3/4 Grey 1/4 Bull (13 year Old) - How to put weight on

[Mr Jones 4]

Hi, 3/4 Grey 1/4 Bull spayed bitch 13 year old. Dog is obviously in its later years now and starting to deteriorate a bit, sore joints and back end a bit shaky now, however still fine on short walks. Currently fed on Harrington's and cat pouches mixed in (recently been adding salmon oil in to mix hoping to help with joints). Recently the dog seems to have lost a bit of weight, was looking for any advice of how to put a bit weight on the dog or just any general advice of how to keep an OAP fit and healthy from a feeding perspective? Any advice appreciated. Regards Gordon.

Edit: Also been taking YuMOVE tablets the last 3 month (joint support tablets)

Edited May 22, 2022 by Mr Jones

[jcm 2,327]

Get rid of the cat food, put it on a raw diet add plenty fish, makky is a very good oily fish and twice a week a tin of tomatoes 

[Daniel cain 45,459]

Fatty lamb mince,lots of oily fish,salmon oil,melt some lard over its biscuits...you taken it to a vet? If it's losing weight rapidly,could have some form of cancer...PTS my old bull bitch a few months back...was fine one day...then went down hill fast 13 is a decent age, maybe  it's coming to the end of the line,as sad as it is,do what's right for the dog,and not your own selfish needs

[Neal 1,869]

What does her breath smell like? The reason I ask is because this sounds similar to my last bitch i.e. the speed of the deterioration. One moment she was rabbiting on Dartmoor, a few weeks later, the weight was dropping off her, much less perky (which was very unlike her) and her breath was awful. I took her to the vet and it turned out to be kidney failure. She was put to sleep there and then. 

[mC HULL 12,530]

23 minutes ago, Daniel cain said:

Fatty lamb mince,lots of oily fish,salmon oil,melt some lard over its biscuits...you taken it to a vet? If it's losing weight rapidly,could have some form of cancer...PTS my old bull bitch a few months back...was fine one day...then went down hill fast 13 is a decent age, maybe  it's coming to the end of the line,as sad as it is,do what's right for the dog,and not your own selfish needs

it’s greb  

but your right dc take em pts when this happens people end up been cruel trying to be kind

[Mr Jones 4]

1 hour ago, Neal said:

What does her breath smell like? The reason I ask is because this sounds similar to my last bitch i.e. the speed of the deterioration. One moment she was rabbiting on Dartmoor, a few weeks later, the weight was dropping off her, much less perky (which was very unlike her) and her breath was awful. I took her to the vet and it turned out to be kidney failure. She was put to sleep there and then. 

Breath is reasonable ok mate.

[Mr Jones 4]

2 hours ago, Daniel cain said:

Fatty lamb mince,lots of oily fish,salmon oil,melt some lard over its biscuits...you taken it to a vet? If it's losing weight rapidly,could have some form of cancer...PTS my old bull bitch a few months back...was fine one day...then went down hill fast 13 is a decent age, maybe  it's coming to the end of the line,as sad as it is,do what's right for the dog,and not your own selfish needs

I know what you're saying mate. She's not at that stage yet though I hope. However probably only got a year or so left in her (fingers crossed). As you said might be worth a trip to the vets to get her checked out. Thanks for posting.

[chartpolski 23,612]

My last two lurchers, one 12 year old, the other 15, both went down hill rapidly.

Pointless changing their diet or paying vets a fortune to keep them alive.

A dog man can normally see when it time for " the one way walk"..........sad though it may be.

Cheers.

[TonyT 1,428]

2 hours ago, Mr Jones said:

Hi, 3/4 Grey 1/4 Bull spayed bitch 13 year old. Dog is obviously in its later years now and starting to deteriorate a bit, sore joints and back end a bit shaky now, however still fine on short walks. Currently fed on Harrington's and cat pouches mixed in (recently been adding salmon oil in to mix hoping to help with joints). Recently the dog seems to have lost a bit of weight, was looking for any advice of how to put a bit weight on the dog or just any general advice of how to keep an OAP fit and healthy from a feeding perspective? Any advice appreciated. Regards Gordon.

Edit: Also been taking YuMOVE tablets the last 3 month (joint support tablets)

Mine is the same 

just shy of 13yr old

red meat…. Beef and heart with bones.

that’s what mine gets …. Still shakes when stood still 

after a mile or three but she’s happy

 

[Havelightforcewilltravel 417]

Chicken mince chicken carcasses a would stay away from beef myself too much protein for older dog strains kidneys tins mackerel and tin rice pudding in morning.

[Daniel cain 45,459]

4 hours ago, mC HULL said:

it’s greb  

but your right dc take em pts when this happens people end up been cruel trying to be kind

I've  Always been a sucker for a sob story Hull...

[bird 9,916]

19 hours ago, Daniel cain said:

Fatty lamb mince,lots of oily fish,salmon oil,melt some lard over its biscuits...you taken it to a vet? If it's losing weight rapidly,could have some form of cancer...PTS my old bull bitch a few months back...was fine one day...then went down hill fast 13 is a decent age, maybe  it's coming to the end of the line,as sad as it is,do what's right for the dog,and not your own selfish needs

True that as you know I pts old Bryn last year, he was 14, went of his food lost weight, which before  used to eat well. I think when they get to certain age, 10 and above there body changes inside/outside, Buck still eats well, but slowed right down, but we both be in our 70s in august, his 10 years as flew by, but back the bloke bull x bitch. Do as DC says feed her lamb, rice, and dry biscuit, she deff wolf it down, but if still picks at it,  let her do what she wants, at her age she knows what she wants or not, they all do  when there coming to end of life. 

[Moocher71 4,049]

My old whippet x getting on now and started to lose bit of weight but he's still enjoying his walks and eating well and seems happy but if things change I'd never let him suffer even though it'd break my heart to say good by , he's been my shadow for such a long time and probably best dog I've had.

Breast of lamb ,beef heart ,beef mince ,tripe and sardines and lamb qnd offal mince his what I feed him mostly and he does well on it ,

[sandymere 8,263]

Try a few smaller meals like a puppy rather than single large one and regular short walks. Adding a bit of fat to the diet will increase the calories but i wouldn't make drastic changes as it may cause more problems than it solves.

[Mr Jones 4]

Thanks all for the advice, very much appreciated to the genuine dog men that had some constructive comments. It was just a reach out to see if anyone had any success making that last 6 months or so a "comfortable" ending. Cheers again lads . Regards Gordon