2-Part Question

I would love to have some advice on 2 separate issues.

The first is about Hank. I'm still having a hard time getting weight on him. I've been battling this for a long while now. The last time he was at the vet we got blood work done. Nothing showed up that could explain the weight loss. The plus side is he hasn't had a bout of diarrhea in a while now so i'm very happy with that. He did gain a bit of weight but I would really love to have him gain at least a couple more pounds. I am currently adding a vegetable based digestive enzyme since I tried a pork based one with not much luck. The vegetarian diet was a no-go since he was urinating excessively, I suspect since the much higher water content. Currently Hank is eating 4 cups a day!! That is how much my 110lbs dog would eat if on kibble!! Hank is a small Basset Hound no more than maybe 40-42lbs at the moment. I would love to bring him up to 45lbs. I was wondering if a puppy food with higher calories would be an option but am worried that if the higher fat content will backfire and cause digestive upset again.

I need some insight on what I could try next with Hank.

The second thing is I read that cinnamon could help reduce urea levels in the urine. So, I was thinking of trying it with Peluche to see if it will help with his excessive urination. Anyone ever tries this or know of anyone that has that can shed some light? Or if anyone has tried something different successfully in reducing urea levels.

Hello, I cannot offer much advice... but will tell you what I can. Firstly, that IS a lot of food for a dog that size! But yes, my previous dog was a skinny dog all his life. Nothing I could do would put any weight on him.

Vet said adding raw beef to his diet and dripping a bit of bacon oil or melted butter onto his food might help, but it didn't. He was just a naturally skinny dog. Some dogs, much like some people... really just cannot put on any weight.

It's not harmful and dogs... especially old ones or ones prone to hip problems are better off skinny than fat. So eventually the vet and I gave up. Brownie was healthy but skinny... which was fine

I don't see the point in giving Hank food that might upset his tummy. If his bloods are clear and he's healthy, I wouldn't worry about him being a bit on the skinny side. I've seen his pics and he looks good to me anyway - not skinny.

As for the cinnamon thing, I have NO idea. Reducing urea levels in his urine isn't guaranteed to lessen his urination. High levels are the symptom of something else, which is usually the thing that needs to be treated. Kidney problems, too much protein, urinary infections or obstructions, etc.

Aside from that, I have no idea. My father is diabetic and they make sure he is on a cinnamon regimen. So it probably is helpful with these sorts of issues, but I'm not certain.

Is your vet concerned about his weight?

Tis true about some people staying stick skinny all their life whatever they eat and drink. My mother was one of them. She consumed more calories in the sugar she took in her non stop tea drinking than I did in my daily food intake and she ate as well - loved puddings and trad stodgy food and desserts. And did not lead an 'active' life - was in fact quite sedentary - watching telly being her main activity! Weighed the same all her life - and had had 6 children.

If your dog is happy and healthy and the vet is not concerned I would stop worrying so much and trying so much.

I do know puppy kibble is more fattening. I mistakenly thought ages ago that you could interchange small bite kibble with puppy kibble (thinking it was just the size of the bits!) and was told it is designed to 'build them up'. I did not need that. But I assumed it would have more than just more FAT in it - more protein too?

I know nuffink really.

Sometimes feeding more than they need can cause the squits and the system can't cope so it's excreted without the dog getting any benefit from the extra calories. I'd feed a bit more than he needs and add things like tripe to it, or some oil such as coconut oil or salmon oil and see what happens.

Hank used to be at the weight I liked him at, he wasn't always like this. I too don't want overweight dogs, but I don't like seeing ribs when a dog walks or is laying down on their side. I want to feel the ribs not see them, especially for a Basset Hound. He was alarmingly thin at one point. He looked like he was a starved dog and the vet was concerned thus the bloodwork. I can't add tripe, meats or any type of oil since it gives him some wicked stomach upset. I've tried too many times and it's always backfired. The only thing that has semi-worked so far is upping his food intake.

Maybe I am worrying too much. It's just that I want him to look like he did before and got so scared when he lost so much weight.

Brownie was "ribby" like that. I thought he was sick or something, but really he wasn't! He was just skinny. Brownie was a Labrador mix... when was the last time you saw RIBS on a Labrador type dog? You could see his ribs always, not just when he walked. He looked like THIS:





He didn't ALWAYS look like that but once he passed the "young" age he just kinda... got thin as all get out. He was a proper "coat rack" in his old age. He was very young HERE:



And you can see he had more weight on him. If Hank is getting old, it's really OKAY that he is getting thin. I think you are like me, and are worried about nothing.

Brownie was never fat or really had ANY weight on him, but as he got old... he got thinner, which is normal and actually somewhat desirable in Lab types and other types prone to bad hips.

I think Hank is perfectly fine. Seeing his ribs might put you off a little bit (same as it did me) but I think he's fine and you shouldn't worry. You remind me of ME

That's the problem I have with Jack, my youngest who is now two. He's on the variety of food with the highest calories and is starting to look a bit better but, if I try and up his food, his poo just gets smellier and softer. He poos a lot more than the other three anyway. I've stopped worrying about him as he certainly isn't lacking in energy.

Agree, this also applies to the food you feed, food with high percentage of fillers will also have this effect, basically goes straight through the dog without the dog having any benefit .

You say 4 cups a day, that really is not giving us any information about the food, the thing to remember is, foods with a higher percentage of meat...( no fillers) will require a lesser amount to be fed, those foods with a higher percentage of fillers, will need more to be fed on a daily basis..........for example, if you feed a food that has a low protein level, and grains/wheat/gluten , you may be feeding around 400/500grams a day, a food that is mostly meat (higher protein) you will be feeding around the 350/400 grams a day... this is because the meat content is higher and as such lesser food is needed.

What food do you feed, and the amount over the four feeds, I think an adult basset ideal weight is between 50/60 lbs I think, but that's a generalisation, all dogs will be different.

I appreciate that you need to be careful on his diet due to his digestive problems, so I think its trial and error, not sure about puppy food, but anything is worth a try if it gives you the results you are after.

He's on a grain free turkey and sweet potato kibble. When i'm in school and time is precious, Tynan and Timber are on it too and they eat 4 cups a day and are at an ideal weight (waist line visible, feel ribs easily but aren't ribby). Lincoln is also on the same food as Hank and he also eats 4 cups a day. I don't like seeing ribs on dogs other than sight hounds, I want to feel them easily but not see them. Hank has put on some weight since the increase as when he was getting 2 cups he was very thin. I can see his ribs when he lays down on his side and when walking.