My rescued dog is skinny and won't gain weight. What can I do?

Well done on making such progress! Be sure to keep him dewormed monthly for at least 3 months and feed him up gradually, I would tend to feed at the feeding guideline for his actual weight plus 15-20%, reassessed every 14days in order to encourage gradual weight gain and strength whilst allowing his system to adjust. A probiotic/fiber supplement such as fortiflora can be helpful to promote healthy digestive balance also

Gentle feeding with a high quality, high calorie food such as royal canin gastrointestinal is very effective in regaining body weight and muscle mass. Ensure she is wormed regularly and monitor for any vomiting and diarrhea which may indicate bowel issues

Hi and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If he is rescue, he may not have been eating as much every day as he should which is why is a little thin. Now that he is in good hands, feeding him a good quality dog food formula (I'd go with Hill's, Science Diet, or Royal Canin) will help put weight on him. It is hard to say what Eddie's ideal weight should be without seeing Eddie in person. I would have him evaluated by his veterinarian to assess how many calories he should be receiving every day so you know how many cups to give per day. I hope this helps!

If you can’t increase the volume of food the pups will eat, try to increase the calorie content. Also making sure you feed a high quality food will ensure that the pups absorb the nutrients appropriately. I like Royal Canin and Purina Pro Plan. You will find information about the calories on the side of the package. They are called Kcalories in dog food. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

There is not much you can do other than to ensure good nutrition and health from this moment forward. I would recommend starting a high quality puppy food. In addition you want to make sure that they are up to date on vaccines per your veterinarian. They should be dewormed at least twice. Finally, you should endure they are on flea prevention and heartwo preventative if endemic in your area. All of these things should improve their overall condition. I also recommend neutering between 6-8 months. Good luck!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Lucy. I recommend starting by making an appointment to see a veterinarian. It is a good idea to have a general check up when you acquire any new pet. Dogs typically are done teething by 6-7 months of age. So that is quite different from what the rescue group told you of her being 1.5 years old. It is important to have an accurate age on her to determine if she should eat puppy or adult food. Her veterinarian will assess her body condition score as well and let you know if she still needs to gain weight. In many cases, it is ok to see the last couple of ribs. I hope this information helps and congratulations on her adoption!

If you just rescued him, he is probably confused and scared. I would have him checked by a vet first, to be sure there is nothing physical that is causing him to be reluctant to eat. If he checks out okay, you need a little "tough love." Put his food in a bowl on the floor without fuss and leave it for 15 minutes. After that time, pick it up whether he has eaten or not. Do not give him anything--no treats, snacks or human food--until his next scheduled mealtime. Then repeat the process. It may take several times for him to realize that there will be no more entertainment from you, and that he must eat his food. Remember that you are not starving nim--he is choosing not to eat. When he is hungry enough, he will. Do not give in or "feel sorry" for him. It will only make it harder to correct. If you need additional help with this, click on the prompt to initiate a consult.