My 9 month boy is loosing weight!

[mjsheltie]

My 9 months old little guy has decided he isn't hungry and is getting too thin. I can count ribs! I feed Orejens. He has been eating fine until about the last 4-6 weeks. He will eat if you feed it to him from your hand. We were free will feeding but was advised to take his food up and offer for 5-10 minutes twice a day. Still shows no interest. We stopped treats. He seems fine otherwise. He has a visit with his vet next week for a routine visit. Any suggestions?

 

[Emmasmom]

Try another food. Sometimes they decide they don't like a food and won't eat it. Suggestion: Now or Go if you can afford them.

 

[Ann]

I agree with Ronna. I've found that puppies sometimes go through a stage around 6-9 months when they go off the food you're feeding. I would try switching him to another good quality food. Petcurean makes great foods in Go! or Now! and Fromm is another good choice. I'll bet that will work.

At this age, he shouldn't be losing weight so it's important that once your vet signs off on any health issues, you get him on a food he'll eat. Free feeding is usually not a good idea...establish two daily feeding times and pick it up if he doesn't eat it, or put him in his crate with the dish and leave him. A healthy dog will not starve and will figure it out and eat. We had one that took three weeks to eat regularly and also lost weight but she did give in and eats like a trucker now.

Good luck and please let us know what happens.

 

[dmeyer123]

Pyper is a picky eater. I add a little bit of cut up turkey meatball to her food or a little bit of low sodium beef broth. It helps get her interested.

Lexi has the opposite problem....she inhales her food.

 

[Tagg]

It could be as simple as a deworming is in order or it could be that the high fat in Origen is bothering his pancreas and liver. I would have some blood work done to make sure everything is working as it should.