# Help me fatten up my 13-year-old lab



## unregistered6474 (Apr 21, 2003)

I have a wonderful 13-year old lab. He is in great shape with no health problems, but he continues to lose weight. Right now he's probably around 63 pounds, down about 10 pounds from when he was in his prime. Although my vet is not concerned (he says that a skinny dog is healthier than an overweight one) I would like to put some more weight on him. Right now it's pretty easy to see his ribs. 

I feed him one can of wet food from Costco (the Kirklands brand) per day and the rest of the time he gets premium dog food such as Taste of the Wild. His dry food is left out all of the time for him to graze on as he pleases. He gets table scraps, bacon grease, and other snacks as well. 

Any ideas on how I can get some weight on my furry friend?


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## GrannyCarol (Mar 23, 2005)

I would up his canned food first, its balanced and healthy and he'll probably eat a bit more of it than he would the dry. I am doing that to keep a little weight on my two very elderly Silky Terriers. 

Check his teeth, if they are sore, he won't eat as well (esp his dry food). Be sure his worming is up to date. Add an egg a day to his diet, very healthy, easy to eat and digest. Don't get too carried away with the grease (though some is fine), as it can be damaging in excess. 

If he's losing fast, that's a problem and I'd look into health issues in more depth. Unfortunately fast weight loss on an old dog generally means cancer, or some other major metabolic problem.


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## farmmom (Jan 4, 2009)

My 2 yr old Pyr has had weight problems. I'm adding pig milk replacer that I had left over from the last litter. It really seems to be helping.


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## jen74145 (Oct 31, 2006)

My cat does this. He's just eight, but the dry doesn't seem to be enough lately, though it is Blue Buffalo. 

I have taken to giving him a raw leg quarter once a week when I notice he's dropped a bit of weight, and it helps him return to his sleek, healthy self quickly. He stole half a huge raw chciken breast last week and truly, afetr he ate that in addition to the leg quarter he seemed a bit chubby. 

I think he needs the fat with the weather change.


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## BlackWillowFarm (Mar 24, 2008)

If you've ruled out any health issues you might try Satin Balls. I used it on one of my dogs before and he showed noticeable weight gain in one week. 
Here's a link with the recipe and comments: http://www.njboxers.com/satin-balls-recipe.htm 

I just grabbed this off the web. You can find many other links for them too.


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## Ravenlost (Jul 20, 2004)

GrannyCarol said:


> ...
> If he's losing fast, that's a problem and I'd look into health issues in more depth. Unfortunately fast weight loss on an old dog generally means cancer, or some other major metabolic problem.


This was my thought as well, as bad as I hate to say it. 

Our 12-year-old Lab has the exact opposite problem...we have to constantly cut back on his food as he tends to be plump (which is very hard on his arthritic joints).


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## akane (Jul 19, 2011)

Satin balls will do it usually irregardless of health problems. Although you do want to rule those out. This one lists some potential substitutions http://www.heartlandgdr.org/satin_balls.htm . We've used less fattening ground meat like deer or rabbit and added pumpkin for our dog that easily keeps weight on but has trouble passing stool. We use the full recipe with 73% hamburger for the other who has always been near impossible to keep weight on. Partially because she will go on a food strike at the drop of a hat. I always use satin balls when she's suffered illness or injury to get weight back on her quickly. She'll lose 20lbs in less than a week if she has to stay at the vet and doesn't get to eat a large enough variety of things she enjoys.


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## Haven (Aug 16, 2010)

Assuming he is healthy I would rather see a skinny old dog than a filled out or fat one. So many of the elderly dogs I work with are large breeds who's hips and joints start giving them issues at that age. The obese ones can barely stand up under the weight.


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## sticky_burr (Dec 10, 2010)

drizzle fat over its food ie bacon fat your dog will love you more too


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## GrannyCarol (Mar 23, 2005)

I would caution you about adding a ton of fat, it can be hard on the pancreas. Better to have a thin dog than a really ill one, pancreatitus is life threatening.


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## Caitedid (Jun 2, 2004)

I was having a similar problem with my Aussie, switched to a food made by Kent that is carried by our feedstore. It's formulated for sled dogs and working stock dogs, only thing I've found that'll keep weight on my buddy. He's put on 10 much needed pounds since I started him on this. Also, keep up the wormings and such. Good luck!


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## unregistered6474 (Apr 21, 2003)

Thanks all! Lots of excellent advice in this thread - -I will definitely be trying some of these methods out. Here is a picture of the dog in question. He has probably lost about 5 pounds since this picture was taken. 
We have taken him to 2 vets -- the first one was concerned and did some blood tests, the second one said that a thin dog is better than a fat dog and left it at that. I would just like to fatten him up a bit -- so I can take him on walks without getting concerned comments from people that see him. 



IMGP5923


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## Cannon_Farms (Aug 28, 2008)

I have use these three things with success not nessarly combined.

Fried Chicken livers 350 calories each!
Satin Balls very fatning but not ideal in an older dog thats been on nothing but kibble.
Dyne, Dyne is like ensure for us its a high calorie liquid you can get off jeffers..

Weight loss is signs of other things so keep an eye on him and have him see another vet


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