[ditrbullyrescue]

Tom is approximately a 5 year old black lab that was rescued from a kill shelter. He weighs approximately 30 pounds and has been in our care for about 4 months now.He is eating Taste Of the Wild dog food. Tom is free fed. Some days he will eat like a pig and then some days he will go 2-3 days without eating. He does not accept treats including table scraps even if you leave them in his kennel while he is in there. Tom is neutered, heart worm negative,and has been routinely de-wormed. This poor little guy just can not pick up weight. Our vet can not figure it out either and our budget is limited since he belongs to a rescue.

[mogrann]

I have no answer to help but wanted to say "what a beautiful boy"

Susan and Owen

[paleophlatus]

Other than being thin, he looks quite healthy... nice coat, for example. Is it possible he wound up in rescue for the same reason... unable to gain weight? Was he an unthrifty pup, I wonder, who was kept alive by devoted owners when his mother didn't want much to do with him? I wonder if his stomach is normal, or his pyloric valve has an abnormality which delays emptying somewhat, making a meal last for a couple days, instead of less than one.

You have an otherwise healthy looking dog who just seems to not be getting enough food, but what he does eat is supplying proper nutrition for normal growth, just not enough of it. Normal, but smaller or less frequent stool, would tend to rule out having poor digestion. If so, and he is happy and contented, you may have to just accept him as he is, especially if you haven't funds to investigate with, possible, a GI x-ray series, at least for starters.

Best wishes.

[mreiman]

You should put 2 pieces of his food in your hand and see if he will eat it if he does eat it keep doing it if he does not eat it get a kong at a pet store and fill it with peanut butter and some of his food or you can put some peanut butter in his bowl and mix it with his food