# underweight puppy



## chloe! (Aug 30, 2012)

So hubby sent me a text asking if he could bring home a dog. A guy at work found it in his backyard, and he can't keep it. I said fine, and he brought it home. It looks about 8 weeks old or so, and is skinny with a big round belly. I can see his backbone and the points on his hips. The vets are closed until monday, unless we drive 50 miles to the emergency clinic. The puppy seems happy, bright eyed, doesn't have fleas, and is interested in things. The highest quality puppy food I can get my hands on in my small town is purina one. 
What do I feed this little guy? I gave him some ground beef, which he ate. He eats the kibble, I'm just worried it doesn't have enough good-ness in it for a tiny thing in rough shape.


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## Cain's Mom (Oct 25, 2012)

Purines is not the best food out there. Have you check the Health and nutrition sticky about dog food ratings? There are a lot of brands listed, for example blue buffalo, which where I live they sell at petsmart along with taste of the wild and many others. I use 4Health personally which is from tractor supply co.

Big round belly is probably worms. So your pup will need dewormed.

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## chloe! (Aug 30, 2012)

We don't live in the sticks, quite. Just close to it. my choices are purina one, science diet, and ol roy. I can get diamond naturals for the grown dogs, but our nearest petsmart/petco is about 40 miles away. I'd be all over blue buffalo puppy if I could buy it. I can't even get nutro puppy formula. what are my "human food" options for the little guy?


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## Cain's Mom (Oct 25, 2012)

There are people who feed raw and it is something that I am looking into myself for my dogs. You can always check on that. But if you Do make Sure you research it well. I know that you can order and have dog food shipped to you also from the websites online. Acana and orijen are two very good brands of food. You can always look into that if you are willing.

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## angelbaby (Feb 4, 2010)

Id go with raw over any of those brands. google prey model raw and it gives a how to get started week by week plan. read it over BEFORE you get into it though, raw is a bit more detailed to feed. It is worth it and gets easier as you get into it, but 1st can be a bit of work. 
I would get to the vet asap and get the pup dewormed , that is prob why he has a fat belly but skinny everywhere else. No point to try and plump up if you don't deworm 1st. You can add goats milk if you can get it , will help fatten him up. I would just add it to the kibble and let it soak for a bit before feeding ( do not use cows milk, that will cause the runs and some gastro issues, has to be goats). As well as the deworming I would start to get vaccines started or talk to the vet and see if the pup is in shape to start those. Last thing you want is him getting parvo or coccidia or something else even. 
Do you have other dogs in the home? if so I would set up a quarantine room and keep him seperate from the rest of your dogs until he sees the vet ( I would keep him seperated closer to 2 weeks though , to make sure he does not have something he can spread) . this includes seperate toys, dishes, washing hands between dogs ect.


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