Hi all, new to the forum.  Wonder if anyone has any ideas?

I bred a male approx two years ago, the owners contacted me about 4 months ago, saying he was underweight - he was 35kilos and should have been 65 -70!!  I was extreemly concerned and followed their progress with the vet etc, they insisted they fed the food i recommended still - Nutro - but he wouldn't eat it.  Anyway to cut a long story short, the blood tests etc were all normal and vet said to change diet.  Last report he was much better. (though now on beta?!?!)
I have this dog here now as the owners are on hols and i offered to look after him.  He is painfully thin.  But he is alert and active on walks so no obvious illness?  I put his food down and he leaves it, there has been a cooked knucke bone in the run for two days which has been left untouched.  I have even tried feeding from my hands - all sorts - he just turns away.  He will occasionally pick at his food, but not enough to make me happy. 
I remember reading somewhere (think Jane Lillys column dog world?) about feeding horse manure to over come this, but couldn't recall what when and how - as we have horses so this is no problem.

Any ideas welcome - owners back on Mon so i'd like to solve this before then!

havent met a dog that would turn its nose up at raw lamb breast,its nice & fattening to!

what breed by the way?

Hi sharon :-) don't like the idea of horse manure yuk! would have thought all he would get from that was worms..but I may be wrong...has he been wormed recently? To tempt him would try cooked liver/chicken/tin sardines or other fish (but not in brine) scrambled egg with a little honey. I think long term you need to find a dog food he will eat so would try a few :-D Won't get him fat by monday.

Yes, i know i won't get him fat by Mon, just hoped i could get his appetite back:-)
He's a Newfie by the way, i've had them for years and years and have only ever had one other that didn't eat well.  His mother is here and eats anything - food or otherwise!  In fact all of mine wolf the food down.
However his dad - not my dog - was a funny eater.
I have tried lots we had chicken for dinner last night and i saved some with skin and gravy and no joy:-(
He just turns away - believe it or not i left it there overnight and he didn't touch it.

But i do remember reading in one of the dog papers that a reader was having same problem which had been going on for months and the writer suggested horse manure - fresh (from recently wormed horse) but there was a certain way to do this and i cant remember what it was?:-(  Anyway week later the problem dog was fine and eating like the proverbial horse, then other also wrote in and said it worked for their dogs too - just wish i could remember what to do? 

Will try sardines later and let you know.

Don't know about worming i didn't ask them, but i think he would be very hungry if had worms, ie eating loads and still thin.  Also his motions are ok.

Sharon

I would suggest something like B Sorb. My friends late dane bitch just stopped eating altogether & I sent her some B Sorb in a "pump doser"

I think it has aniseed in it & after a couple of doses she would ask for the B Sorb & after a couple of days started to eat & never looked back & died last year aged 13 & a very big girl she grew into too

It is made from all natural products & contains everything to keep a noneating dog going as well as stimulating appetite

It can be found on the web here on the small animals digestion page

Thanks Moonmaiden
have visited the site and hopefully can get some for next week, will let you all know if it works...

Somehow i don't think the owners will go for the barf diet... But i will definately mention it to them too, hopefully we can get something to work for him - poor lad is painfully thin, however it really doesn't seem to bother him, he's like a greyhound on walks, racing around, you wouldn't think he'd have the energy on the amount of food he ingests?!?!

As an aside his coat was not in the best condition, so he's had a thorough grooming and bath today - apparently he goes swimming every day, but it seems they don't bother to rinse him off after and the silt just sits in the coat and matts.  There's another lecture they're getting on Mon!

Feel like the big bad school teacher!

Sharon

Out of curiousity, why not fish in brine ?

Brine is salt. Dogs (and people) don't need added salt.
:)

how dumb am i, I never knew that and my cats have a tin of tuna every day for breakfast   should I get the one in spring water ?

Yep, in water is fine, or in oil.
:)

Hi Sharon

The horse manure should be from horses that have NOT just been wormed.

Is what he is "producing" normal?

Kerioak :-) what is the resoning behind the manure? I guess it is only fermented hay..would the dog not get worm eggs from the horse? I can see you would not want to use a recently wormed horse cos of giving a huge dose of wormer to the dog. I have never heard of it before and am quite intrigued :-P

I've changed to barf and my fussy eater is now eating every day.I also use  malted kelp tablets from dorwest.
Archer

Watch the kelp.  I've heard it can turn elkhound coats rusty.

Hi Ness
Gill recommended kelp suppliment when I first thought about feeding raw 3 years ago...never did though cos was always to chicken to feed barf...till now!!
The kelp is just a temporary suppliment untill he gets into the habit of eating though...have started to 'ween' him off and up till now hes still enjoying his food so fingers crossed
Nikki

We used to give kelp to the first elkhound we ever had.  Her colour was not her fortune, but whether that was because of the kelp or not is debatable.  I recently bought kelp tablets for Raider, also in an attempt to improve his appetite, and was reminded by someone else that one of the old breeders always maintained that seaweed had affected his dogs' coat colour.  Don't know the truth of it, but ended up not using the tablets just in case.  His pet name is Red Dog, as that was the colour of the wool he wore as a puppy, but wouldn't want him to actually BE red!

Hi Ness
its obviously a case of there being no proof and people believing different things but I have got to admit that the use of the malted kelp has been worth it even if Kas' colour did change...after all it is only a temporary suppliment in order to get him into the habit of eating.I know its a risk but as I said Gill had said she used kelp before now and so I had to give it a go.
Kas now eats every day and has put on condition and muscle so I'm happy...if his coat changes(shedding at the min) I'm sure it will change back next shed since he will be fininshing the kelp next week when the tablets run out.At the moment his coat looks fine ..Barbara actually commented on it at Birmingham...so fingers crossed.
Hope Raiders appetite improves...hes never look skinny but then thats what people said about Kas!
Will you be at B'pool next weekend? Kas says he looks forward to 'doing battle' with him again!LOL....
See you soon
Nikki   

my youngest siberian has always been a terrible eater, no appetite, picked at food, very rarely would eat a full meal, would often go for days without eating, too thin for my liking and yet was still as happy as larry with loads of energy.  i had tried vit b tablets and although raw fed he would quite happily refuse smelly tasty things like tripe and breast of lamb until i tried the malted kelp tablets from dorwest.  he now eats every day and almost always finished what he is offered, occasionally he will even eat twice a day, he is begining to put on weight, only 400grms so far, but it is going the right way.  i would give the malted kelp a try,
kelly

Could you pls tell me where i could get the malted kelp tablets as my bitches are refusing to eat after spending £120.00 on dog food for them, one of my girls is terribly thin also and hardly eats anything!!!! Although given some chicken she'd wolf it down (fussy madam)

Thanks x

Dorwest Herbs, on the net.

My border terrier was also very fussy, I had endless problems trying to get him to eat.  I tried  chicken and various other food with no joy. I would put his food down and he would not even look what was in his bowl...he was not on the thin side though.  After discussions with my vet I tried making him food instead of feeding him dog food and he refused to eat it...

He also had frequent stomach upsets until I decided to try him on Nutro sensitive stomach and the stomach problems ended almost overnight.  I also feed him two spoonfulls of natural yoghurt a day and this is the only thing that really tempts him.

Sometimes he will simply not eat or will walk up to his bowl like its torture and will happily let my other dogs eat his food if I am not watching.  After a few minutes I always take his bowl away, I dont leave it down for him...he is better but...

Are malted kelp tablets the same as plain kelp tablets?If not what is the diiference?
I cant find the malt type here in Australia,only the normal type.Will plain kelp have the same effect?
Sorry about all the questions but i am at my wits end with my dogs appetite problems,i have TWO who are bad eaters
I have made an appointment with a naturopath,she is coming to my house on Tuesday,she is bringing a remedy with her from what i told her on the phone,if it works i will let you all know.

christine