just behind the ribcage. The ribs and hipbones should not be visibly jutting out of his fur, as this would be a sign that he is too thin. If his body condition is normal, I would not recommend increasing his food or trying to make him gain weight, as it's not good for growing dogs to be overweight at this age - it's very hard on their joints and can predispose them to orthopedic problems such as hip dysplasia later in life. If you're unsure if he is the correct weight for his size, you're welcome to request a consultation with one of us and share some photos of him - we would be glad to try and help :)

As a breed, German Shepherd‘s tend to be thin dogs and some lines are more thin than others. Continue feeding him a high-quality, high protein diet. I recommend the brand Royal Canin. Be careful with exercise and make sure to follow your veterinarian’s recommendations. Lastly, Colt is not done growing yet. The first year of life is devoted to upward growth and the second year of life is when pets fill out so he is still developing. I hope this helps. You may speak with your veterinarian about sending off a blood sample for analysis to find out if the platelet count is truly abnormal or if any blood parasites or seen. Best of luck.