Author Topic: Opinions please..  (Read 10520 times)

Lyn

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Opinions please..
« on: March 14, 2006, 09:31:03 am »
I have had 3 people within the last week tell me that Bubba looks malnourished. My father in laws new wife went as far to accuse us of starving him!! And I'm getting beyond irritated.

As some of you know Bubba had a problem with very loose stool for just over 9 months straight. I have no doubt that it didn't help his weight. But for the last months or so his stool has been normal and he has gained weight, although slowly. He's getting just over 1800 calories a day right now. We have had him up to 2500 calories a day and all that did was make his loose stool problem even worse.

My vet said his weight is fine.. even when he was thinner than he is now. I'm not sure what his weight right now.. I need take him in to the vet office to get him weighed again. But here is a fairly recent pic taken feb.26.

What do you all think? Could he use a few pounds? I'm tempted to try "Satin balls" but I don't want to put too much weight on him. I just want to help him catch up a bit.

« Last Edit: March 14, 2006, 09:32:38 am by Lyn »

Lyn

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Re: Opinions please..
« Reply #1 on: March 14, 2006, 09:35:01 am »
Hmmm, that pic is a little small.. I'll try uploading the full size pic instead.

Offline brandon

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Re: Opinions please..
« Reply #2 on: March 14, 2006, 09:36:40 am »
Isn't thinner better for these big fellows? And he's young too right? Don't saints fill out more later in life, past 1 year?

Bubba looks great!!  I don't see his ribs, or his hip bones protruding. 

I think some people think fat dogs look healthier.
« Last Edit: March 14, 2006, 09:37:44 am by brandon »
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Lyn

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Re: Opinions please..
« Reply #3 on: March 14, 2006, 09:37:52 am »
We posted at the same time. lol

He's 13 months old now.

And nope no treats.. I stopped giving him any months ago hoping that was the problem but it's not. We switched his food and he went through a round of de-wormings. Since then his stool have been back to normal. So I don't know if it was the food that helped or the wormers.

Offline dufus

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Re: Opinions please..
« Reply #4 on: March 14, 2006, 09:38:52 am »
Hi there,

I am at work and so cannot post updated pics of Day-z but we also have been faced with a similar issue.  In my case i think i was not feeding her quite enough.  This got sorted out by buying one of the cup sized scoops from the petstore and realizing how big a cup really was.

However, she had still been getting plenty of food - so please don't think i was starving her.

Her build is very similar to that of Bubba's though, and i agree that it is better for their hips.

Upping her food just by say half a cup though has filled her out a little and given us even more Bernard to love.

I feel your pain.....

Jill

Gypsy Jazmine

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Re: Opinions please..
« Reply #5 on: March 14, 2006, 09:57:21 am »
I think Bubba looks just like he should for his age...At 15 months Samson still looked like a runway model...He was all legs & looked really thin...He went through another growth spurt after that & put on like 15 more lbs...I bet Bubba is just going through the gangly teenage time....Here's Samson all legs & ribs.
« Last Edit: March 14, 2006, 09:59:22 am by Gypsy Jazmine »

Offline ZoesMama

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Re: Opinions please..
« Reply #6 on: March 14, 2006, 10:04:17 am »
I have been thinking the same thing with my Zoe.  She had a slow start in her life and was underweight because she got parvo just before she came to live with us. Certainly she has gotten tall over the past year, but she's not really "padded". She's currently just shy of 15 months now.

You mentioned trying the Satin Balls.  I made my first batch this weekend and am supplementing her kibble with 2 meatballs per day (about 3 full tablespoons each).  We'll see how that works. 

  I agree that this breed fills out more after the first year, so we need to be patient.  I think Bubba looks very svelte. 

Offline Senghe

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Re: Opinions please..
« Reply #7 on: March 14, 2006, 10:32:57 am »
If Bubba is only 13 months old, I'd say there's nothing wrong with his weight at all. I can't see any bones sticking out anywhere and to be honest if he was rolling and chubby, I'd be far more worried. The people who have commented are probably expecting him to look like Beethoven from the movies. But Bubba is smooth coated (they never look as plump as a longcoat at the same age for obvious reasons) and he's only a gawky 'teenager', not a fully mature adult.

If he's just going to poop it out as diahorrea, it seems counterproduct ive upping his food. Have you tried changing it? I had terrible problems with Flynn when he was a puppy. I tried two premium giant breed puppy formulations and he had persistent soft black smelly poop. He also had scurfy skin. I changed him to a 21% protein adult food at about 5 months and he was a different dog in a week. I was terrified I was going to ruin him on such a low protein food, but his poop was lovely and firm and he enjoyed the food more. I saw his dad and 3 of his siblings at Crufts last week. He is as big as his brother at 15 months old, but not quite as heavy or mature looking (good thing at 15 months I would have thought in a breed that matures at 5 years old). And he's larger and as well boned as his daddy. I don't think I've done too bad a job now.  ;)

Offline Mom2Sadie

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Re: Opinions please..
« Reply #8 on: March 14, 2006, 10:34:03 am »
Isn't thinner better for these big fellows? And he's young too right? Don't saints fill out more later in life, past 1 year?

Bubba looks great!!  I don't see his ribs, or his hip bones protruding. 

I think some people think fat dogs look healthier.

Yeah, my vet wants me to keep Sadie as lean as possible. She said not to worry if she looks slightly malnourished, you want them as thin as possible while they're growing. What does your vet think about his weight?
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Offline wiss329

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Re: Opinions please..
« Reply #9 on: March 14, 2006, 12:14:58 pm »
I agree with the others.  He's at the age where he's grown a lot in height and the weight just hasn't caught up.  Our Max is also 13 months and is slim in the belly and hip area.  His neck area seems to be growing the most right now.  I also agree that with Bubba being short haired, it probably stands out more.

If your vet is not concerned with the weight, I would feel comfortable.

I compare what Max went through to a 6 foot, 16 year old boy that just went through a growth spurt.  Just can't help from being gangly.

Lyn

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Re: Opinions please..
« Reply #10 on: March 14, 2006, 12:55:24 pm »
Thanks all. Those people had me feeling like I was a bad mommy or something. :'(

I measured Bubba's height this morning and he's 31.5 inches at the shoulder. His ribs are covered in a thin layer of fat. But I can feel the points of his hips although they are not visible. I'm not sure if I should be able to feel those or not?  ???

Most Saints that are Bubba's age do look similar in body structure, unless of course they are the heavy boned Saints like Gershwin. They are born looking like little sherman tanks and stay that way. LOL When I mention that he's still growing they look at me like I'm stupid. Since most breeds are mature at 1 year they seem to think Giant breeds are the same.

But, I'm beginning to think you all are right and they think he should look like Beethoven or something. I get asked quite often if I've shaved Bubba. ::)

I'll see if we can take Bubba into the vet this coming weekend and get his weight. Maybe I could get my vet to just take a quick peek and see what he thinks about his weight now. I'll wait on trying the Satin balls until then. I'll let you all know what he says.

« Last Edit: March 14, 2006, 12:56:48 pm by Lyn »

Offline Nina

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Re: Opinions please..
« Reply #11 on: March 14, 2006, 01:20:59 pm »
I think he looks great, and as others have mentioned he is still growing. I think that people are used to seeing the rough coated saints, that they see on TV, and they look much bigger than they really are because of all that fur. Don't listen to the comments that people are saying to us.. except for ours LOL ;) You are a great mom!



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Offline hairprincessnyu

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Re: Opinions please..
« Reply #12 on: March 14, 2006, 01:45:54 pm »
My mom is having the same problem with Cesco. I told her to make some Satin Balls for him, now I just have to find the recipe!
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Lyn

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Re: Opinions please..
« Reply #13 on: March 14, 2006, 02:02:35 pm »
I'm going to use this one...

http://theherbs.info/Pets/satinball.html

Offline Newf Lover

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Re: Opinions please..
« Reply #14 on: March 14, 2006, 05:07:46 pm »
If I were you, I would tell people to go "you-know-what" themselves.  Or just ignore them.  Every time we take Drake out in public during the Summer, we have people come up to us and tell us our dog needs water.  I get SO ANNOYED!!!  So, in my opinion, people have no right to tell you how to feed your dog.  Honestly, it's better he's underweight than overweight.
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