Bad news for Coco. I need help pls

[~Astral~]

I was given some bad news today. My baby has lost even more weight and the vet believes he has a digestive problem. He is severely underweight even though he eats 7 meals a day. The vet refused to metablosim tests I need and told me to put him to sleep. I said No and Im feeding him meat with dog mixer and pasta 5 times a day. I was also told to give him potatoes and some veg as his system should absord these. Im worried sick though because I've tried this before and he only gained a tiny bit of weight. I dont want to lose him and it doesnt make sense why hes losing so much weight when eveything came back normal. The vet said if he hasn't gained any weight by 11th then I should strongly consider putting him to sleep. Hes only 3 and a half! Practically a baby. The vet also said hes not barking because he no longer has the energy and hes very weak and hes on the brink of collapse. Hes full of energy and is running around and eating everything in sight. I've gone round vet clinics looking for food to help him put weight on. Im getting a 2nd opinion. Does anyone know how I can make him put weight on and keep it on? I cant believe the vet wont do more tests - something is wrong with him. He should weight 12-14kg and he weights 4.0kg! Im so terrified and dont know what to do.

[bernicesmama]

Have you gotten a second or third opinion? That would be my first step.

sorry, have no advice on how to get a dog to gain weight.

[Moo]

He should weight 12-14kg and he weights 4.0kg

WOW That is a very significant amount. 8 lbs down from 30 is pretty extreme.

I would also get a second opinion.

Best of luck to you.

[BratBoxers]

Please give this a go. You can either feed only the balls or can be extra for weight gain it really does work if it doesnt than I would have to agree with the vet if its something that cant be fixed.

http://www.njboxers.com/satin-balls-recipe.htm

• 10 pounds hamburger meat [the cheapest kind]
  1 lg. box of Total cereal
  1 lg. box oatmeal
  1 jar of wheat germ
  1 1/4 cup veg oil
  1 1/4 cup of unsulfured molasses
  10 raw eggs AND shells
  10 envelopes of unflavored gelatin
  pinch of salt

Mix all ingredients together, much like you would a meatloaf.
Divide into 10 quart freezer bags and freeze.
Thaw as needed and feed raw!

Uses

"I take a frozen pack to dogs' shows with me, kept on ice, and never have had any trouble with it spoiling, even in the heat of Texas summers..."
"All my dogs go crazy over this stuff...but you have to be careful, it will put weight on the dogs pretty fast if you feed enough....I feed a pack a day...half in am , half in pm."
"When I want to increase the weight on a dog, I feed more; so far I haven't got to the point where they won't eat anymore, and believe me, Satin has eaten a lot at one setting. It will put on the weight, make the coats soft and blue black (on black dogs at least, that's all I have)."
"The dogs stop all the itching and chewing at their coats/skin, their eyes get this bright look and the energy level goes out the roof (not that Belgians need any more energy)."
"The bitch that I got this recipe for is a picky eater, but when she in on the food (I long ago stopped trying to "bury" it the other food; they just hunt it down to eat first, and making a mess trying) she eats much better. It seems to whet her appetite."

Comments

Per the information received after having the Satin Balls recipe checked by several vets/labs:
Satin Balls is a total canine diet. It can be feed by itself or as a supplement, for however long you wish. My dogs have been on Satin Balls for over a year; the only time that I have fed it alone is when I had a sick dog needing to be built up or an underweight dog that I plan on showing.
The only problem with feeding it by itself is figuring out the amount. It will put weight on a dog in a few days...that's why it is so great to feed just before a show. If you have a dog that is in good weight, but you just want to build coat/endurance, you would have to figure out how much to feed (cal per kg), or you would end up with a fat dog in a very short time. At one point, I let Satin eat as much as she wanted, just to see how much she would consume. I never got to that point! After a pound pack, she was still looking for more, so I stopped. I have been told a dog will stop eating when full on it, and that you can then gauge the amount needed to maintain weight!
I just find that per the pocketbook and ease, my dogs do very well on it as a supplement. I give about a 1/4 pound each night to maintain beautiful coats, energy level, and a full appetite...no picky eaters here.
Just don't try to hide it in the kibble...they will make a mess throwing out the kibble, digging for the Satin Balls! My dogs have never gotten sick on Satin balls...not even when I am at a show and feed only that. I feed less kibble, so I save money there. There is also less stool to pick up as the dogs are able to digest all of the Satin Balls.
I have been playing with the recipe. I now use the Knox Joint Gelatin instead of the plain Knox unflavored gelatin. Since this is high in Vitamin C and protein, and is good for the joints, it would be good for the dogs. They don't seem to mind the added flavor.
I am also adding Flaxseed oil. They probably don't need the added oil, but so far I have not seen it hurt anything.
Fix some up and let your dogs enjoy. They will love you forever and forever!

[~Astral~]

I know Im so scared. I cant stop crying because the vet wont do anything and wants me to put him down and hes eating everything I put out in front of him. Im going to try and get a 2nd opinion. Hes been steadily losing weight f about 2 years now and the vet kept saying it was his diet and so on. I got a 2nd opinion and they were 80% sure it was metabolism related but I couldnt afford to go back there. The vet I saw earlier wont even perform a metabolism test because Im with PDSA. I offered to pay weekly for the tests but they said no and hes too weak when hes running around like crazy. They also said hes not barking because hes too weak but hes running around. Doesnt make sense at all.

Ive currently got him on a big mea....meat, mixer biscuits, potatoes and/or pasta. Hes having a very big bowl full 5 times a day and lots of water. Tried this before and it helped a bit but not dramatically so I dont know if its going to work but the vet did advise it. They also said the diet food wont work this quickly.

[~Astral~]

Hiya and thanks fo your reply hun. I didnt see your reply until I'd posted mine. That sounds like a great diet for him but Im not too keen on the raw hamburger meat and egg shells - I dont want him to throw it up because of his digestive trouble. The vet told me not to give him any other food except for what I said above but Ill definitely give it a try and mention it to the other vet beforehand to be on the safe side. I was told if he becomes ill with a cold or infection he will have trouble fighting it off and it could kill him.
Im writing it down now so I can show the new vet and see what he thinks.

[munchkin07]

Hi. I'm new to this and i just saw your post.

It sounds like your dog Coco needs urgent attention. You need to either take him to another vet or go Private. It seems like you are doing everything you can to make him put weight on. Maybe try giving him a lot of biscuits as they are pretty filling and add extras.

I don't know what could be causing this though it seems pretty wierd that he keeps loosing all this weight and he's eating LOADS! I will have a look up and see what i can find but i hope i have helped so far.

[~Astral~]

Hey munch and thanks for ur reply and ur help. Im seeing what I can find out too. No look so far. I really think its metabolism as it would explain so much. Diabetes has been ruled out and xrays of his tummy were taken which were normal. Im also lookin for a vet website in my area, ones thats recommended and hopefully isnt too much money. Im going to borrow money off my nan for his treatment.

[fairlight]

I'm glad you have someone else you can rely in financially in such a time as this. Take the dog to another vet and have some tests run. Sorry to say but your vet sounds like a real poop head. Before my husband and I were married he had a beagle and his leg began tio swell. By the second day he brught the dog into his regular vet. The vet said the dog had snake bite and treated the dog for over two months. The dog got worse and this so called snake bite laceration was now hanging skin with constant opened wound. My husband had had enough and took the dog to anoter vet. The vet took one look at the dog and said that's not snake bite...your dog has cancer. Take the time and goooooo for that second or even third opinion.

[whimzikal]

Have they tested his thyroid? What about his pancreas?
I don't think your 1st vet is very good, suggesting to PHTS as opposed to testing. Without testing there is no way of knowing if it is a curable condition. I am glad you are going for a 2nd opinion. Please keep us posted.
If it is hyper-thyroidism he will just need a daily pill. The meds are fairly cheap too! Good luck, give your baby some TLC from me too!