Kind of urgent diet question/what fat is acceptable? - YorkieTalk.com Forums

Ellie May · 08-07-2007, 04:19 PM

Ellie has always been very skinny, but it seems to be getting worse after getting homecooked for a few months. She gets all very lean meats with usually barley or brown rice and vegetables. She does get cottage cheese quite a bit. The most fattening meal she has had (homecooked) is ground round. I don't know what to do. I don't want her to get pancreatitis but she has got to get some weight on. You can feel all of her ribs. Her vet didn't say anything a couple weeks ago, so I guess she thinks its okay but does anyone have any suggestions? She gets 3/4 of food a day.

Yorkiedaze · 08-07-2007, 04:41 PM

If she's eating 1/4 cup of food a day then she should be doing very well. If she is "loseing" weight, then yes, there would be room for concern. Is she playful and normal acting? My two Yorkies get only 1/2 cu of food a day and a little Yogurt with some berries or apples thrown in. They are not gaining or losing. How much does she weigh?

Yorkiedaze · 08-07-2007, 04:42 PM

Opps............If she's eating 2/3 cup a day I meant.

Yorkiedaze · 08-07-2007, 04:43 PM

I think my brain has started a melt down. Anyway, with feeding her 3/4 cup a day, that is quite a bit for a Yorkie unless it's a 20 pounder.

Ellie May · 08-07-2007, 04:49 PM

She is just over 5 pounds. A few months ago another vet in the office put her at a 4 on a scale of 1-10. He said better a 4 then a 6. I can't tell if she is losing. She does get 3/4 cup of food a day because keeping weight on her has always been a challenge. The Canidae bag says 1/2-3/4 cup a day is okay for her size. I don't know what is going on. Maybe she is staying the same and I just can't tell. Either way she has got to gain something.

diva pup · 08-08-2007, 04:31 AM

Maybe you should rethink homecooking for her, I homecook too but have not had anyone lose weight. Quite the opposite.
Perhaps you can homecook and leave a quality kibble out for her all day. If a dog is not thriving on a diet (whatever it is) it needs to be changed. JMO.

Ellie May · 08-08-2007, 05:52 AM

The problem with stopping homecooking is that she is healthier on it. She used to have a rough spot of fur by her butt that went away, she used to throw up for no reason and now she doesn't and her nose is colder most of the time. It is probably because she was on Science Diet which is not good but I really don't trust any dog food company, including Canidae, Innova..., too much.

sassypup · 08-08-2007, 10:18 AM

are you putting additional supplements/vitamins in the homecooking, correct me if I'm wrong (others that homecook) that the fresh foods are not enough.

Ellie May · 08-08-2007, 10:27 AM

I started Ellie on Missing Link Vegetarian about a week ago. She was getting cottage cheese for calcium and will be getting probably egg shells for calcium pretty quick. So, yes she is being supplimented but it hasn't been that long.

Suzy · 08-08-2007, 03:11 PM

Do you make and use the healthy powder by Dr. Pitcairn? We use that, and so far they're both doing well on it!

08-07-2007, 04:19 PM	#1
Ellie May And Rylee Finnegan Donating Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Metro Detroit, MI Posts: 17,928	Kind of urgent diet question/what fat is acceptable? Ellie has always been very skinny, but it seems to be getting worse after getting homecooked for a few months. She gets all very lean meats with usually barley or brown rice and vegetables. She does get cottage cheese quite a bit. The most fattening meal she has had (homecooked) is ground round. I don't know what to do. I don't want her to get pancreatitis but she has got to get some weight on. You can feel all of her ribs. Her vet didn't say anything a couple weeks ago, so I guess she thinks its okay but does anyone have any suggestions? She gets 3/4 of food a day. __________________ Crystal, Ellie May (RIP), Rylee Finnegan, and Gracie Boo🐶

08-07-2007, 04:49 PM	#5
Ellie May And Rylee Finnegan Donating Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Metro Detroit, MI Posts: 17,928	She is just over 5 pounds. A few months ago another vet in the office put her at a 4 on a scale of 1-10. He said better a 4 then a 6. I can't tell if she is losing. She does get 3/4 cup of food a day because keeping weight on her has always been a challenge. The Canidae bag says 1/2-3/4 cup a day is okay for her size. I don't know what is going on. Maybe she is staying the same and I just can't tell. Either way she has got to gain something. __________________ Crystal, Ellie May (RIP), Rylee Finnegan, and Gracie Boo🐶

08-08-2007, 05:52 AM	#7
Ellie May And Rylee Finnegan Donating Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Metro Detroit, MI Posts: 17,928	The problem with stopping homecooking is that she is healthier on it. She used to have a rough spot of fur by her butt that went away, she used to throw up for no reason and now she doesn't and her nose is colder most of the time. It is probably because she was on Science Diet which is not good but I really don't trust any dog food company, including Canidae, Innova..., too much. __________________ Crystal, Ellie May (RIP), Rylee Finnegan, and Gracie Boo🐶

08-08-2007, 10:27 AM	#9
Ellie May And Rylee Finnegan Donating Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Metro Detroit, MI Posts: 17,928	I started Ellie on Missing Link Vegetarian about a week ago. She was getting cottage cheese for calcium and will be getting probably egg shells for calcium pretty quick. So, yes she is being supplimented but it hasn't been that long. __________________ Crystal, Ellie May (RIP), Rylee Finnegan, and Gracie Boo🐶

08-08-2007, 03:11 PM	#10
Suzy 2 Pups=Double Trouble! Donating Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Iowa Posts: 6,581	Do you make and use the healthy powder by Dr. Pitcairn? We use that, and so far they're both doing well on it! __________________ Suzy Emma & Milli What's better than loving a yorkie? Loving two yorkies! Milli 's Remi!

08-07-2007, 04:41 PM	#2
Yorkiedaze My hairy-legged girls Donating Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: lompoc, ca. Posts: 12,228	If she's eating 1/4 cup of food a day then she should be doing very well. If she is "loseing" weight, then yes, there would be room for concern. Is she playful and normal acting? My two Yorkies get only 1/2 cu of food a day and a little Yogurt with some berries or apples thrown in. They are not gaining or losing. How much does she weigh?

08-07-2007, 04:42 PM	#3
Yorkiedaze My hairy-legged girls Donating Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: lompoc, ca. Posts: 12,228	Opps............If she's eating 2/3 cup a day I meant.

08-07-2007, 04:43 PM	#4
Yorkiedaze My hairy-legged girls Donating Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: lompoc, ca. Posts: 12,228	I think my brain has started a melt down. Anyway, with feeding her 3/4 cup a day, that is quite a bit for a Yorkie unless it's a 20 pounder.

08-08-2007, 04:31 AM	#6
diva pup BANNED! Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 1,139	Maybe you should rethink homecooking for her, I homecook too but have not had anyone lose weight. Quite the opposite. Perhaps you can homecook and leave a quality kibble out for her all day. If a dog is not thriving on a diet (whatever it is) it needs to be changed. JMO.

08-08-2007, 10:18 AM	#8
sassypup Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: S. Ca Posts: 1,905	are you putting additional supplements/vitamins in the homecooking, correct me if I'm wrong (others that homecook) that the fresh foods are not enough.