Hello, just wanted to see if I can get any help on here. I have a lab/pit mix male that is 12 yrs old. I have had him since he was about one year old. I rescued him from the shelter. When he was four, he started having epiliptic seizures and has suffered them ever since. We have them under control with minimal seizures as he is on Pheno and Potassium Bromide. Just recently he was breathing weird so I rushed him the ER vet on a Saturday night around midnight. They kept him there until Monday morning. An x-ray revealed that his heart was three times larger than it should be. This in turn has pushed his liver and spleen out of place and the heart also pushes up on his esophagus and causes breathing problems too. I noticed too that he has lost a lot of weight in the past month. I picked him up on Monday and took him to a Cardio Vet office. They did ECG and sonograms of this heart. The diagnosis is the beginning stage of Congestive Heart Failure. They said we caught it early enough where he can still have great quality of life, but he is now on three more heart meds and I have to take him back every five months for follow ups and xrays/ecg/ultraounds. I love my dog so much and I am doing evverything I can to help him get through this. Do you have any suggestions of what I can feed him to help him gain some weight back? Thank you

Dear melissadawn42,
My name is Levi and I raised and Trained German Shepherds for about 22 years and I have gone through 3 of the same issues with my FAVORITE DOGS.. 2 lived to 14 and the last one lived to be 15 1/2, But the only way I was able to get them to put on ANY WEIGHT at ALL.. was to go to your LOCAL GROCERS STORE THAT HAS FRESH BUTCHERS SHOP IN IT.. and ask the BUTCHER FOR SOME "NON-PORK.. ALL BEEF BONE MEAL".. this is the grinnding and cuttings of BEEF, BONE, FAT, and MARROW that are trimme off straks, etc.. When they cut them up for the customers.. usually you can get about 3 ro 5 pounds a week.. Get some Dry Food that your dog Enjoys.. actually to put on weight quickly you may want to mix his regular food with some formulated for Puppies for Growth (ADDS WEIGHT) and then take the RAW BONE MEAL and HAND MIX it with the DRY FOOD.. give him enough for 2 helpings a day until his weight is back to a good healthy number.. then give him 1 1/2 times the amount and only feed once and cut out the puppy food.. this should put on weight in about 2 months.. also.. talk to the BUTCHER and EXPLAIN to them what and WHY you need this BONE MEAL and that you will be picking a certain amount up EVERY WEEK or EVERY few DAYS even.. depending on when they butcher the beef.. and the BUTCHER will make sure that he will keep it PORK FREE (will cause worms in dogs) and since they HAVE to CHARGE YOU for EVERYTHING that goes out of MOST STORES.. they usually charge about $1.99 to $5.00 for 5 pounds of Bone Meal. . And even the dog with the WEAKEST APPETITE can't resist that smell and taste.. its RAW BEEF CUTS and MARROW. GOOD LUCK.. If you have anymore questions, hit me up at
{removed} ANYTIME
Levi

He is treating with a Vet - that's the person to ask. Fatty foods may not be the recommendation.

Most efinitelty ask your vet... as this is exactly what 3 different vets have all confirmed as being the best way to bring up their weight quickly and safely.. and i did not mention that you can add brewers yeast.. about a half a scoop to the bone meal to help increase their appetite as well... and the bone meal is actually very healthy for dogs as it is rich in protein, calcium, marrow, vitamins, a, b.e, k, and other minerals and necessary enzymes beneficial for proper digestion and to help boost their immune system as well as both their metabolism and their energy levels.. 8 out of 10 animals raised in the wild and hunting and eating raw meats are bigger, stronger, faster, and more agile than animals raised in captivity and on processed dog foods. The exceptions to the rule are the medical care offered for heart worms, hook & tape worms, parvo prevention injectioins, etc...

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Originally Posted by Levi316

MOST EFINITELTY ASK YOUR VET... AS THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT 3 DIFFERENT VETS HAVE ALL CONFIRMED AS BEING THE BEST WAY TO BRING UP THEIR WEIGHT QUICKLY AND SAFELY.. AND I DID NOT MENTION THAT YOU CAN ADD BREWERS YEAST .. ABOUT A HALF A SCOOP TO THE BONE MEAL TO HELP INCREASE THEIR APPETITE AS WELL... AND THE BONE MEAL IS ACTUALLY VERY HEALTHY FOR DOGS AS IT IS RICH IN PROTEIN, CALCIUM, MARROW, VITAMINS, A, B.E, K, and OTHER MINERALS AND NECESSARY ENZYMES BENEFICIAL FOR PROPER DIGESTION AND TO HELP BOOST THEIR IMMUNE SYSTEM AS WELL AS BOTH THEIR METABOLISM AND THEIR ENERGY LEVELS.. 8 out of 10 Animals raised in the Wild and Hunting and Eating Raw Meats are Bigger, Stronger, Faster, and More Agile than Animals raised in Captivity and on Processed Dog Foods. The Exceptions to the Rule are the MEDICAL CARE OFFERED FOR HEART WORMS, HOOK & TAPE WORMS, PARVO Prevention Injectioins,, etc...

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Levi, please don't post in all caps. On the internet that's considered shouting. It's rude, and hard to read.

I realize that you've been through this, but unless you're a vet you really shouldn't be suggesting things that aren't vet recommended.

I'm not saying that your advice is bad, but you have two posts on this site, and some of the things you are suggesting could be harmful, or at the very least, not tested and controversial. Until you post links (from reputable sites or vets) showing that your suggestions are valid, I'm no inclined to just go by your word.

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Originally Posted by Levi316

MOST EFINITELTY ASK YOUR VET... AS THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT 3 DIFFERENT VETS HAVE ALL CONFIRMED AS BEING THE BEST WAY TO BRING UP THEIR WEIGHT QUICKLY AND SAFELY.. AND I DID NOT MENTION THAT YOU CAN ADD BREWERS YEAST .. ABOUT A HALF A SCOOP TO THE BONE MEAL TO HELP INCREASE THEIR APPETITE AS WELL... AND THE BONE MEAL IS ACTUALLY VERY HEALTHY FOR DOGS AS IT IS RICH IN PROTEIN, CALCIUM, MARROW, VITAMINS, A, B.E, K, and OTHER MINERALS AND NECESSARY ENZYMES BENEFICIAL FOR PROPER DIGESTION AND TO HELP BOOST THEIR IMMUNE SYSTEM AS WELL AS BOTH THEIR METABOLISM AND THEIR ENERGY LEVELS.. 8 out of 10 Animals raised in the Wild and Hunting and Eating Raw Meats are Bigger, Stronger, Faster, and More Agile than Animals raised in Captivity and on Processed Dog Foods. The Exceptions to the Rule are the MEDICAL CARE OFFERED FOR HEART WORMS, HOOK & TAPE WORMS, PARVO Prevention Injectioins,, etc...

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So you had a dog with congestive heart failure, a compromised spleen and other problems, 12 years old and epileptic, and three Vets prescribed this diet that you are recommending, a diet very rich in fat?

Please give me your site for the "8 out of 10 animals raised in the wild" quote. I've always read that animals "raised in the wild" have shorter lifespans for a variety of reasons.

I'd like to see what you've researched.

(I'm also having a problem with $1.99 for 5 pounds of this marrow.)

I would work closely with my vet on this, and I applaud you for everything your do for your dear friend.
Body condition is something that can only be assessed by visually examining your dog, something we can't do.
With a dog in CHF, depending on the weight he is now you may not want to gain too much
Because the extra weight will typically force the heart to work harder and stress his already compromised cardiac health.
Many people have varying ideas of what a healthy dog looks like weight wise the fact is a lean dog is in better condition that one who is heavier. (not emaciated but lean)
As dedicated as you are to him I doubt that your vet would mind the extra questions.

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Originally Posted by LadySam

I would work closely with my vet on this, and I applaud you for everything your do for your dear friend.
Body condition is something that can only be assessed by visually examining your dog, something we can't do.
With a dog in CHF, depending on the weight he is now you may not want to gain too much
because the extra weight will typically force the heart to work harder and stress his already compromised cardiac health.
Many people have varying ideas of what a healthy dog looks like weight wise the fact is a lean dog is in better condition that one who is heavier. (not emaciated but lean)
As dedicated as you are to him I doubt that your vet would mind the extra questions.

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I definitely agree with LadySam on this.. as I said above.. Watch his weight very closely and adjust his weight accordingly.. you can slip up and not really notice how much Weight they are gaining.. So taking a Picture of your pet before and keeping in mind what they looked like then to once he is gaining weight is very important.. because getting them too heavyt can do as much harm as not enough weight. Also, keep an eye on your dogs teeth and water Intake my Vet just said that when dogs start taking meds for the heart, they tend to sleep more at first and they don't drink a lot of wter and can easlily dehyrate, so keeping fresh bottled water available would tempt your Pal to take more drinks than he would if it was regular tap water. And you can judge his dehydration Level by grabbing his fur by the nape of his neck and pulling it up as if you were lifting a puppy.. and if it takes more than 3 seconds for the skin/fur to relax back to normal condition.. he is becoming dehydrated.. and needs water ASAP.. if it takes more that 5 seconds.. get hiim to your Vet.

{Mod note: edited out shouting this time<>}

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Originally Posted by Levi316

you can slip up and not really notice how much Weight they are gaining.. So taking a Picture of your pet before and keeping in mind what they looked like then to once he is gaining weight is very important..

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Even I know that an animal's (even a human's) weight loss or gain can't be properly judged by looking at them. Weight should be monitored on a scale. If you don't have a scale that you can use for your pet, then get on a scale, weigh yourself and get on holding the pet.