Has poor nutrition affected my dog?
when we got einstien he was 5lbs under wieght which was alot at 13 weeks olds as it happens the vet says hes fully grown hieght wise but i saw a sheepy the otherday that was 5 inches taller than my baby hes only wieghs 50 lbs and is only 22 inches tall at the shoulder does this sound like hes been afected? |
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| There is a lot of variance in sizes of sheepdogs, which I've learned right here on this forum. Some people's dogs are only in the 50 pound range, where others are over 100 pounds! If there was a case of poor nutrition at a young age in a pivotal growing time it could have affected something I'm sure but, at the same time, it could be that your dog is just on the smaller size naturally. How much did he weigh when you got him? |
| he wieghed in at about 12lbs
and he was passing blood and mucus in his stool the vet said that what ever he had been fed had irritated his insides |
| Aw, I'm so sorry that happened to your little guy. That's really tiny at that age. My guy was just about 30 pounds at 13 weeks!
A lot of our forum members are really knowledgeable health and nutriton so I'm sure someone will pipe up with a better educated opinion than mine on how it may have affected his health. Ultimately, I guess if he's healthy now, that's all that matters, right? I know I'd love my dog the same whether he was 20 or 200 pounds! |
| i know how you feel hes got such character it more than makes up for his lack of size
but insome ways its good i run a hotel (just a very little one in the uk) and he thinks he should be able to play with the guest and coz hes not to big people are not scared of him esspecially when he breaks out of the house and runs round the carpark he always comes home must love us so much just wondered if it could affect him later in life? |
I have two, Bogey who is 3 years, weighs about 60lbs, my baby tecumseh is 7 mnths now, and is bigger than bogey, so i get the best of both large and smaller sheepies  |
| Dancer is almost 2 and only weighs 55 lbs.... Sky is 14 months and weighs 65 lbs... they're all different. The breed standard says 22 inches or more at the shoulder for males and slightly less for females. There are some I've heard as tall as 28 inches and 120 pounds, but I think my girl Dancer is one of the smallest I've heard of. LOL |
Einstein wrote: just wondered if it could affect him later in life?
I'm just speculating here, but I think that since the malnutrition occured during his pivotal growth phase, whatever damage that was done is already done. If he's getting everything he needs now, and the vet gives him a clean bill of health I wouldn't worry too much. I've seen the pictures and he's certainly not ridiculously small like a dwarf dog or anything! I think looks great and happy too. Ironically, I've been saying all along that I hope Clyde gets huge. I'm not taking it back but I really didn't expect to get my wish. At just under a year old he's over 85 pounds now and he still seems to be growing. He's short and compact but I can see him starting to broaden out now. Funny thing is, he could care less about food. By the size of him you'd think he loved to eat! |
| I agree, if the damage was indeed done there is nothing you can do about it now other than to make sure from now on he has proper nutrition and medical care.
Dancer was such a picky eater as a pup, I could barely get her to eat no matter what I did, and I do think it stunted her growth somewhat. She is filling out now as she matures, but she will never regain the height and mass she "may" have been meant to acheive. |
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