How to Feed a Malnourished Dog

There are many reasons why a dog can become malnourished or too skinny. Sometimes when a dog is lost or has been abandoned, it might go several days without eating, which can cause dramatic weight loss. The dog may also suffer from a disease or parasites that prevent it from eating and being at its optimum weight. Other times, it can be very thin due to some kind of nervous disorder. Whatever the cause, when your dog does not eat, its blood sugar levels decrease. This decrease can seriously affect your dog's body, impairing the function of the brain, kidneys, heart and muscles.

Malnutrition will worsen over time. On the third day of not eating anything, your pet's metabolism will slow down and, on the fifth day, its fat reserves will be its only source of energy. This is why, if you find an emaciated dog with malnutrition, it's important to examine it first in order to assess why the dog is malnourished:

• Check for any visible infections in the eyes, paws, mouth and tongue that may be preventing the dog from eating. In this case, it's advisable to feed the dog as explained below while treating these infections so the dog can fully recover. The color of its gums can also indicate anemia, whereas red or pinkish eyes may indicate that the dog needs urgent veterinary treatment.
• Gently check the dog's abdomen area for any signs of intestinal damage. Place one hand beneath the belly and use the fingertips of your other hand to gently feel several areas, watching for signs of pain. Be careful while doing this if the dog growls or shows signs of aggression.
• Check for signs of Valley Fever if you live on the American continent, as this is one of the main symptoms of this disease.
• Check for signs of dehydration, such as vomiting, diarrhea, or skin that does not return to its normal position promptly after you gently pinch it on the lower part of the neck.

A veterinary examination is especially important if the dog is very weak, has been without food for an extended period, or shows signs of illness. Malnutrition can have several underlying causes, and treating those problems is part of helping the dog recover. Keep the dog calm and warm, and do not give it human medication or force it to eat or drink.

The first thing to do after assessing all these things is to give the dog some water. If it shows interest in drinking, you can proceed to feed it. If not, the malnourished dog may need veterinary attention.

One essential point to note when you feed a malnourished dog is that you should dish out the meals yourself. You must not allow your dog to have free access to food and let it eat freely for the first few days after going without food for a time. This could cause serious digestive problems. It is recommended that you feed your dog small portions every 6 hours, so that it eats four times per day. When your dog's stomach has gone through a period without food, it will shrink and become more susceptible to stretching when it starts to eat again. This sensitivity to expansion usually disappears in about five days if you follow the guidelines for feeding a malnourished dog gradually and in sensible portions, shared out throughout the day. When feeding a malnourished dog, avoid giving it one large meal to last the whole day. This is very harmful and dangerous.

If the dog refuses solid food, try giving it unsalted chicken broth. This will be a good start to recovery, giving it essential nutrients.

If the dog has been without food for a long time or is severely underweight, ask a veterinarian how quickly to increase its portions. Start with small meals and watch for vomiting, discomfort, or a swollen belly. If any of these signs appear, stop feeding and seek veterinary advice.

Because proper feeding is important for your malnourished dog, there are some things you should avoid doing. If your dog is too thin, do not give in to the urge to feed it copious amounts. Overfeeding your pet is wrong; you'll have to increase the amount gradually to prevent it from becoming too full. It is recommended that you control its pace of eating to ensure that there is no problem.

Another tip when it comes to feeding your dog is to be very careful with the amount of food that you provide daily. The dose should be adjusted in accordance with its weight; therefore, note its food consumption and make sure it eats the right quantity to nourish your dog back to good health. While you're checking its new eating habits, you should weigh your pet every week and monitor its weight. This will help you keep track of its progress until it regains the kilos it has lost.

How can you calculate how much a malnourished dog should eat? This will depend on the size and breed of the dog as well as its age, which is why at oneHOWTO we'd like to give you a formula so you can calculate it yourself:

1. First of all, you should know that the amount of food you feed an emaciated dog is calculated in calories, so this will depend on the brand of high-quality food you're feeding it.
2. Use the Resting Energy Requirement table to calculate it. The formula is (30 x the dog's body weight in kilograms) +70.
3. Once you have the RER figure, you'll need to multiply it by its weight-gain multiplier, which is 1.7.
4. For example, if your malnourished dog weighs 5 kg, the formula should be: (30 x 5) +70= 220, 220 x 1.7= 374 kcal/day
5. The result will give you the amount of kilocalories the dog needs per day.

This calculation is only an estimate and may not suit every dog, especially one with an illness or severe malnutrition. Check the daily target with a veterinarian, and adjust portions gradually rather than trying to make up for lost weight in a short time.

To ensure that your malnourished dog recovers and regains weight after going without food for one week, it is recommended that the diet be composed primarily of fat, keeping the carbohydrates proportionally low. It should also have optimal amounts of minerals such as magnesium, potassium and phosphorus.

You must consider the amount of calories in the food that your dog eats during this delicate phase. The calories consumed should be the same as your dog would eat under normal circumstances. You should also make sure it has free access to water in order to stay well hydrated. A 15% loss of water could be fatal to your dog.

If your dog reaches this stage, it may start refusing food. If it does not eat dry feed, try mixing it with wet food to make it more palatable. However, avoid feeding it too much wet food because it contains much more water than protein and fat, and should not be the main component of the diet.

One of the main ingredients in the diet of a malnourished dog should be turkey, lamb, and chicken or any other kind of meat that it likes. Provide your pet with high-quality food with an average fat content of at least 18% and between 25 and 30% protein. To put weight on an emaciated dog, it needs to be fed a greater percentage of fat, and it should be simple to incorporate these changes into its diet for a few days. You can feed it nutritious foods like eggs, dairy products and cooked boneless meat.

Apart from the dog's food, it's important to add nutrient supplements to its diet. Omega-3 and Omega-6 supplements will give your dog the fatty acids it needs to recover.

Make sure the main food is complete and balanced for dogs; meat, eggs and dairy should not replace it. Introduce any extra foods in small amounts, since a sudden change in diet can upset the stomach. Ask a veterinarian before adding supplements, as the right amount depends on the dog's health and existing diet.

Finally, if your malnourished dog still refuses to eat despite your efforts or won't eat the full amount it is meant to consume per day, you should take it immediately to the vet, as it may be suffering from a nervous disorder. If your dog is not eating as a result of a problem of this kind, the most important thing is to balance its internal chemistry. You will have to treat your dog's nervousness as soon as possible so that it starts to eat normally. If this is the case, go to the vet immediately or consult a canine behavior specialist for an evaluation and treatment to help your dog start eating normally again.

Seek urgent veterinary care if your dog becomes very weak, collapses, has trouble breathing, or cannot keep water down. These signs may point to a serious problem that needs attention beyond changes to its food.

If you want to read similar articles to How to Feed a Malnourished Dog, we recommend you visit our Pets category.

Tips

• Take your dog to the vet if you notice blood in its stool or vomit.