Hi I was just wondering if any one can help me with tips to help my year old female weimaraner put on weight. I can see every rib and a lot of her spine. She had campala bacta when she was 8 weeks old and nearly died. She had diahorrea for all her life apart from the last 2/3 months as we have been told she is allergic to meat and dairy so cut it out. This has stopped the diahorrea and she put on a stone she now weighs 26 kg. she has had many tests by the vet including biopsies taken from the gut and numerous blood tests including b12 and thyroid. She is allowed white fish and she is fed on wafcol salmon and potato as recommened by the vet. She is fed small amounts often but is always ravenously hungrey. We have spoken to the vet about her weight and one option they had said was steroids but I would like to try other options and use that as the final resort.

Lola is a small example of her breed and I'm not expecting her to be the average weight for her breed just to be able to not have every rib sticking out so much. She gets mistaken for greyhounds when she is out because of her frame. Around the home she has to sleep under covers or she shivers, she usually puts her self under them (it not me). She gets very tired very easily and although very happy and playful like she should be for her age she is knocked out by execrise of about 20 minutes long.

Any thing that would be recommened to me I would ask my vet first as I'm not using this site as a replacement; just to be able to get more ideas. Many thanks

If there is any thing more you need to know please ask as I'm sure I may have missed some information out. Thanks

Sounds like she needs a protein replacement if she can't have meat. So, to my way of thinking, a vegan diet has substitutes like chick pease, beans, that sort of thing. You say she is always hungry so she is not getting enough out of what the vet suggested quantity wise, I guess. You have to get her full and satiated somehow to raise her metabolism and get rid of the shivers and lack of stamina. Okay, then I would suggest introducing veg protein into her diet and more feedings. The vet can suggest all he wants, but you are her bottom line and get to observe her behavior from not getting enough.

You are in the UK ? Suggest also, investigate the University of Guelph (Ontario, Canada) (one of the best Vet Universities on the northern american continent) on line and see if they have an e mail access for advice from interns. May seem like a far out suggestions, but quite frankly, that is what I woud do, other then that, another vet's input would help. They all have different approaches.

I can see why you don't want steroids as I always think they are offered when at a loss as to what else to suggest.

Hi thanks for your advice-yes I am in the UK. I will check out that university as I am willing to try everything. I have changed vets recently and they are the ones that told us to cut meat and dairy out. The previous vets were not very helpful at all and took 3000 pounds to say there was nothing wrong with her that she would put on weight when she stopped growing and its prob just and age thing (this is really not true). The vets I am with are a lot more helpful. At the moment she is being fed nearly double the recommended amount for her weight three times a day as well as fish twice a day. All this seems to do is produce lots of facaes which if given the chance she will eat (the vet has said this is because the food is undigested and she is craving food and vits etc her body need which it is wasting).

My dog (nervous type, skinny with ribs showing, could never put on weight) had to go for to the vet for an ear infection and they put him on steroids. He now has gained another 5 percent of his body weight and looks great and he seems to be maintaining that weight even though he has been of the steroids for over a month.

Hi thanks I know that steroids would help her loads but the vet has shown concern in putting her on them as well due to her age. I am not ruling them out just trying to see if there would be any thing else to try. Many thanks

Here is a website regarding dogs eating faeces and offers some good insight and suggestions:

Pet Behaviour Centre Homepage (http://www.petbehaviourcentre.com)

Hi tickle thanks ever so much for all your suggestins I look forward to checking that website out as a answer would be very helpful. I checked out that university and it says that they cannot give advice over the phone or email and that they would need to see the animal usually by vet referral. This obviously is not going to happen as I am in the uk but it has made me think to look into ones in the uk. Many thanks