[Lucky098]

I'm not too sure if anyone can help me out with this issue. My blue pittie seems to stump a lot of people, including me, in what is going on with her... Just recently (about 3 weeks ago), I took her into the vet and had some blood drawn. I forget what it was called... but a certain level that was a key ingredient to supporting a healthy immune system was off the charts. My blue pittie has had projectile diarrhea since I got her in Aug. She was full of parasites and had giardia, everything was treated, but her symptoms never got any better... $500 later :)... She was diagnosed with Colitis -- Vet has her on 136mg of baytril once a day for 6 weeks (we are on week three right now). Complete turn around, literally, day one. Stools hardened within 3 days and now she's pooping like a champ! However; we are not out of the red zone yet. At the end of 6 weeks, I'm taking her back for a retest to see where she is. The type of colitis the vet is hoping she doesn't have could very possibly be juvenile Lymphoma of the intestine.

Anyhow... My problem right now is this dog is HUNGRY... Vet prescribed Purina OM which is a weight management dog food. He wanted to rule out any allergies to food... However,I do need to talk to him first, since she had such a quick turn around, I doubt she is allergic to food. She looks horrible right now. Skin stretched over bones. You can count all ribs and vertebra on her back. She just looks aweful... And I feed her this Purina OM 3 times a day. She gets about 2 1/2 cups each feeding and hasn't gained a pound. My mom thinks she lost weight, but I think this food is just maintaining her poor weight. She hasn't gained anything. Ive been looking at foods and getting ideas. I was considering Evo - Red Meat or Evo - Chicken... But I also know Eukanuba is high in fat. I was also debating puppy food. This dog is a gulper too, but I got in today a bowl to help that out.. Welcome to brake-fast.net!... On top of her gulping, after she's done eating, she'll search for food for about an hour after she's been fed. Just recently, she started stealing from countertops and digging in trash cans. She's getting desperate.

I'm open to any suggestions! And greatly appreciate everyone's efforts!

[MsMewiththat]

Double check that you are feeding her according to he would be weight. I would recommend the puppy food and adding rice to her food. Sometimes you can feed dogs hamburger and a little cheese as wellThat can help fill her up. I would run everything past the vet or tech that answers the phone at the clinic.

[Catsmine]

If she's on a prescription diet, I'd hesitate to change it without talking to the vet first. As hungry as she is you might consider upping the amount or perhaps splitting the same amount into 4 meals instead of three. I'm not a vet and I don't know her history other than what you've said, but in general hunger is a good sign and ravenousness after a prolonged illness is not unusual. As you have told others, it's very important to keep a close eye on her so she can continue recovery.

Congratulations on pulling her this far back.

[Sariss]

I'm not sure if it works for weight gain, but Royal Canin veterinary diets makes one called Satiety Support.. I've seen a few dogs on it that are always ravenous and it curbs it immensely.

[Lucky098]

Thanks for the advise. I'm definitely going to run everything by my vet before I make any changes. I'd hate to send my girl spiraling backwards after this wonderful improvement.

I'm going to try the rice... I need to do something... She makes me feel hungry just watching her scrounge around. She's almost out of her Purina OM, so I need to get into contact with my vet tomorrow at the latest and run some of these ideas across him and see what he thinks.

Sariss... I'm going to ask him about that food... Thanks for the suggestion.

[Aurora_Bell]

You can feed green beans tohelp them feel full, but it won't help them gain weight. I would check with the vet first of course.
You could also talk to your vet about adding essential vitamin B1, because it is not stored by dogs, and can be lost in food processing. It may need to be supplied as a supplement.
Do you keep your dogs separated when feeding?

[Lucky098]

I have heard of green beans helping with the hunger issue. There are a couple dogs in the rescue that are 10 times worse than my pittie... Havent tried it yet though... But thanks!

I feed my dogs all in the same area. Everyone eats at their own separate bowl. Since I put the old girls on senior food and are slower eaters than my others, they have to basically be babysat while they all eat. As far as my blue,I don't think its an issue as far as eating as much as she can because of competition, because she ate in a crate for the first 3 months of owning her and will periodically be fed in the crate when no one can babysit... She ate the same way. She's just a hungry dog :(

But I'm going to call my vet first thing... I'll let you all know his verdict.

[Aurora_Bell]

You could always try separating her, just to see if it helps.

[Lucky098]

Thought I would let everyone know.. Spoke to the vet Wed,he said that I can put her on normal food... He of coarse recommended science diet :)

I currently have her on Evo- Chicken... She gets a cup and a half of that and a half a cup of what I feed my other dogs which is Innova Maintenance. Its only been a couple of days, but I have noticed and my mom noticed that there was a huge weight gain. Her hips aren't protruding nearly as bad and there is definitely meat on the ribs. That food that was prescribed didn't allow weight gain at all...



Thought I'd share a pic of my troublesome blue!

[Cat1864]

Lucky, I am glad that she is gaining some weight back.

She is beautiful :)

[artlady]

Some medications will cause hunger.Could it be any of the meds she is or was on?
My dog was on a steroid at one time and his appetite knew no bounds.
Your blue is stunning! What a beautiful expressive face.

[Lucky098]

She hasn't really been on any meds until the bayril. I think she had worms for quite some time which caused the hunger issue.

I got bowl. Its by Brake-fast... It has three obsticals in the middle that she has to work around. Its slowed her down a lot. I also am re-directing her scrounging around after eating to coming and laying down by me. She's getting rewarded to be around people instead of finding her own rewards for scrounging. Its only been less than a week with this idea of mine... I just hope it works.

[Aurora_Bell]

Beautiful pit.