Unexplained weightloss - how can I get my black lab back to his healthy weight

This is probably an unusual problem in a lab, as nearly everything I've read is about how to help your lab lose weight, rather than gain it! Any help / advice will be appreciated, as we're new lab owners, having adopted two boys from a rescue centre almost 2 months ago.

Cole, the younger (3 years old), immediately started to look thin, first you could see his last two ribs and the cut of his hips, now you can clearly see all of his ribs, although he is still muscular and shiny, and shows no obvious signs of illness, distress or parasites, he's continuing to lose weight. He has gone from 28kg (about a year ago according to his vet records), to 23.5kg (when we adopted him 2 months ago) to 21.6kg (yesterday), even though we have doubled the amount of food he is getting over the last two months, and we're in the process of moving him from the kibble he was getting at the rescue centre onto a grain-free high protein dry food (Simpson's Premium 80/20).

We have had him at the vet, and they seem to think that his gut is okay; he has been wormed (3.5 weeks ago); he's not being sick; however he is very active and a bit anxious/excitable. We're to increase his feed to 600g p/day - seems a lot - for two weeks and take him back to be weighed again, and if there's no change or he has lost more, then they'll investigate.

Does anyone have any ideas of what could be wrong, or how we can help him to put some weight on?

 

Re: Unexplained weightloss - how can I get my black lab back to his healthy weight

Hi and welcome to the forum

Does Cole eat his food enthusiastically? Are you 100% sure he's the one eating it?

 

Re: Unexplained weightloss - how can I get my black lab back to his healthy weight

Hi and welcome . It could well be caused by his metabolism going into overdrive from being rescued . Many rescue dogs, my own included , take a time to settle , two months isn't long really so it could be all the changes . If your Vet isn't too worried, then I wouldn't be either, maybe give him more carbs such as adding cooked rice or a few cooked potatoes to his feed to bulk him out a little , well done for rescuing

 

Re: Unexplained weightloss - how can I get my black lab back to his healthy weight

If he's actually eating all that there is surely some underlying issue....

Rachael's right, check he's physically eating the food both enthusiastically and the volume. If you need extra food for him rather than volume can you add something like tripe or sardines. Riley was a little light (nothing like as bad as your boy though) after an illness and rather than up quantity too much I added sardines to bring him back up to weight.

 

Re: Unexplained weightloss - how can I get my black lab back to his healthy weight

Hi, yes, it does seem a worry.

If you've excluded worms and the above and you're sure he's eating the food he's given it might be worth asking the vet to do a blood test to see if it's a thyroid issue- this would tie in with the anxiety also, although of course there's lots of reasons an ex-rescue could be anxious

 

Re: Unexplained weightloss - how can I get my black lab back to his healthy weight

Hopefully you will find the change of diet to a high protein one will help. Food designed for working dogs is usually higher in calories which might help. CSJ who I get my food from do a supplement and a treat bar for working dogs to boost energy in working dogs but it can also help underweight dogs with out increasing bulk http://www.csjk9.com/productcart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=110&idcategory=14

If he still hasn't put on weight in two weeks Id be insisting they did tests at least blood tests but as others have said 2 months isn't long so he may well improve on his own as he settles.

Good luck and keep us posted on how you get on.

 

Re: Unexplained weightloss - how can I get my black lab back to his healthy weight

My thoughts were as Merla's, have him checked for an overactive thyroid. It may well be stress; maybe he will do better on Simpsons dog food? Some kibble does cause some dogs to lose weight.

 

Re: Unexplained weightloss - how can I get my black lab back to his healthy weight

Thanks for all these replies, all quite reassuring

He's definitely eating enthusiastically, and he's also more inclined to try and steal from Storm's bowl than Storm (the older lab) is to steal his! He's not particularly interested in treats for training, and responds much better to touch and praise, but we're not too worried about that.

Tripe, sardines, all sound like good (if messy) ideas!

I had also thought of hyperthyroidism (I'm hypothyroid, so familiar with the symptoms of both under and over-active), but I wasn't sure whether it was common in dogs.

 

Re: Unexplained weightloss - how can I get my black lab back to his healthy weight

Jen - thanks for that link, I think we will try some of those bars.

They look almost good enough for me to eat

 

Re: Unexplained weightloss - how can I get my black lab back to his healthy weight

[quote author=KatyM link=topic=10760.msg160145#msg160145 date=1430405878]
Tripe, sardines, all sound like good (if messy) ideas!
[/quote]

You can buy frozen tripe mince to help contain the mess/smell and I used to split one tin of sardines between breakfast and dinner so they didn't hang around long either ;D ;D ;D

 

Re: Unexplained weightloss - how can I get my black lab back to his healthy weight

Poor Cole.
Hope you get to the bottom of this.

Just for the record, I feed Simpsons 80/20 - Lilly isn't a terribly active dog (unless deer chasing) and is around 25-26kg getting 110-120g twice a day. She is five years old (TODAY in fact!)

A friend of mine had terrible trouble keeping her first boy's weight up.
She used to feed him 3 or 4 times daily.

Just wondering what his poop is like
(do I have to revive the Bristol Stool Chart ? ;D )

 

Re: Unexplained weightloss - how can I get my black lab back to his healthy weight

An update: Cole (on his, vet recommended, huge portions of food) does appear to have gained a little weight - his ribs are slightly less prominent, and he feels a bit more padded when we pet him. He has his follow up appointment and weigh-in this afternoon, so I have all of my fingers crossed for a few extra kg.

We also got him an Adaptil collar, which seems to be helping with his anxiety and he's more settled around the house. Still gets ridiculously excited about everything though

drjs@5 - We're becoming avid poop-watchers - our older boy, Storm, has shown various stages from the Stool Chart during his food transition, Cole however has been perfect (apart from producing a lot of poop, which I expected when feeding a 22kg dog 600g food daily!). They are both responding well to the new food, and their coats are very shiny. (They also like chasing deer... we have a LOT of deer nearby too).

 

Re: Unexplained weightloss - how can I get my black lab back to his healthy weight

Really glad that Cole is putting on some weight now

 

Re: Unexplained weightloss - how can I get my black lab back to his healthy weight

Really pleased that Cole has put on some weight. Look forward to seeing his actual gain after the visit to the vets.

 

Re: Unexplained weightloss - how can I get my black lab back to his healthy weight

That's great news so pleased. Just to say when we rescued Charlie he was very thin and he is a tall Labrador x Pointer boy, our vet put him on 800 grams per day until he filled out and then it was reduced and at 30 kilos he is on 500 grams per day x

 

Re: Unexplained weightloss - how can I get my black lab back to his healthy weight

Glad he is putting some weight on and seems less stressed. Hopefully that will continue and there are no other underlying issues. Look forward to hearing how you get on at the vet today.
Well done to you for rescuing two lovely dogs

 

He's now up to 24.8kg (and gaining). He looks much healthier, and has lots of energy. Thanks for all the great advice everyone

 

Great news!!

 

Bet you are relieved!
Good news indeed

 

Good news that he's gaining weight.