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Originally Posted by BellymonsterMom  We have a new puppy that we took in from a family who couldn't care for her properly. She was too tiny and they were afraid that they couldn't monitor her needs well ( and she seems to need monitoring  .
We've had her a month and she hasn't gained any weight ( she's been seen by the regular vet twice and the ER Vet twice). She was eating well, drinks, very active, sleeps in her crate willingly, pottys well ( formed and regularly) She had one hypoglycemic issue where we took her to the ER. I had given her some Maple syrup to perk her up and the ER Vet said this might have stablized her blood sugar- if it even was an attack ( I was stressed out about this happening)
The family said she is a Yorkie/Poodle cross-breed. Mother a toy poodle ( 7 pounds) and the father a Yorkie ( 5 lbs). The breeder told them to put pure maple syrup on her food if she wasn't eating and to get her over the transition hump. The family gave us the food the breeder was feeding - Diamond Natural- but the adult formula- chicken and rice and we changed it to the Puppy formula same brand. She ate fine.
She was flea/parasite/wormed- twice so far. Vet said she looked fine and healthy. She had the second round of three shots and worming in one day...that was the day I took her to the ER. She recovered. She has since had a flea thing again after the last visit when we worried about parasites cause her no gain. She did have tape worm from the fleas.
She isn't gaining weight, but seems to have grown taller- in her legs. She also looks like she is losing a bit of hair on her legs ( or maybe they are just growing and it hasn't filled in?) She has a big head of hair and a tiny tall body. ( we think she is beautiful but I worry about her eating and gaining). The husband overfeeds our poodle ( a mini who is 20lbs-too overweight ) and gave the new one some people food. Recently. So this isn't the cause of her not gaining although it IS the cause of her new feeding issue.
My tubby poodle will ONLY eat Senior Ceasar ( I know, crap food) with dry kibble out all dayand my husband's table scraps. The little one now eats a bit of Puppy Ceasar that I mix with her Diamond Natural Puppy...but NOW she will only eat it if it has cottage cheese or something human-food in it.
She has had an xray ( we worried she swallowed a battery we found missing- she didn't) and the doc said she looks good on the inside...blood tests fine, everything good. She does have a little dry drandruf and she is itchy- although she has no fleas. Thin hair on the back of her pointy ears...but it's light brown so it looks a bit thinner in that area. Vet isn't concerned about the coat...but gave us Hospital food to mix in ( she hates it). We were only giving her 1/3 packet of Ceasar three times a day...we've upped it to 1/2 and I started adding in the cheese. Maybe I was underfeeding her? She does play AWFULLY hard with our poodle and her toys. Maybe too much?
Any other suggestions? She is adorable and very smart. I worry that she is too tiny...the family told us the breeder said she would be between 5-7 pounds. She is 4 mths and 2 pounds. Is 5 to 7 even possible? What should I be feeding? What about the skin issues...add Olive oil to her food? Bacon grease ( my husband's suggestion- of course!) How much food should she be eating? Maybe I was starving her? She always has dry food out and I've seen her run over and pick a teeny crunchie or two out during the day - though not lately  .
Sorry this is so long. I'm a wreck worried about this puppy. Thanks! |
You say she is now 16 weeks old, you have had her a month (since she was 12 weeks) and you got her from a family that thought she was too small to monitor. So, I am not sure how old she was when she was taken from mom. She should have been with mom & siblings until 12 weeks old to give the best start. During that time, it sounds as if she may have had quite a lot of
Being 2 pounds at 16 weeks is small but not too tiny -- I have one that did not quite make 2 pounds at 4 months. She is healthy. Don't worry about the thinning hair -- silky coats often look sparse in the 4-6 month range. I would expect her to gain SOME weight though. Not gaining any at all in one month would cause concern. But you did identify tapeworm as a problem. That would cause lack of weight gain. So, I would wait and see how she does now that you have that controlled. Has she been tested and shown free of parasites since the worming? For how long? I would say she should gain within a couple weeks after she has been free of that tapeworm problem. I would also NIX the Caesar -- give her quality food. If you homecook, seek some good input online or from vet to insure you make a well-rounded diet. Just all the changes she has had food-wise could upset a tummy enough to inhibit weight gain. I don't think anyone gave a thumb's down to the bacon grease so I want to do that in CAPITAL LETTERS
Bacon grease is not the good kind of fatty acids you want -- salmon oil would be good. They make some commercial omega 3 fatty acids, usually salmon oil, specifically for dogs. Add the VARIED and not always healthy diet to the tape worm and the fact that she has not
LOST weight is a very good sign.
You sound like a good, caring owner! Keep loving her, watching over her, keeping her parasite-free and feed her a consistent, premium diet and she should be fine.
WELCOME TO YT!
