Question
Lilly
Hello!
I was given a white boxer in April. After a couple weeks of having her I had a very scary experience where she was vomiting, food was going right through her, she was shaking, turned bright pink, and couldn't move. The vet ruled it worms and that's what she was treated for.
Since then she gained about 8lbs. And her spine, ribs, hip bones are all still very visible. She looks unhealthy.
I feed her Purina EN, because it's the only thing so far that she has been able to digest properly.
How can I get her to bulk up a little? I also own horses, and was pondering the idea of using Weight Builder, which is a supplement for horses. An old friend had used it for herself and I believe her dog as well. But I've been seeing some stuff about muscle builder? Which would be the best way to go?
I also just read something about a thyroid problem can keep a dog's weight down - I'm going to do some benchmarking on this myself but is there a link with white boxers (or boxers in general) and thyroid issues?
Sorry for the schizophrenic questions. I'm just at my wits end!
Thank you!
AnswerHi Lauren,
Boxers are meant to be lean dogs, but prominent hips and spine are definitely signs of a dog that's too thin. You don't mention how old Lilly is - puppies do go though "walking skeleton" phases, but those generally only last about a week or so. The "Weight Builder" I found for horses doesn't look all that great - it's basically just grain and vegetable oil, with BHA/BHT (preservatives which are generally not recommended, as they're known carcinogens). There is a recipe for "Satin Balls" that many people use to put weight on dogs; these are high in fact so may cause pancreas issues, so I recommend taking it slowly; and if she's having a problem with foods I'd take it more slowly still.
http://www.njboxers.com/satin-balls-recipe.htm
You might also try a digestive enzyme and probiotics to help her process her food correctly; Purina EN isn't an ideal diet for long term, as I'm sure you know. Prozyme or DogZymes are popular enzymes; Fastrack or BeneBac are commonly-used probiotics, or even the type you can find in the refrigerator section of the health food store.
If she's over 18 months or so, you could try one of the grain-free kibbles like Innova EVO, Wellness CORE, Nature's Variety Raw Instinct, Solid Gold Barking at the Moon, or some of the Timberwolf Organics formulas (there are others, as well, these are the ones I can think of offhand). They are high in protein and fat, so are not generally appropriate for growing dogs, but are often better tolerated than most kibbles because they don't have grains (for which dogs have no nutritional requirement and which they often have problems assimilating).
Thyroid problems in dogs are almost always related to an under-active thyroid, which typically manifests as weight gain, not weight loss. (Weight loss is a common sign of thyroid problems in cats, which tend toward an over-active thyroid.) You could have a full thyroid panel (ask for an "OFA panel") run to be sure, of course.
Good luck - she doesn't look too horrible in the photo, though you note it doesn't show her thinness well - the fact that she has gained weight is promising. (Just be sure you don't overcompensate and let her get too heavy - I know from experience it's easy to do! You should be able to see the last 2-3 ribs, and if you feel her side/ribs it should feel like the back of your hand.)
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