How can we get weight on a little dog we just adopted?

Our question this week was:

Dr. Debra – We just agreed to care for a 10-year-old female Pomeranian. She is underweight, has some missing teeth and her coat is dull. What is the best way to help her gain weight? She sees the vet in three days.

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Kim Wyndance

Answer

Hi – thanks for your email. You wrote that you just adopted a 10-year-old female Pomeranian that is thin, missing teeth with a dull coat.

You also mentioned that you are taking her to your vet in 3 days. That is a great idea. Make sure she is spayed, is heartworm negative, and has no fleas. They should examine her, ensure she is current on vaccinations, check her teeth and get her on heartworm prevention. They may want to do blood work to ensure there are no underlying problems that is making her underweight.

In the mean time, you asked for suggestions on how to get some weight on her. I’d recommend that you feed her a good quality food, spend plenty of time with her and make her feel comfortable and loved in her new home.

Best of luck!

Dr. Debra

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