Is my yorkie SKINNY??

[tarczely]

I know you can't compair but I actually thought mine was looking chubby he is 6 months 5 lbs eat freely but what amounts to 1/2 cup, what do y think?

[YorkieMommi]

Originally Posted by Reese1

Did you just adopt him or how long have you had him?
He doesn't look too skinny, but has he had all his vaccinations?
I would be concerned about taking him to a groomer if he hasn't had them.

My sweet boy first came home at 12wks. I've had him for 6 months now and OF COURSE he had all of his vaccinations. He's MY BABY!

I'm a little confused. Is that a concern I should have because his weight?

[StaceyDee]

Linus didn't want to eat at first, but then I discovered Iams Savory Sauce. I only use a couple of drops, but it has really made a world of difference. He went from only eating a couple of kibbles each mealtime, to now eating his entire bowl.

It's probably not a good idea to give them too much, but he really wasn't eating enough and this has made a big difference. Each day I use a little less and a little less, and this evening I didn't give him any and he ate up his whole dinner! What a difference!

[Maximo]

Originally Posted by YorkieMommi

My sweet boy first came home at 12wks. I've had him for 6 months now and OF COURSE he had all of his vaccinations. He's MY BABY!

I'm a little confused. Is that a concern I should have because his weight?

No, I think Reese thought your pup was younger.

He looks great in the pictures, and as Nancy posted above, don't go out of your way to put weight on him. He will fill out naturally with age.

My 9 month old Teddy is a waif, sort of skin and bones compared to my older and more muscular boy.

[YorkieShadow]

I free feed mine so there's always hard kibbles and water down. I had notice when I got my female candy shes a Yorkie / shih tzu mix that i could feel her back bone, she seemed skinny to me. and Mickey also needed a lb put on. so I started adding a little water to their food making it soft and they both started eating more. I still always leave out the dry kibbles and they eat that here and there too. so both of mine have gained weight which Im happy about. I new pup has also started eating more now with the added water to make it soft so hopefully she will gain a little too.

[BridgettesMomma]

Originally Posted by Nancy1999

I think I would ask my vet to be sure, but he doesn't look too skinny, and I think it's probably better to be a little on the thin side than overweight. Milo has long legs and that probably make his look thinner, but I wouldn't try to put on weight without vets approval. I'm a little confused why your breeder dewormed him just in case, I'm not sure if this is healthy.

Originally Posted by Maximo

Hi Denisha,

Milo looks healthy and adorable in your pictures! He will likely continue to fill out as he approaches 1 - 2 years of age. As long as he is active and not losing weight, I don't think you need to be concerned. I monitor my boys' weight using a baby scale.

What do you mean by the breeder "dewormed" him just in case? With medication? If Milo's appetite changed after this, you may want to post in the health section to ask if this could affect his eating/weight.

I am the breeder/friend I dewormed him with a liquid dewormer 2 ml because he has not been dewormed since he left my home at 12 weeks he is now 10 months old and the pictures dont really show it but he does look VERY skinny.

But then again I did tell Denisha my Teddy (Milos older brother) went through the same thing. He has gained weight now and looks very healthy. Milo stayed the night and in 24 hours with food avalible the entire time he ate maybe three bites. Dewormer has never given any of my dogs runny poo. And I have 6 but then again I am a hobby breeder I am no expert.

I actually suggested her to ask on here for maybe some professional advice. I also advised her to take him to the vet. I suggested to added canned (which is what I did for my Teddy) and it plumped him right up he is now back on dry kibble and doing wonderful. When my Teddy was thin I called my vet and they suggested maybe he needed a deworming so I dewormed him and increased his food intake along with a small portion of canned. Not a permanent thing just to help him gain some weight.

She said she even took him to the dog park and a man asked "do you even feed that dog" If im wrong please correct me. I am only looking out for my boy!

[kjc]

I copied this from another thread on skinny dogs... hope this helps...

Originally Posted by kjc

How does he feel when you pet him? Are his bones covered by just skin or can you feel a bit of fat under the skin? Can you feel his ribs readily or do you have to search for them?
I am not concerned with the numbers but moreso how their weight fits them. You don't want them too fat or too skinny. My first vet was too concerned with keeping my dog at 5 pounds. He was so active and started stealing food. If I yelled at him, he would grab a hugh mouthfull (really digging into the bowl) and runaway with it! To me, this says he wasn't getting enough to eat. So I increased his ration and he was alot happier. His main problem now is treats. He loves treats. When he eats too many, he will put on too much weight. Maybe this can work for Thor?
Also, I use Alaskan Salmon oil (Omega 3's & 6'S) and coconut products oil& milk to diet and hair products with coconut oil in them, for his coat.

Originally Posted by kjc

Wild Alaskan Salmon Oil is oil from Salmon (fish) and is great for skin, coat, immune system, and cardiovascular health. Omega 3's and 6's which are essential fatty acids. It's a bit stinky, but the scent has really given my dogs renewed interest in eating. Even my Liver Shunt dog has put on weight! (They tend to be skinny)

Coconut products: kind of a miracle food. Giving you a link here as the benefits are way to many for me to list. This link refers to benefits to people but I have seen similar lists for pets. And mine love it! Coconut oil, milk , & meat all provide the benefits.

Coconut Research Center Home Page

And some info copied and edited from previous posts:

Sometimes they can go thin from not having the right gut flora. They may be eating fine, but their bodies may have a problem digesting the food. Adding a Probiotic to their diet can help, and certainly won't hurt. Probiotics can also prevent diarrhea.

And the general guidelines are: You should be able to feel the spine but not so much the sides or each individual vertebra. You should be able to feel the ribs,and a soft cushion between them and the skin. If you can see the ribs, the dog is underweight. Muscle, tendons and some fat should be covering the hips and shoulders. Bones should not be excessively evident. Age and activity will influence how an animal appears. If your dog is on the thin side, do not overfeed to put weight on. Read the feeding guidelines on the food packaging and follow them. Make adjustments to the amount as needed. Don't add fats or gravies (people food) to your dogs food, as they can cause pancreatitis. You can feed treats between meals, but be aware of the nutritional content. Nothing too fatty. Gradually the weight will come on. Also, weighing your dog weekly will help. So would a diary so you can see exactly what you pup has eaten and how he does with it. If you still think your pup has a weight problem, you'll have documented info for your vet which can help in a diagnosis.

Even though I am not an Iam's fan, this is from their website and may help a bit more: Your Pets Ideal Weight: A Visual Guide It has diagrams and better explanation.

And another developed by Purina: Canine Health Body Condition System

And it is important to have him seen by your vet, especially for BAT testing, as anorexia is a symptom of many diseases/disorders including Liver Shunt.

[YorkieD]

I thought my little guy was too skinny also, so I kept trying to stuff food into him, he is 10 months old. On March 19th, he went to the vet, he weighed in at 5.2 lbs. Vet said he wanted him back down to about 4.8 and that would be a good weight to keep him at. I liked him a little rounder though.
He is about 8" to 81/2" tall. I don't know how they determine what weight a dog should be, probably height & bone structure just like people.

[kjc]

Originally Posted by YorkieD

I thought my little guy was too skinny also, so I kept trying to stuff food into him, he is 10 months old. On March 19th, he went to the vet, he weighed in at 5.2 lbs. Vet said he wanted him back down to about 4.8 and that would be a good weight to keep him at. I liked him a little rounder though.
He is about 8" to 81/2" tall. I don't know how they determine what weight a dog should be, probably height & bone structure just like people.

The main things I look for in determining too skinny/too fat are the ribs and spine. You want to be able to feel the ribs, but at the same time you shouldn't be able to see them. You should also be able to feel a layer of fat between the ribs and the skin covering them. The spine should also be covered by skin with a layer of fat in between and it should be somewhat difficult to feel the individual vertebrae in most areas along the back. The hips should not be evident to the eye (no bones jutting out).

For practice in developing a sensitive touch, find an (willing) older person and look at their hands. If you can see mostly all the bones from the knuckles to the wrist, this is what skin on bone (no fat layer underneath) will feel like. Close your eyes and let your fingertips glide over the back of the hand. This will increase your sensitivity when you check your Yorkie as you will not be able to see through the coat (or you shouldn't be able to). Then go find a younger willing person and do the same thing to their hand. As long as the person is not nutritionally challenged, you will be able to feel a layer of fat just under the skin, and still be able to feel the bones through it in their hands.

It won't hurt to practice on other dogs either. And, again, this is best done with your eyes closed or looking away from the animal, because the way things appear is not always true and will influence what you are feeling.

If your dog feels a bit thin, give him a little bit extra food and/or treats during the day. This applies to any dog at any age. If your young dog feels good now but in two weeks begins to feel thin, he may be having a growth spurt or just being more active and requires more food to maintain an optimal weight. Whenever I pet any of my dogs or cats, I always do a weight check with my hand, and should I not be able to correct the problem with diet, we go talk to the vet about it.

[YorkieD]

Originally Posted by kjc

The main things I look for in determining too skinny/too fat are the ribs and spine. You want to be able to feel the ribs, but at the same time you shouldn't be able to see them. You should also be able to feel a layer of fat between the ribs and the skin covering them. The spine should also be covered by skin with a layer of fat in between and it should be somewhat difficult to feel the individual vertebrae in most areas along the back. The hips should not be evident to the eye (no bones jutting out).

For practice in developing a sensitive touch, find an (willing) older person and look at their hands. If you can see mostly all the bones from the knuckles to the wrist, this is what skin on bone (no fat layer underneath) will feel like. Close your eyes and let your fingertips glide over the back of the hand. This will increase your sensitivity when you check your Yorkie as you will not be able to see through the coat (or you shouldn't be able to). Then go find a younger willing person and do the same thing to their hand. As long as the person is not nutritionally challenged, you will be able to feel a layer of fat just under the skin, and still be able to feel the bones through it in their hands.

It won't hurt to practice on other dogs either. And, again, this is best done with your eyes closed or looking away from the animal, because the way things appear is not always true and will influence what you are feeling.

If your dog feels a bit thin, give him a little bit extra food and/or treats during the day. This applies to any dog at any age. If your young dog feels good now but in two weeks begins to feel thin, he may be having a growth spurt or just being more active and requires more food to maintain an optimal weight. Whenever I pet any of my dogs or cats, I always do a weight check with my hand, and should I not be able to correct the problem with diet, we go talk to the vet about it.

this is very interesting, thanks. I have noticed that in the nice weather when we can go walking twice a day, he eats more & isn't so picky. At 5.2 lbs. he did have quite a fat little belly. The vet checks him the way you described feeling for spine & ribs etc. When he was younger I noticed that some days he looked fatter & some days skinner and couldn't figure out why, but it must have been growth spurts as you described. He is very healthy & active. I am not putting him on a diet or anything. If he is hungry I let him eat as much as he wants, some days he eats lots & other days not as much. Vet also said yorkies know how many calories they need & if they are active they do eat more than if they are just laying around. Like in the winter, they probably won't eat as much. sounds right to me.

[Nancy1999]

Originally Posted by BridgettesMomma

I am the breeder/friend I dewormed him with a liquid dewormer 2 ml because he has not been dewormed since he left my home at 12 weeks he is now 10 months old and the pictures dont really show it but he does look VERY skinny.

But then again I did tell Denisha my Teddy (Milos older brother) went through the same thing. He has gained weight now and looks very healthy. Milo stayed the night and in 24 hours with food avalible the entire time he ate maybe three bites. Dewormer has never given any of my dogs runny poo. And I have 6 but then again I am a hobby breeder I am no expert.

I actually suggested her to ask on here for maybe some professional advice. I also advised her to take him to the vet. I suggested to added canned (which is what I did for my Teddy) and it plumped him right up he is now back on dry kibble and doing wonderful. When my Teddy was thin I called my vet and they suggested maybe he needed a deworming so I dewormed him and increased his food intake along with a small portion of canned. Not a permanent thing just to help him gain some weight.

She said she even took him to the dog park and a man asked "do you even feed that dog" If im wrong please correct me. I am only looking out for my boy!

I don't believe in giving meds without a reason and you seem to be asking if worming medicine can be given without causing a problem. Just because your vet suggested the medicine with another dog, it doesn't mean its right for this dog. You may have told the vet other symptoms besides being thin that made you vet think it was worms. You could also do a separate thread here, and perhaps someone will have more knowledgeable advice about worming meds.

[Maximo]

Originally Posted by BridgettesMomma

I am the breeder/friend I dewormed him with a liquid dewormer 2 ml because he has not been dewormed since he left my home at 12 weeks he is now 10 months old and the pictures dont really show it but he does look VERY skinny.

But then again I did tell Denisha my Teddy (Milos older brother) went through the same thing. He has gained weight now and looks very healthy. Milo stayed the night and in 24 hours with food avalible the entire time he ate maybe three bites. Dewormer has never given any of my dogs runny poo. And I have 6 but then again I am a hobby breeder I am no expert.

I actually suggested her to ask on here for maybe some professional advice. I also advised her to take him to the vet. I suggested to added canned (which is what I did for my Teddy) and it plumped him right up he is now back on dry kibble and doing wonderful. When my Teddy was thin I called my vet and they suggested maybe he needed a deworming so I dewormed him and increased his food intake along with a small portion of canned. Not a permanent thing just to help him gain some weight.

She said she even took him to the dog park and a man asked "do you even feed that dog" If im wrong please correct me. I am only looking out for my boy!

BridgettesMomma -- Glad your Teddy is doing well.

I strongly agree with your advice to take Milo to the vet. He needs a hands-on evaluation by a doctor.

[katy-yorkie]

I think Buster is skinny. On a good day he is 4 lbs. but most of the time he is 3.6 - 3.8 lbs. He is just over two years old. I can feel his spine, his butt bone, all of his bones. The vet thinks he is fine. He doesn't want him to gain weight. Every time I mention that I think he's too skinny, the vet will show me the poster in his office of what a dog should look like. The overweight dog, the too skinny dog and the dog that is just right. I free feed as well hoping he will eat more but it looks like I'm doing the wrong thing.