My dog is losing weight. What food should I feed him instead?

Before changing food I would actually recommend going to the veterinary visit you have scheduled. I would recommend getting some blood work done to make sure there is nothing systemically causing the weight loss. Once we determine there is nothing else going on with him then I would discuss what type of food he is currently on and seeing if a change in diet is ideal. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Weigh loss causes are multiple: insufficient food intake, increased exercise, anorexia, diseases affecting the intestine/pancreas/liver, infections, tumors....To exclude all the health related causes of weight loss a vet check up would be needed. If everything health wise is in order I would recommend to check if the amount of food he is getting is enough for his weight; consider to adjust the dose if needed and/or change the diet completely. Good quality commercial diets (Hill's, Royal Canin) are definitively the best choice to make sure you provide all the nutrients Pancake needs. Please post again on the forum if you would like to discuss it further. I hope my answer was helpful.

Provide food that is high in calories, like puppy food or a food that’s designed for active, athletic, or working dogs. Higher protein and fat pet foods are best. Underweight pets should be eating foods that are around 30% protein and 20% fat if they’re eating dry kibble; 7% protein and 5% fat (or higher) if you’re feeding a wet food. Intersperse your pet’s diet with small amounts of high-calorie supplemental canned food or canned products made of 100% meat sources. These will have a high protein and fat content, like 100% pheasant or bison, for example. They won’t say “complete and balanced” but rather “for intermittent or supplemental use” because they’re not meant to replace regular feeding. Some moist foods may be easier to digest, so your pet may retain more nutrients, and more importantly these products tend to be more palatable and tempting to a pet who isn’t eating enough. Any diet changes should be done gradually over a week's time as to not cause any GI upset. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

First of all, you should get Zorro checked by your regular vet, as he has lost a lot of weight. Weight loss could be due to liver or kidney disease but it is also commonly seen in diabetes, hormonal disfunction or even tumors. Zorro should have a blood and urine test done first (and possibly abdominal scan and chest x-ray), and if the results are negative, you can think to increase the calories intake. Giving food for young, active/working dogs is one of the option. But if Zorro, for example suffers from diabetes, he will continue losing weight regardless what he is feed until the diabetes gets under control.

If Prin has had diarrhea she should be on a bland diet such as Science Diet I/D or Purina EN. If Prin is losing too much weight on this new diet, you should consider switching her to something more appropriate. I would recommend giving her a home cooked bland diet of boiled chicken (no skin or bones) and rice for the next week or so. You can then transition her slowly to a higher caloric value food such as the ones mentioned above that will not cause her to have diarrhea. Speak to your vet about the best option for Prin and to rule out any other reason he/she prescribed the w/d.

Specialist weight loss diets are the most effective way to manage weight issues as they are designed to provide all nutrients required, promote fat loss and maintain muscle mass whilst also allowing the dog to feel full. Reducing weight on standard foods is very difficult and requires feeding of approximately two thirds of the recommended amount, based on target weight which can leave patients hungry

Hi there! Let me see if I can help you with Brownie. I always recommend "The Big 4" as far as brands, as they are the most balanced diets on the market for dogs and cats. They are Purina, Science Diet, Royal Canin, and Eukanuba-Iams. That being said, I always point out that when changing diets we go slowly over a week to ten days' time. You can follow the guide in this link to try to avoid causing any gastrointestinal upset like vomiting or diarrhea: https://www.hillspet.com/dog-care/nutrition-feeding/how-to-transition-my-dogs-food I would check the bag and make sure that you measure the food and stick to the recommended calories per day, taking into account any additional calories like treats, table food, or dental chews. We can sometimes be surprised how many calories are in a milkbone even. You can try a reduced fat or weight loss diet made by one of the brands mentioned above, and see if that helps. Before starting I always recommend a vet visit. An exam can be very helpful in making the initial weight loss plan. I will often discuss trying cutting out snacks and treats, a reduced fat diet, and monthly weight checks. If there isn't a difference in about 6 weeks, I will recommend checking thyroid levels to see if that is functioning OK. If not, that can slow down metabolism and cause weight gain. And if all is well and we're still having trouble, there are prescription diets that we can try to help reset the metabolism like Hill's metabolic. I hope you find this answer helpful. Best of luck!