Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 11:42 am Post subject: Our rescue lab needs to gain weight and general condition
We have just taken on rescue and at the moment she is eating a blend of Autarky, Symply and PAH dried food which is a bit of all the foods she's been given in the 6 weeks since her rescue in May.
She is a field build but not worked and still underweight and has some dandruff but not an overly glossy coat.
She is eating this albeit in small doses - she eats some and then leaves it and goes back an hour later.
I am told she enjoys Chicken and Rice flavours - her motions are a firmish but quite yellow in colour and she goes about 3 times a day.
Anyone got any suggestions on brands to try and those to avoid?
I'm a big fan of Naturediet, a moist food, though I'm hoping to move to a raw diet for them at some point.
In terms of putting weight on her, you could split her feeds into four a day rather than two and add a bit of olive oil if her tummy tolerates it.
I find Yumega/Yumega Plus good for skin/itchy skin and others have had success with salmon oil.
I make tuna cake for mine to use as a treat, which all dogs love (I take it when I'm at my local rescue too) - if she's ok to have that, you could give her some of that for training/in between meals too.
In terms of ones to avoid, I'm sure you'll get varying opinions, but my main one would be Bakers and I'm not a fan of anything that lists wheat/cereal/maize etc. as the first/main ingredient. I also try to avoid anything with BHA/BHT in it, though the manufacturers don't always make this clear on packaging.
Lots of pet shops stock Tripe these days, It's suppose to be really good for putting on condition although it smells EVIL the dogs love it
easily kept in the freezer!
also salmon oil is very good
BARF - as others have said, tripe is excellent for puttnig on weight and condition.
Ours have Skinners Working food which is VAT free so cheapy cheap and high in protein and oil - will help her coat a bit. We give them a small amount of that plus raw bones and our skinny-as-you-like spaniel has had tripe to fatten her up a bit as she looks anorexic. They have lovely sweet breath and really white, clean teeth so good all round.
TBH now she's in a good home it'll happen naturally over time i'm sure and I wouldn't try to rush weight gain too much.
I'd just feed a quality food and as Angela says probably split over 4 smaller meals a day to help digestion (and yellow poops!)
Her appetite will no doubt pick up as she settles.
I imagine the coat will improve on it's own but a tin of fish, sardines or something can help
If you do change foods I would go for something with a different protein and carb source to what she has now in case somethings not agreeing with her and hence the coat condition and yellow poo. For me that would be a fish and potato as so many labs with sensitive tums on here seem to do better when moved onto that. How about Wainwrights Salmon and Potato it seems to be popular or Skinners Salmon and Rice. How do they know she likes chicken and rice flavours did she try those and eat better on them and of course just because she likes them doesn't mean she can digest them, I know my Sam likes a fair few things he's allergic to but he doesn't get the chance mean human that I am. I can add honey to Sam's water or let him lick it off something and that adds some extra calories without any side effects as far as I can tell.
I would give her time to settle, maybe pick one of the foods and stick to it for a couple of weeks, she must be very unsettled at the moment which will upset her tum, decrease her appetite etc.
I feed Arden Grange lamb and rice and my girls poos are firm, dark and her coat is fabulous. All of these things will come but I wouldnt change too much round at this stage as it has been such an unsettling period for her she will be best of getting into routine.
Personally, I wouldnt let her graze though, put the food down and whatever she doesn't eat within 10 minutes goes up until the next meal. I am a cruel parent
Thanks all for the advise .... she did scoff tonights offering in one go so I think she has an appetite and is drinking plenty.
Her coat actually looks a little better tonight - so I think I shall be waiting and seeing what the next week or two brings - rather than disrupt her too much at once.
I hadn't planned to change anything too soon I have about 10 days worth of this mixture will monitor the poo situation when she next does one - I am expecting a few days of anxious poo's and wee's until she settles in a little more.
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Our rescue lab needs to gain weight and general condition
although it smells EVIL the dogs love it 
I can add honey to Sam's water or let him lick it off something and that adds some extra calories without any side effects as far as I can tell. 
