For the food gurus

[coppperbelle]

I recently brought home a foster dog that has very weak back legs. The weakness may be a result of hip problems or arthrits but I won't know until he is x-rayed on December 5. We don't know his history aside from the fact he was found by animal control and never claimed. He may have spent his life in a cage for all I know so the weakness may be a result of not enough exercise. I have already noticed an improvement from the day I brought him home but he is still having trouble.
His back end is very thin and there is absolutely no muscle mass. Is there something I could give him to help build his strength and muscle mass? We have started exercising him slowly by taking him on short walks but I was thinking a diet higher protein in may help.
I am not going to feed him RAW but if supplementing his kibble with red meat will help him I will certainly give it a try.

[Prin]

What about Evo RM (red meat)?

[technodoll]

Originally Posted by copperbelle

I am not going to feed him RAW but if supplementing his kibble with red meat will help him I will certainly give it a try.

some red raw meat is better than none at all so YES! you can add to quality kibble 50/50 (if you can). + glucosamine/chondroitrin supplements - with the xrays!

[coppperbelle]

Thanks, I am going to buy him some meat this week. I started him on glucosamine the first day he came home. I would love to be able to buy the Evo but there is just nowhere around that sells it. I can look near my cottage on the weekend as I know they sell it but that is only on the weekend.

[meb999]

you live on the south shore, no? I sent you a pm -- there's a store on the shhore that sellls RM

[~michelle~]

i have been feeding Aiden (husky X) EVO ( got him 3 weeks ago from animal control) and he s doing pretty well, he was skin and bones when we got him, and you could feel all of his vertebrae and ribs, his hips stuck out alot , which meant minimal muscle mass(actually all of this is still true, but to a much lesser extent. )
I have started him wth 1/2 evo 1/2 science diet, because his poops were very very runny. and I have been slowly weeing him off of the SD. I find since he was obviously not eating much before, his appetite was very small (still is at times) mixing some beef tripe in has help get him to eat.
best of luck its frustrating though, because you just want them to be better, but it takes along time to put the weight on, and you dont want it to happen too fast. keep up with the exercise it will hwlp build the muscle mass, and make what hes gaining not fat but muscle!

(also not food guru, but going through simular situation)

[meb999]

Originally Posted by coppperbelle

I am not going to feed him RAW but if supplementing his kibble with red meat will help him I will certainly give it a try.

Have you thought of satin balls? There are about a dozen different recipes on this site for them, it'd be a good way to feed red meat (as a treat), plus it's VERY high in calories.

Here's how I make them

1 pound of hamburger meat (I cook it, but you could feed it raw)
3 or 4 eggs (raw)
1/2 cup of cooked rice

Mix all together into balls (if they don't stick, add more egg), and freeze. Voilą! Super treat! Buster'll do just about anything for them

[coppperbelle]

I had forgotten about satin balls. I am going to give them a try.