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[MinasMom]

Thank you all for the warm greetings! I am learning about my baby through trial and error. I am worried about her not gaining weight (4mo old and 2 lbs) and the vet is making me nervous that she has the beginnings of a liver shunt. I think though that since she was the smallest of her litter, her dad's offspring are generally tiny and the fact that she plays, is strong and has a good appetite, that she'll be fine. They did make me so nervous that I started giving her boiled (minced) free range chicken with no-salt green beans and plain rice to supplement her dry food. Unfortunately she almost always throws it up later... So I have her on just dry food. Any tips on how to help her gain weight (she does feel a little bony)? Or should I just let nature take it's course?
And WOW what a big personality! She knows no fear except the vacuum.

[mommacarrie02]

Welcome, we're new as well. We just got our 14 week, Tucker for Christmas! It is amazing how much love they can bring!

Good Luck!

Carrie, & Tucker

[yorkieusa]

After a couple of months have passed, I would have the vet do a bile acid test to check for a liver shunt.

[Islandcanine]

Minasmom, I was thinking about you first thing this morning, thinking how fun it is to keep a journal of your little one, recording all those special moments from puppy and into adulthood! Helpful too if you record episodes of say throwing up, vet visits any meds, etc. Also diet. That way you can look back. Can be really helpful as well as fun.
Gaining weight: When I got my Roxy at 15mnths, as a rescue, she was in tough shape. Really bad. Underweight, yellow teeth, mucky eyes and on a low quality diet. Since her teeth were so yellow, she wouldn't eat her kibble. I guess her gums hurt. No one bothered to try and get her to eat anything else. When I brought the little thing home, I immediately gave her some skinless boneless chicken breast and she nearly took my fingers off eating. She was literally starving.
She got a healthy check up, just under weight.
She had her teeth scaled and polished. I have brushed her teeth daily since. She was scheduled for dental in two years. In the meanwhile, the vet looked at her teeth and said Wow! She got to bypass any dental because her teeth are beautiful now. When I first got her, I began feeding
her three times a day. I boiled skinless boneless chicken breast and not over cooked so to not kill the amino acids. I cooked white rice (to begin with rather than brown rice=easier on her system), I finely grated carrot into the rice and cooked it. I fed her this, mixed up three times a day.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner. I fed her this for the first year before really introducing anything else into the mix. I cut her chicken up well too.
I would walk her before meals. Have her sit and wait in the area of prep for discipline and feeding was then her reward = Well Rounded Dog. Those three things in that order.
The exercise in addition to the protein helped her with much needed energy and she really put on healthy weight in the way of muscle.
I would let her rest after a meal for at least a couple of hours and then outside again, for a walk before bedtime. She would get a snack before bed. Usually a bit of her chicken. She has free fed on her kibble all along and started eating it again once her gums settled down.
When she was young & underweight, I found her frequency for potty time was frequent. Often times having to go out a couple times between meals but always a walk before any feeding along with the discipline. Never feed then walk.
Now that Roxy is three, her bladder is stronger and she has better control. I still cook for her. Recently, I had an issue with her throwing up bile in the morning - see thread:
http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/yor...e-problem.html
Currently Roxy is getting four meals a day. I cut down from three to two but since this new problem, I took the two meals and broke it down into four. Last one just before bed and is helping tremendously! Such a Huge difference.

It is better to feed small amounts more frequent than large meals a couple of times.
I am not sure of the time it takes for a puppy to digest a meal entirely until his belly is empty but I think I recently read something like six hours. Try to time her last meal/snack with her bedtime. Six hours sleep isn't much I know as most of us sleep at least seven although you will be able to gauge little Mina's appetite and potty times so they work out for both of you.

With that being said, I would research Liver stunt and diet.
The reason I mention this is since I am not a vet or a nutritionist, I would want to know more about liver stunt and intake of protein.
How much to feed the puppy in a day total etc.
The Dog Cancer | Dog Supplements And Homemade Dog Food Treat Dog Cancer have some awesome whole food dog food products worth looking into as well.
I will be getting Roxy on the Pet Mix Homemade dog food line a.s.a.p since I do and prefer to cook for her. This was I know what she is getting too. So much junk in commercial dog foods. Even premium ones.

None the less, dry dog food is better than wet if you have a choice anyway, unless you brush regularly as wet food can cause some serious build up on our small dogs teeth and quick, which can lead to some serious health issues.
My dog doesn't do bones so we brush.

Important to start young. When you two are having grooming or cuddling moments, just wet your finger and put it in her mouth massaging the gum line. Once she is good with that, get some decent toothpaste made for canines (Not Human) and let her lick it off your finger (just a tiny tiny bit). Then start to rub her gums and teeth with it.
Within no time you will be able to get a toothbrush in there.
I use a human baby toothbrush. The smallest one I could find as it is then possible to get into the sides of the mouth to brush the back teeth. The finger brushes and ones that come with some dog toothpaste are just too big!
There are thread in YT that discuss brushing, toothpastes etc. or start your own with your own specific question.

As for your vet putting a scare into you. I would not dismiss his opinion but at the same I would consider getting a second opinion.
I would do my own research as well and I would think positive. I would visualize my beautiful dog healthy and happy as she is and doing good for ever more. Creative visualization is a powerful thing. Your puppy is likely just fine.
People said things to me about my dog when I first got her too. Craziness. She is just fine and besides a bit underweight when I first got her, she was healthy.
She goes to the vet regularly for her nails and glands plus she gets wormed once a year, annual check ups and vaccs if necessary.
She gets lots & lots of love, a good healthy diet & significant exercise, including playtime after walks before her meals.

Think positive. If you have any concerns regarding the possibility of liver shunts, get a second opinion from a reputable veterinarian. When it comes to things like that, never just depend on one opinion. Unless it is something obvious..

Lastly, read as much as you can about everything to do with the health and happiness of your dog, from puppy to adulthood, even into senior years. Collect from different sources too. This way you can form your own opinion from the knowledge that you will gain! Talk to people, don't be reluctant to bring ideas, thoughts, questions up. You may never know if you don't ask.
I've learned so much just from talking with other dog people. Even in the supermarket line up!

Best of luck and Enjoy your Beautiful Baby! Pictures! I'm sure I speak for others when I say we'd love to see her.

Originally Posted by MinasMom

Thank you all for the warm greetings! I am learning about my baby through trial and error. I am worried about her not gaining weight (4mo old and 2 lbs) and the vet is making me nervous that she has the beginnings of a liver shunt. I think though that since she was the smallest of her litter, her dad's offspring are generally tiny and the fact that she plays, is strong and has a good appetite, that she'll be fine. They did make me so nervous that I started giving her boiled (minced) free range chicken with no-salt green beans and plain rice to supplement her dry food. Unfortunately she almost always throws it up later... So I have her on just dry food. Any tips on how to help her gain weight (she does feel a little bony)? Or should I just let nature take it's course?
And WOW what a big personality! She knows no fear except the vacuum.

[Islandcanine]

PS: I just seen your photos.. I didn't realize that they were there until just now. Mina is Amazingly Beautiful She looks great too. Nice bright eyes. Cute little teeth. What a Sweety.
As for her throwing up after her meal of Chicken and Rice; Sometimes if a puppy hasn't had a significant potty previous, this can cause the throw up too. Also eating too much too fast. Just ideas that come to mind.
Walk her first. So that she goes potty.. Eventually you will get into a routine that works as you will be able to time her potties just by knowing when she last ate etc.
Then feed her. Start with giving her less at a time and see what happens.
The ratio I use for Roxy at the moment, per feeding as she is an adult though is 1.5-2Tbsp Protein, boiled and cut up fine, 1/2 Tbsp finely grated raw vegetable, (I would cook some grated carrot in her rice but don't anymore. Now I grate it raw and mix in, this was she is getting the digestive enzymes), 1/2 Tbsp rice.
Not to say that you should give Mina that much at a sitting but given just for an idea.
I am still working on the measurements because I need the ratio to be 40% protein, 30% veg and 30% fibre, ideally for myself for my dog. Not everyone would agree so do what you think works for your dog and you. Research.

Try feeding her less at a time and after a walk where she went potty to help avoid the throw ups.
My friends dog will sometimes throw up if he hasn't gone potty and eats.. Not a Yorkie and is adult.

[MinasMom]

Thanks for the great advice! I have a lot to read through here.
She's been eating well today on the all-dry food. I'm going to take her for a walk in a little while since she last ate around 1 and is napping right now.
There are two doctors at my vet's ofc. The main doctor (1st visit) wasn't worried about her weight and even said she just might be little as an adult but wanted to see her put some weight on those bones so he couldn't feel them as much. The other, younger doctor on this last visit is the one who scared me.
When I got her at 11 weeks she only weighed a little over 1.25 lbs and at 18 weeks she's now 2 lbs. Not a big gain but I can tell she's grown since she fits in sweaters that were too big a few weeks ago.
If she doesn't throw up by the end of the day I'll give her some minced chicken tomorrow afternoon so I can keep an eye on her. If that goes well then the next day I'll add some rice and give that to her at night, too.
Again, thanks! I have SO much to learn so it's nice to have the help and suggestions of other Yorkie owners like yourself.

[TxVicki]

Welcome to YT and congrtas on your nwe baby. You will find alot of great advice with this group,

I just saw your baby's picture, she is certainly cute.