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Malnourished puppy

34K views 182 replies 53 participants last post by  Gilly1331 
#1 ·
We just bought a 3 month old GSD 4 days ago and she only weighed 3.6 pounds when I took her to the vet. We have been feeding her puppy food for large breeds to try to get her at a healthier weight. I took her 3 days later to vet and she weighed 3.8 pounds. Her right leg is a little bent, had X-rays and nothing wrong there, vet says she has no muscle to hold her weight so that's why that is happening. We are just concerned that she is so tiny for her age. Has anyone had a problem like this or any suggestions?
 
#3 ·
Hi, can you get some photos of your pup and post them to the board? It sounds like it could be a dwarf.
 
#4 ·
Is that possible? perhaps the age is wrong? Where did you purchase.

There is an approx. growth weight on this link

German Shepherd Growth Chart and Puppy Growth Rate and Weight

and look into this as an adjuvant to feeding -

Seacure for Pets 100g powder by Proper Nutrition

This dog needs protein - real RAW meat re: 100% of essential amino acids (building blocks for all cells in the body) and live enzymes (in the meat) for processing. You will not get best results from a kibble. This dog likely doesn't have the ability to metabolize denatured food and synthetic vits. and minerals. PM Carmspack, she can make suggestions like goats milk (how much) and breeds GSD's as well developed a line of nutritional suppliments
 
#24 ·
Is that possible? perhaps the age is wrong? Where did you purchase.

There is an approx. growth weight on this link

German Shepherd Growth Chart and Puppy Growth Rate and Weight

and look into this as an adjuvant to feeding -

Seacure for Pets 100g powder by Proper Nutrition

This dog needs protein - real RAW meat re: 100% of essential amino acids (building blocks for all cells in the body) and live enzymes (in the meat) for processing. You will not get best results from a kibble. This dog likely doesn't have the ability to metabolize denatured food and synthetic vits. and minerals. PM Carmspack, she can make suggestions like goats milk (how much) and breeds GSD's as well developed a line of nutritional suppliments
If the vet finds nothing wrong in the blood work re: liver/kidney values then I suggest going with my original advice...contact carmspack...if adding any type milk product then go with goat mil, goat yogurt...you can also buy colostrum (mother milk) product in cans I believe....

to grow properly she needs biologically appropriate raw food - NOT kibble, and NOT synthetic nutrients, rendered carcinogenic fats, GMO's and animal protein from questionable sources (4D), such as animals who died of disease, were PTS (the meat would include the euthiasia drugs), animals/cuts from that couldn't meet FDA standards for human consumption. As well these kibble formulas are all high in carbs which are not biologically available to dogs and cause spikes in insulin...this dog needs an overhaul...if you do not want to spend every other week at the vet, best to let nature w/a little help from natural suppliments do it for her...growing a dog on true raw food and bones (do premix for now) will enable her to grow properly. Natural calcium is better then manufactured...the more true you stay to the diet, the more she will benefit.

read this link about what is wrong and why w/kibble
Cooked Vs. Raw Food
 
#7 ·
Dwarf or wrong age were the first two things that popped into my mind. I've heard about some people misrepresenting the age of puppies just to get rid of them. What's the vet think?
 
#8 ·
It could be a mix, too.
Or not even a GSD. The OP has not said where he/she obtained the puppy.

Should wait before telling this OP supplements and raw diets since, if the puppy is indeed a 3lb. 3mo. GSD there's something radically wrong like a liver shunt or some such.
 
#9 ·
We got her from a pet shop and she came with AKC papers, and they also had the date of 17 Aug 2012 and the pet store said she had been there for about 2 months before we got her. Dog breed Dog Mammal Canidae Puppy
her is a pic of her. The vet also suggested that we get stool sample to test for internal parasites, which I did and waiting on results,and get blood work to see if its a thyroid problem, doing that on Monday. Other then that she said she can't find anything wrong with her. I also did more research on the pet shop we bought her from, after the fact, and they are owned by a lady who was running a puppy mill and supposedly still buying from them, so I don't know if that is the case. She seems to eat well and is filling out more and is a very happy dog, probably because she is not at that retched pet shop anymore stuck in a cage all day.


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#10 ·
She doesn't look right :(

I hope you didn't pay a bundle for her...but even if so, just love her the way she is. This dog isn't going to be a normal appearing GSD from the looks of that photo.

You should be aware that all dogs in pet stores have come from puppy mills.
I understand you'd want to 'save' her by buying her, but all you really do is support the pet store/puppy mill industry.
 
#12 ·
She definitely does not look healthy... is she missing hair on her face as well? Hopefully she'll grow into a healthy, happy, loved pet but I wouldn't expect her to be a normal sized GSD.
 
#29 ·
I did not know about pet stores buying from puppy mills until after the fact but we still live her just the same!


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I know you love your puppy, IMHO she's extremely lucky you bought her. I hope she'll be okay!!!

My only suggestion would be to contact your local animal control and tell them what happened, show them photos of your pup and ask them to inspect the pups at the pet shop you bought her from ... someone should have noticed she wasn't growing like a normal GSD, that her legs were deformed looking almost like she has ricketts, etc.
 
#14 ·
Don't add calcium, a good, high quality puppy food will have all the nutrients she needs.
To add calcium would be to throw her development off worse than it already is.
Do you know what the pet store fed her??

Even puppy chow has the correct nutrients in the correct ratio even if it's all corn and byproducts...
 
#19 ·
I enlarged and lightened the pic some.

More photos would be good :)

View attachment 23171

I see under her eye, something odd, is that a weepy eye, or just how the pic looks?
Huh... I guess it just looked to me like she was missing hair around her eyes but it must just be her coloring?

The tricky part about puppy mills is that it's not the dogs fault and they deserve a home just the same as any other dog, however by buying from these businesses you are giving them your money to produce more puppies. No one ever doesn't love their dog because of where they came from (I hope). Hopefully though, once people are educated about puppy mills, they won't support them by giving pet stores their business.

And holy cow! If they were only feeding her 1/2 a cup of food a day... no wonder she's so small... poor baby...
 
#20 ·
1/2 a DAY? no, not enough.

I'd feed 1 cup per meal but only a good quality - check into Blue Buffalo, I went with their formula that had grain. I like Solid Gold, as well.
We feed Kirkland signature here, but sometimes on small or malnourished dogs we go up in quality. I think Blue Buffalo (you can buy at Petco) may do well for her.

If you want to supplement, perhaps a scrambled egg (in the microwave) from time to time, yogurt (plain with all the fat, 4% milkfat) or cottage cheese (again 4% milkfat) would be good suggestions.
 
#21 ·
Oh this poor puppy. You need to talk to your Attorney general or something. That puppy should have been FREE, not even charged for.

Her left leg is bowed out. Do you know if she was always in a tiny cage, was she in a pen she could move about much??
 
#23 ·
She may even have broken a growth plate...her leg appears as if the growth plate has stopped growing but the long bone is still growing. It could be dwarfism but all her legs would be like that I think??

Dog Vertebrate Dog breed Canidae Mammal
 
#25 ·
Millions of pets do just fine on kibble, a good quality kibble can meet any dog's nutritional requirements.
There's been quite a few folks who have tried raw feeding but had to give it up due to either the pet's intolerance, refusal to eat, or the costs alone; the OP shouldn't be made to feel as if he's harming his pet by feeding kibble. As long as it's better than Ol' Roy or Purina (who still have to meet AAFCO standards) the puppy ought to do fine.
 
#27 ·
Millions of pets do just fine on kibble, a good quality kibble can meet any dog's nutritional requirements.
There's been quite a few folks who have tried raw feeding but had to give it up due to either the pet's intolerance, refusal to eat, or the costs alone; the OP shouldn't be made to feel as if he's harming his pet by feeding kibble. As long as it's better than Ol' Roy or Purina (who still have to meet AAFCO standards) the puppy ought to do fine.

The Op is being educated per request as noted for this thread. It is your interpretation that implies that anybody elses opinon (who are trying to help) is wrong or not for the intended purposes, but solely to make a person feel bad...it is for that reason fights start on threads....you have stated what you feel will help, so have others and so have I. Please put me on ignore if my opinions bother you so much.

OP, this is a special needs dog and NO kibble will meet the requirements...the AAFCO is "bare minimum" and there is no such thing as "perfectly balanced"

I am done w/this thread...good luck
 
#28 ·
Her right leg is a little bent, had X-rays and nothing wrong there, vet says she has no muscle to hold her weight so that's why that is happening.
We actually did have a Doberman puppy that had legs like this, but the thing was, it was bilateral.
It had to do with the malnutrition that lasted a week or so while he was sick with parvo (he was an owner surrender as they could not afford his treatment).
I just don't know what to make of 1 leg doing it and that leads me to think something's wrong with that leg, a fracture could do something like this.

The puppy is proportionate but extremely small. If she's happy and playful other than being small (and having one wonky leg) then all else is okay...if she had something else going on, she'd act sick.

I'm curious what the fecal exams will show.

Also do you know if she had parvo while at the pet store?? It's not uncommon in those settings.
 
#30 ·
Oh, and with exercise and good nutrition (a good kibble) the Dobie puppy grew up just fine. His legs came along fine.
Which is why I wonder if your GSD puppy may have had parvo that you are unaware of.
 
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