Please help any way you can..... I have a 4 year old Akita bitch that is painfully underweight. She eats, but not near enough which makes her so slim. She is very active and is from two extremely well built parents and linage. She currently weighs only 29 to 32 kgs!!! She should be weighing in the midst of 40 to 45kgs! She is wormed regularly and like i say she does eat just small amounts. She only eats on avaerage 18 fl oz per day. She just won't eat anymore! She is currently fed on Vitalins bitch diet as i had been told previosly by her breeders that she found this helpful for bringing in condition etc. I have tried feeding her four times a day but she just won't eat. Should i take her to the vets? She has always been this way and never has been such a big eater as her litter brothers and sisters.

thank you

I use Skinners Dog Meal and Skinner Ruff & Ready both with tripe. I have always found Skinners to be great for putting the weight on. I have noticed on the forum that Skinners is never mentioned and yet withing my breed (great danes) it is very popular. With one very fussy dane I had years ago I gave him a tonic called Collovet (I think thats how you spell it) and that certainly perked up his appetite and he was only on it for a few days. At 4 years old I wouldn't be feeding my dog 4 times a day. 2 is plenty, morning and night, I have also found feeding my dogs late at night (10.30pm) a great way for keeping on the weight, not much good if you want a social life   .... LOL  I take it you have tried all the usual tricks like a small amout of cat food throu the dinner, a can of tuna etc. I don't know if  any of this information will be of any help to you or not but good luck and if you need to know any more please feel free to ask.

Margaret

I would add one of the nutritional supplements for putting on weight.   You can also try adding a spoon of a good oil, like an olive oil, to her meals.  It will do her coat good and add extra calories.

Stacey

Hi Stacey

She's on Royal jelly food oil, which seems to be working a treat. x

Does the royal jelly oil help with adding weight?? Have you also noticed a difference in her coat growth and condition? Does it have much of a smell/taste?
Sorry about all the questions but i've been wanting to try it out and wanted some reviews on it before buying as it is pretty expensive?
It is HARD to get weight on dogs by feeding just commercial foods,you really have to supplement with fresh food also.
Some foods that will help to put on weight: suit from the butcher,chicken necks with the fat on,beef dripping,lamb shanks,try and buy the fattiest cuts of meat you can find.Someone told me that Colostrom powder helps,i cant say as i have never tried it.

good luck

christine

Hiya Christine,

The Royal Jelly isn't expensive. Purchase mine from Groomers mail order. Shes only been on it for 2 weeks (maybe a little over) but her coat is changing loads. I also give it to one of my other bitches who is out of coat and her coat has gone softer as it went all britle and stiff.... it felt horrible, but its slowly softening up and seems to be coming back, little by little. Its supposed to aid their appitite which my girl is eating more but not loads more.

xxxxxx