I wish I had this problem – Mya needs to gain weight. At 12.4lbs, she is overly thin. You can see her ribs clearly. She has sores from her bones rubbing where she sits; there is no muscle or fat to cushion her.
She was found darting through traffic. We don’t know how long she was stray, but we do know that she wasn’t getting enough to eat. This poor girl came to me with a heavy load of heartworms, ear infections, and a spot on her head that could be demodex or ringworm. We have treated her ears, given her her first set of immunizations and a shot for tapeworms, and started her on doxycycline to start in on those heartworms. We gave her a lyme sulphur dip. It stinks, but we are getting her healthy. We are hopeful that her heartworm load is not the reason that she is so thin. She’s not coughing and she’s active; those are good signs. I will be watching over her carefully. She is affectionate and follows us everywhere we go. I am certain that if you can heal with love, she will be just fine. 
As you can see from her photos, Mya is underweight.
If you have a dog that needs to gain weight, please consult with you veterinarian. There are a number of health issues that should be considered if your dog is underweight. In Mya’s case, we are hoping that her heartworm load is not to blame. Part of getting Mya healthy overall, will be getting weight on her, and improving her nutrition.
I am more careful with my dog’s weights than I am with my own. (I feed myself things that I would never feed them.) I never feed dogs from the table, and the only people food they get is very intentional and healthy. While I am trying to lose weight (and who isn’t?) I’m trying to safely put weight on Mya. Mya and I both need to be mindful of what we eat.
My goal: healthier snacking.
For Mya: Start with quality dog food. We have added pumpkin and sweet potato to Mya’s EarthBorn Naturals kibble. We have given her salmon, chicken, rice, and peanut butter. The idea is not to simply add calories, but to add nutrition so that she gains weight gradually and keeps it on. Quickly adding too many calories, or too much fat, might lead to digestive upsets such as vomiting and/or diarrhea. Contact your vet immediately if your dog loses their appetite, vomits, has diarrhea or becomes lethargic.
I feed my dogs at 6am and 6pm, but Mya will need smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day. Just like on my own “diet”, Mya will be better able to digest and metabolize her food with smaller portion sizes. We also both need moderate exercise. While I need it to burn calories and stress, Mya needs exercise to build muscle and increase her appetite. I don’t particularly have to go out of my way to exercise her though. There are 5 other dogs here that she plays with. They all run around so much that I don’t worry about any of them lacking exercise!
The main thing Mya and I have in common in our diets is a need for healthy snacking. I tend too reach for sugary snacks throughout the day, and I am focusing on healthier options such as fruits and nuts. Mya needs a high-calorie, high fat, and nutrient dense snack. I am preparing a recipe from The Honest Kitchen which mixes 1 lb of cooked ground meat, a dozen scrambled eggs, 1C ground flaxseed, 1C cooked oatmeal, 1 8oz package of cream cheese, 1 C of peanut butter, and 1T molasses. Combine everything and make small balls (the size depends on the size of dog you are working with). Freeze the balls on a cookie sheet and store in airtight containers. They can be thawed as needed, and fed to your dog no more than 3 times daily.
Mya is such a joy to have at The Cecchine Hotel for Dogs. She is house trained, good in her crate, comes and goes from the house with the pack. She is not food motivated, so I’m glad that she has good manners and doesn’t need much in the way of training. Mya will be with us for awhile as she gets healthy. Her heartworm treatment will take months. I couldn’t ask for a sweeter long-term guest.
