Pets can lose weight due to an array of causes - illness, parasites, injury – and putting on the pounds can often be just as challenging as losing them, but using a few proven methods can help owners promote healthy weight gain in a pet.
“The key is to put on weight gradually. This way the body systems are not stressed and the gain is more likely to be permanent,” explained Dr. Michael Levine, DVM. “The first thing you need is a scale. Whether it’s weight gain or loss, it’s going to be difficult to notice a change if it's gradual. So weekly weigh-ins are a good start.”
In fact, weekly weight checks can be a vital tool in diagnosing a more serious problem, because if an owner is taking active measures to help a pet gain weight, but the pet instead loses weight, then this could be indicative of a serious, underlying problem.
Dr. Levine also offered the following advice:
- Supplement kibble and commercial dog foods by adding fresh “people” foods to each meal. Fresh meats, fish, eggs, cheese and vegetables are key, although owners should introduce new foods gradually to avoid gastric upset.
- Muscle is often consumed by the body when fat reserves are depleted, so a portion of the weight gained needs to be muscle. Muscles contain a great deal of protein and this protein is required for development of new muscle and mass, so high-protein foods are key for weight gain. When the high-protein food (which has lots of amino acids) is consumed, the amino acids are absorbed and carried in the blood to the muscles, which use the amino acids to build new mass.
- For treats, instead of giving dog treats, offer fresh vegetables like carrots or celery, which are wonderful sources of nutrients.
- Switch to a high-quality puppy food, which is higher proteins and other elements that are necessary to promote growth of muscle mass and fat.
- For pets suffering from more serious cases of weight loss, speak to your vet about switching to a high-calorie prescription food, like Hill’s A/D diet.
- Serve three or four medium-sized meals each day.
- Promote rest and sleep for the two hours following each meal. This will help temporarily slow the digestion process, allowing for the absorption of more calories and nutrients.
- Begin a daily low-impact exercise regime, comprised of an activity like walking or swimming. This will help promote the formation of muscle mass, much of which is depleted during a time of illness.
- Give a daily multi-vitamin supplement to provide necessary nutrients and vitamins in a pet’s diet.
“One very important thing to understand is that we do not want to feed fatty foods. People think weight gain and they think fatty foods. That’s not what we’re aiming for with a pet – we’re looking for a healthy weight gain comprised of muscle and some fat. In fact, fatty foods can have the opposite effect, as you can see vomiting, diarrhea and even life-threatening conditions, like pancreatitis, so it’s important to feed healthy foods, rich in nutrients – not fatty foods,” Dr. Levine concluded.
