# Mr. Picky is Slimming Down



## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

But look at those excellent hips!!!!!! What was he being X-rayed for?


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## kayla_baxter (Jul 17, 2015)

Kasiks is a higher carb, high density food. It's around 500 k/cal a cup. It's the sister food of Firstmate, and is basically their entry level food. I like Firstmate more as they're using less carbs and list how much of the protein is coming from potato vs meat (73-87% protein from meat) and their puppy/endurance is 540 kcal/cup. 


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## Countryboy (May 16, 2011)

MollyMuiMa said:


> But look at those excellent hips!!!!!! What was he being X-rayed for?


Oh, ya... he's got hips like Elvis. 










I've been thinking that he might be hurting a bit in the right hindquarter so the x-rays were the first step in the diagnosis. They were all clean according to his vet.

The veterinary chiro saw him today and is looking at a problem on the right and some strain on the left hindquarters from overcompensation. She wants him on a natural anti-inflammatory, curcumin, and we'll see her in a couple of months. In the meantime, I fatten him up! :thumb:



kayla_baxter said:


> Kasiks is a higher carb, high density food. It's around 500 k/cal a cup. It's the sister food of Firstmate, and is basically their entry level food. I like Firstmate more as they're using less carbs and list how much of the protein is coming from potato vs meat (73-87% protein from meat) and their puppy/endurance is 540 kcal/cup.


Thanks, hon. Good for gaining weight do you think?


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## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

What a beautiful Skeleton! I guess that means that Tonka is beautiful INSIDE & OUT!!!!! LOL!


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## kayla_baxter (Jul 17, 2015)

Countryboy said:


> Oh, ya... he's got hips like Elvis.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Absolutely. Canine Caviar is my personal favourite, with Firstmate as a second. I've slowly been getting weight back on my 120lb Dane boy on four cups of either. He usually maintains on three to three and a half. 


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## StormeeK (Aug 3, 2015)

Awww, Frank I hope Tonka is doing well!  He has always been one of my favorite dogs here on the forum. Such a great dog park mentor, and I thought you said he came from the Bahamas ??( one of my favorite destinations ) Never heard the whole story but sounded so interesting. I've just enjoyed hearing his stories and seeing his pictures. 
Can you mix some of the canned food really well with the dry? Would he pick it out? Sorry but I am just a sucker for older dogs and anything they want to eat. ( Don't normally discuss dog food on the internet but I thought you said you were in a Texas politics forum so ....! )
Dewey and I send you and Tonka the best wishes and health from Texas.


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## Caddy (Nov 23, 2014)

I think TONKA should get some of that yummy tin food!


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## Mfmst (Jun 18, 2014)

You mentioned you give him the occasional chicken back. Try 3-5 chicken necks as a separate meal. Grain free satin balls are another thought.


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## Countryboy (May 16, 2011)

kayla_baxter said:


> Absolutely. Canine Caviar is my personal favourite, with Firstmate as a second. I've slowly been getting weight back on my 120lb Dane boy on four cups of either. He usually maintains on three to three and a half.


Thanks, hon... that gives me cheer that maybe I'm on the right track. 



StormeeK said:


> Awww, Frank I hope Tonka is doing well!  He has always been one of my favorite dogs here on the forum. Such a great dog park mentor, and I thought you said he came from the Bahamas ??( one of my favorite destinations ) Never heard the whole story but sounded so interesting. I've just enjoyed hearing his stories and seeing his pictures.
> Can you mix some of the canned food really well with the dry? Would he pick it out? Sorry but I am just a sucker for older dogs and anything they want to eat. ( Don't normally discuss dog food on the internet but I thought you said you were in a Texas politics forum so ....! )
> Dewey and I send you and Tonka the best wishes and health from Texas.


Somewhere in the Caribbean for sure. I'd love to know the whole story myself. He's definitely a saltwater dog. But ya know what? Two cups of kibble with half a can of wet, he'll leave the remnants of even wet food in the bowl. 



Caddy said:


> I think TONKA should get some of that yummy tin food!





Mfmst said:


> You mentioned you give him the occasional chicken back. Try 3-5 chicken necks as a separate meal. Grain free satin balls are another thought.


You two make me smile. You're absolutely right. One of these days, maybe soon, I'm gonna give him nothing but wet... maybe a can and a half... just as an experiment. 

Unlike most members here, Tonka is my only companion... there's just me and him. So I know that this situation will one day boil down to me doing whatever it takes to keep him comfortable and well.

Thanks for all your advice.


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## Siskojan (Mar 13, 2011)

I always enjoy stories about Tonka and his adventures and I love his elegant skeleton portraits. Sisko is generally a skinny minny but he hovers around 62 lbs now. I recently took him in to get weighed as he seemed thin and bony at the back end but was right on his 62 lbs - must have been the close hair do he had. 

Anyway - Satin balls came to mind. There are various recipes on the 'net 
(combos of ground beef, eggs, some cereal / grain etc) and I think the idea of them is to add weight. You can make big batches and freeze them.


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## Countryboy (May 16, 2011)

Siskojan said:


> Anyway - Satin balls came to mind. There are various recipes on the 'net
> (combos of ground beef, eggs, some cereal / grain etc) and I think the idea of them is to add weight. You can make big batches and freeze them.


There we go. Change the ground beef to tofu in chicken broth, eggs, rice, a few veg... he and I could eat from the same bowl.


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## Viking Queen (Nov 12, 2014)

Iris was always a picky eater and would not even eat canned food, of any kind. Silly girl. When she had weight issues I began giving scrambled egg in the morning and she loved it. She never refused her kibble either, but would only just eat a certain amount, so the egg was a nice supplement which helped keep her weight up.

Good luck, let us know what you settle on and what works for you.


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## Kanoodle (Dec 10, 2016)

Obviously picking a food with the most calories per cup is a good idea. But you can try adding a supplement which has lipase (break down fats), protease (break down protein), amylase (breaks down carbs), cellulase (breaks down fiber.) This would help him get more calories from the food he does eat. When my poodle (and other former dogs) is extra skinny he gets something with that in it. https://www.k9power.com/Digest-forte-digestive-health-probiotics-dog-nutritional-supplement He also gets something like K9 Super Fuel sprinkled on his kibble, to keep him from getting skinny in the first place. https://www.k9power.com/super-fuel-energy-muscle-health-dog-nutritional-supplement I also trust Thomaslabs products. http://www.thomaslabs.com/category/dog-digestive 

Make sure to read ingredients in case of food sensitivities!


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