Weight gain on Natural Balance?

[Miss Magoo]

Good Morning YT,

I have had Bella on NB since she I got her basically, and after the vet recommended Science Diet (yikes). I did the research and went into the pet store to buy either Solid Gold, Wellness, or NB. My decision was made when the sales lady had a yorkie too and we talked for an hour and she explained that it was a whole life food, which I knew from my research, and it just seemed like it would be a good fit.

Well when I put Bella on NB she was just under 2lbs and was on target to be 6lbs adult weight. Then at a check up she had a slight skin irritation and she was put on antibiotics and the only way I could get her to take the medication was to hide it in cheese. So she gained a little bit of extra weight during that period, but not much. However since yorkies are small, a few ounces adds up.

So at spay time they weighed her again and she was almost 7lbs, I was shocked because she didn't seem like she weighed that much. She's long and it doesn't look like she weighs that much. All her blook work came back fine and they did extra blood work because my vet was concerned about a few levels that were very normal in the end. She just wasn't use to treating a yorkie and since she knew of the liver shunt issue she wanted to make sure that wasn't something I needed to worry about, and now it's not.

Well yesterday I weighed her again because I was going to order her something and she is a little over 8lbs now, closer to 8 1/2! She still doesn't look it, she doesn't have a belly, and is active and plays. Although with the cold weather our walks are non existant right now. I follow NB guidelines for the feeding amount and actually feed a little less as she is less active right now and tends to leave food over in her dish. She is free feed since she is almost 10months old and it just works better for the both of us.

I am just wondering if anyone else has experienced this.

Thanks in advanced

And as a side note, I'm not worried about her being a teapot, I just want her to be healthy and if that is her being healthy at 8 1/2 lbs then that is fine.

A

[Ellie May]

If her body score is good, then there is nothing to worry about.
Her weight could be perfectly normal for her frame and the NB may be working fine. Has the vet said she is overweight?

[hugz4all4]

I havent had any experience with natural balance but I do beleive Tucker gained more weight faster than he should of on TOTW. He was pegged at being under 6 pounds by the charts and both his parents are under 5,(and thier parents are all small, under 5 pounds Ive done my research ) however at 18 weeks he already weighs 5 pounds. He too isnt "fat" but solid. He is short and cobby, but I can still feel his ribs so honestly when he was weighed at his last visit I was shocked. I have now put him on 3 times a day feedings instead of free feeding him(he would eat constantly) and he is back on puppy food instead of ALS. Im now guessing that he will be in the 9ish pound range.

[Miss Magoo]

No, the last vet visit she just said we may need to switch the food because of the protein amount. The vet likes science diet. So we agreed to disagree on the food issue.

I was just concerned because she's my first yorkie and my little baby. And I'm hyper-protective. That and everyone knows everything about food in this forum.

[amandawash]

Originally Posted by Miss Magoo

No, the last vet visit she just said we may need to switch the food because of the protein amount. The vet likes science diet. So we agreed to disagree on the food issue.

I was just concerned because she's my first yorkie and my little baby. And I'm hyper-protective. That and everyone knows everything about food in this forum.

Which NB formula do you have her on?

[Ellie May]

Your vet should be able to tell you her body score.
On a scale of 1-10, 5 is optimal and 10 is extremely obese.
On a scale of 1-5, 3 is optimal and 5 is extremely overweight.

You can also look at charts online and try to figure out where she falls but I am terrilbe at it and think that different vets have different opinions about what is optimal weight and what isn't.

[Miss Magoo]

I'll have to google and see if I can find the scale online then.

And I switch the variety of NB, she was on the orange bag first for 5 months, then yellow bag for 2.

[amandawash]

Originally Posted by Miss Magoo

I'll have to google and see if I can find the scale online then.

And I switch the variety of NB, she was on the orange bag first for 5 months, then yellow bag for 2.

You don't know which flavors? I am just curious what your vet doesn't like about the protein levels. I didn't think NB had any formula with super high protein, but I could be wrong.

[Ellie May]

Originally Posted by amandawash

You don't know which flavors? I am just curious what your vet doesn't like about the protein levels. I didn't think NB had any formula with super high protein, but I could be wrong.

I'm thinking the same thing.
I thought NB was low protein.
It is also low (almost too low in my opinion) in fat.

[amandawash]

Originally Posted by Ellie May

I'm thinking the same thing.
I thought NB was low protein.
It is also low (almost too low in my opinion) in fat.

My thoughts exactly. I hate hearing when people are feeding it to their super young puppies but whatever.

[Miss Magoo]

I don't know the flavors because I have a visual impairment, hence the reason I referenced the color of the bag. I know the orange bag is sweet potato and something and the yellow is duck and something but could not recall the rest. When I purchase food, I put the food into a air tight container and cut off the food label and put it into a food diary so I can keep track of what I have fed Bella so if anything happens I know what she has had in her system to cause irritation food wise. I also cut out the food ingredients and other important info. I may not be able to read it, but I figure my vet can.

The other vet in my vet's practice was concerned because of the protein levels were higher for Bella being a small dog and with the activity level of a small dog not being a working dog, ie not a lab or a golden retriever and not running 5 miles a day. Therefore, there might be weight gain on such a high protein level food and we may want to rethink the food choice down the road.

[amandawash]

Well they are both 21% protein and 10% fat.

I certainly don't consider 20% protein high.

The Science Diet Light Small Dog food is 24% protein.

[Miss Magoo]

Originally Posted by amandawash

Well they are both 21% protein and 10% fat.

I certainly don't consider 20% protein high.

Iams Small Breed is 27% protein.

I just repeated what my vet said, not my personal opinion on the matter.

[amandawash]

Originally Posted by Miss Magoo

I just repeated what my vet said, not my personal opinion on the matter.

Oh I understand that I am just trying to figure out the reasoning behind your vet wanting your baby to be on Science Diet. I have one of those annoying questioning minds

[Miss Magoo]

It is frustrating isn't it? I have been debating for a few months about switching Bella from NB to Wellness or a different food so I may just make the switch sooner rather than later.