# High calorie dog food recommendations needed please



## lilly1 (17 October 2016)

How can I put weight on my elderly skinny lurcher bitch? 

She's 13/14 and skinny.  She had a battery of tests at the vets and nothing untoward showed up on bloods.  She's gradually lost weight over a period of time and seems to have stabilised but she is thin.  She's active and bright.  She's never been food motivated although she eats well enough.  She's fed twice a day on Skinners dry food with canned food added to it.  She gets as much as she'll eat with rawhide chews during the day to much on.  

Any ideas of high value dry dog food?  I cant afford to cook her fresh human grade food every day.


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## Peter7917 (17 October 2016)

My ropey lurcher has just been switched to puppy food to help with her weight. She also gets an egg in her dinner every few days and has three meals a day where she would normally have two. 

She has definitely picked up.


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## {97702} (17 October 2016)

I hate to say it because it makes me sound like a zealot but my 13 year old greyhound lost condition on Skinners - I put her back on raw and she put weight on again like anything, she now has a shiny coat again and has put all the weight back on, I am absolutely delighted   

ETA - she is 25kg and has 1.5Kg of food a day costing about £1.20 per day?  Totally agree with what Peter has said as well, little and often is the way and they love eggs - raw or cooked!


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## Thistle (17 October 2016)

Millie Wolfheart do 2 high fat foods.Alternatively add a dollop of salmon oil to the food. Dog will love it and get a lovely glossy coat as well.


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## Clodagh (17 October 2016)

Rawhide chews add nothing nutritionally. I have just got some Millies wolfheart (Blame Thistle) dried venison sausage for my old lurcher. She says nom nom, but they smell disgusting.


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## ihatework (17 October 2016)

I feed my slim Manchester terrier Millie's wolfheart peak performance


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## Moobli (17 October 2016)

You could try adding in some tripe or lamb mince as an extra meal or to her Skinners.  

I would avoid rawhide chews  ...

http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/rawhide-dangerous-for-dogs/


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## druid (17 October 2016)

Acana Sport and Agility, add salmon oil or powdered bovine fat from Zooplus if you still need more calories. Skinners do a high calorie feed too but it does contain maize - Skinners Superior


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## s4sugar (17 October 2016)

Which Skinners? They do vary.
Puppy duck & rice would be my choice.

For weight gain get rid of the rawhide and add calories. 
Tripe ( tinned tripe is ok) oily fish, chips, cheese can all help.


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## wild at hoof (17 October 2016)

I have learnt that with my pointer you cant just feed more for weight gain ... if i feed her more she gets a poorly belly and loses weight!

Vet recommended rice and bread ... i was feeding skinners at the time.

I now feed Tails and its tailored to her size / breed / exercise and condition - they are brilliant... she started losing weight as i upped her exercise so i contacted them and the next batch they increased fat and carbs.

Its online - they charge and ship monthly ... perfect! especialyl when you have 2 dogs with different requirements!

(www.tails.com)


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## deb_l222 (17 October 2016)

Peter7917 said:



			My ropey lurcher has just been switched to puppy food to help with her weight. She also gets an egg in her dinner every few days and has three meals a day where she would normally have two. 

She has definitely picked up.
		
Click to expand...

I swapped to puppy food for a couple of my senior citizens when they got a bit skinny in their old age as it's a higher fat food.  Just be careful that you pick something that's low in protein though as you don't want to overload elderly kidneys with loads of protein. 

I spent ages researching foods but can't remember for the life of me what brand it was.  Current oldies are still thriving on their regular food so it's been a while.


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## budatiger (18 October 2016)

I add oily fish.  Sardines in tomato sauce go down well.  Or boiled sweet potato.  Or both.  My girl (large greyhound) was 5 kg underweight when I adopted her.  Not a great eater either.  I have found raw food has worked well (from DAF).  The volume you need to feed is much less than dry as far more nutrient dense.  Also as wet she does not need to drink much compared to the dry.


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