# Tiny Pom Too Skinny?



## Mysticrealm (Jan 31, 2016)

I have such a hard time judging my 20 month old pom's weight as he is just SOOOOOO tiny and very slightly built. He's currently 3.5lbs and I'm sure 2 of those pounds are in his very long, spindly legs.
He has plenty of energy, but he has such prominent hip bones and his ribs seem to be felt too easily, but compared to my beefy 8.5 pound poodle, and my 50+ standard poodle I'm not sure if he feels so bone-y just cause he is so small.

Part of the problem I'm having with deciding if his weight is ok or not is because I'm feeding him for a dog nearly twice his size. I'm feeding him for a 6.25 pound dog but he isn't gaining weight, he's just staying the same. He gets a freeze dried raw food (Northwest Naturals currently but has been on a few different brands). He eats his food enthusiastically. I plan to bring him to the vet in the near future as my other dog needs his shots done and plan to ask them.
I don't really know what I'm asking here since obviously you guys can't see him and feel him so you can't be certain about his weight. But it's like, do I feed him MORE yet? I mean could you imagine feeding a 50 pound dog like a 90 pound dog? and yet that's pretty much how I'm feeding my pom. I know those weight/food ratio charts aren't exact (my 8.5 pound poodle has to eat less than the recommended amount to not get fat and my 50 pound poodle eats more than the recommended amount to maintain weight) but you would think nearly double would be enough. Or change foods? I know my standard poodle was on a dehydrated raw food and was eating more than recommended for a 63 pound dog and was losing weight so maybe the freeze dried/dehydrated foods aren't great for maintaining weight?


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## lisasgirl (May 27, 2010)

Have you ever had his thyroid tested? This is how I've seen hyperthyroid animals act - constantly hungry but very thin.


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

If he's really active and the nervous type, like some of these dogs are, then maybe he needs to eat more. But I agree you might need to have him checked.

Maybe increase a little more and see how he does. Also I would try another type of food, maybe it's not right for him.

I'd really like to see a picture of him !


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## Mysticrealm (Jan 31, 2016)

Thanks guys. No I haven't had him tested, but after I weighed him today and found out he's LOSING WEIGHT AGAIN!!! I'm going to bring him in. He's lost a ton of weight again. 2.6 pounds today! Urg! feeding him for double his weight and losing weight! He's so small that even though he's losing a lot of weight, you don't notice it A.cause of his hair, and B. you don't notice a 1 pound weight difference when picking him up and such. Driving me nuts!


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## twyla (Apr 28, 2010)

dumb questiontime... are you sure he's eating his food and no one is helping him?


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## Mysticrealm (Jan 31, 2016)

I'm 90% sure he's the one eating his food as he doesn't share well. Though I have switched to locking the 2 small ones together, instead of him alone, during meals because I'm selling my house and trying to limit the amount of crates I have out. I really don't think my other dog is taking any, but I'll separate them now to be sure. 
I have an appointment for tomorrow. I haven't found a vet I like that works with my schedule so it's a new vet which is never fun. Hope they're decent.


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## Mfmst (Jun 18, 2014)

Let us know what the vet says. That seems very light, lighter than many Tpoo's. He looks very small and quite adorable. Maybe he just has the metabolism all of us want


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## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

How accurate is your scale? Many of the baby scales are unreliable. And what is his fur quality - that could be a rough assessment as to whether he has decent nutrition.

I did notice with both my minipoo and my daughter's rough collie - until they were around two years old they felt so seriously bony along their back and hip areas. The rough collie now 4 years old is very muscular and Babykins who recently turned 2 is adding lots of muscle now along her back and hind end.

Hopefully it's not a health issue and you'll figure it out.

I know the pain and stress of selling your house with pets (and kids) while trying to keep it at it's best whenever buyers want to look at it. But I guess you will need to add that third crate to ascertain the each dog is indeed eating it's own food.


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## snow0160 (Sep 20, 2016)

Thanks for mentioning this because I have the same exact opposite weight problem with my Pomeranian. He is football shaped underneath. He used to be 3.5 lbs when he was one years old but now doubled in weight and you can't feel his ribs anymore. If you have his thyroid tested it would help. I had his blood tested for thyroid and it was normal. If your dog is losing weight really fast, it could be hyperthyroidism. This includes symptoms such as temperament changes, hair loss, and weight loss. Sometimes you don't see the hair loss immediately. My Pom seems to have alopecia that is not related to the thyroid. Here is a photo of my Pomeranian next to my 19lb pug. 










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## Mysticrealm (Jan 31, 2016)

I'm weighing him on the vet's scale so I would think it should be accurate. Tonight I put my pom in the bathroom, my small poo in the little kennel and my big poo in the kitchen so I know that everyone ate their own food. 
He doesn't seem to have any temperament changes or hair loss.


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## snow0160 (Sep 20, 2016)

Mysticrealm said:


> I'm weighing him on the vet's scale so I would think it should be accurate. Tonight I put my pom in the bathroom, my small poo in the little kennel and my big poo in the kitchen so I know that everyone ate their own food.
> He doesn't seem to have any temperament changes or hair loss.



I think if there aren't temperament or hair loss, what you are doing is the best idea. We are guessing our Pom steals from others. I've seen him steal from the pug. We feed our pets in different rooms and have the cat food gated. Kit leaves leftovers and everyone steals from her.


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

What I find strange is if he's really down to 2,6 lbs, he's lost almost 1/3 of his weight, which is a lot ! With such a weight loss he should be apathetic and sleepy, which doesn't seem to be the case.

Can't wait to see what the vet says about this little guy. He's gorgeous by the way !


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## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

Mysticrealm said:


> I'm weighing him on the vet's scale so I would think it should be accurate.


If your vet is like my vet, they are using those baby scales which aren't very accurate. As a scientist I know that the only way to be assured your scale is reasonable accurate is to have it tested regularly using very expensive carefully calibrated weights that are kept in a special container and you only use clean gloves and special tongs to handle the weights. Those calibrating weights must be sent out to a special company to have them recalibrated regularly- it's a very delicate and rigorous procedure and depending on the lab may be done weekly or monthly by a trained professional consultant. I don't think my vet's office has ever had it's scales checked. Maybe some of the vet techs on this board would know if where they worked their small pet scales were formally checked. For that matter my doctors office also never rigorously checks equipment that they use in the office to test patients either. Even moving the scales around on the desk can affect their accuracy. My vet has several exam rooms and each has it's own scale so that's another variable in dealing with accuracy.

When you're weighing a tiny pet where ounces are important - those baby scales may just not be accurate. They help show a pattern of weight loss or gain along with the physical exam. But I wouldn't trust the exact numbers. 

Hopefully your new separation of pets for eating plan will work.


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## Viking Queen (Nov 12, 2014)

When Violet was a very tiny kitten and late in life, a shrinking tiny elder cat, I used my kitchen scale and a light weight Glad food container. I put a sheet of rubber drawer liner in the container for kitty traction. Zero out the scale with container on it then add small critter. Kitchen scales, good ones, can measure in very small increments

I have never had a tiny breed of dog so haven't had worries of this sort, but I do hope you get this all figured out for your little Pom. They are charming little guys. A local Spoo friend also has acouple of Poms and loves them dearly.


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## Mysticrealm (Jan 31, 2016)

Thanks guys. So I went to the new vet. Not decided on if I like him or not. He didn't push the royal canin food he had all over the lobby which I liked, but didn't love that he had it all over his lobby. And had some decent ideas, but he was pushing the neutering a bit and I understand that neutering often leads to dogs gaining weight due to the lack of testosterone but I don't want to put him through surgery and prefer to keep him intact.
So he gave me a good idea of possibly putting Haku on puppy food as it has the highest calories. 
We also decided to try deworming just in case he has any parasites 'stealing' his food.
We talked about doing bloodwork, but because Haku is so healthy in every other way I decided that I'd like to try the deworming and increasing/changing food first.
This vets scale put his weight at 3.2 so not as bad as the other vets scale at 2.6. Part of that difference is maybe cause the other vets scale was in KG and this vets scale was in LBS so maybe a bit more accurate for his size. I would probably like to see Haku at a good 4 pounds I would think. 
So I'll try to remember to update this in a few weeks and let you guys know if he's going in the right direction.


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

Those ideas make sense. Please let us know how it goes !


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## Mysticrealm (Jan 31, 2016)

Thank you. So I got Haku new food.
His old food was 4800cals/kg. His new food is 6300cals/kg so I'm really hoping that that will help. Gonna feed him for a 6 pound dog and see how that goes.


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

Mysticrealm said:


> Thank you. So I got Haku new food.
> His old food was 4800cals/kg. His new food is 6300cals/kg so I'm really hoping that that will help. Gonna feed him for a 6 pound dog and see how that goes.


If he doesn't gain weight rapidly with that, there's an underlying issue for sure !


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