NW_MONTANA_BC Posted August 13, 2018 Report Share Posted August 13, 2018 I got Tucker AT 6 weeks old and was 5.3 pounds. I took him to the vet 3 days later just to have my vet look him over. The vet said everything looked good but he was a little under weight and he suspected he had coccidia. So he sent me the medicine home and I treat him. The next week I took him back for a shot and I took a stool sample as they suggested, and they say they were seeing evidence of round worms. So I did a 3 day treatment for them. Tucker will be 11 weeks old Thursday and he is still only 12.2 pounds. He seems to be growing taller and longer but not fatter. He is gaining just under a pound and a half a week. I feed him 1 1/2 cups of acana meat formula a day. He won't eat more than a 1/2 cup at a time and I feed that to him a few pieces at a time. Shouldn't he be getting heavier? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GentleLake Posted August 13, 2018 Report Share Posted August 13, 2018 Well, you don't want him to be fat. At all. Slow, steady growth is far preferable than the roly-poly image too many people have of a healthy pup. It's really impossible for anyone to say if you're puppy's underweight from what you've told us. I'd want to see the pup and be able to put my hands on him before even hazarding a guess. Chances are if he's eating all he wants to that he's just fine. When my first border collie was you, even an adolescent, he was very skinny. But the only way I'd have been able to get him to eat more than he did would have been to force feed him. And he was that way all his life. Could. not. make. him eat more than he wanted to. But he was fine. That said, no reason not to ask the vet about it the next time you're in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NW_MONTANA_BC Posted August 13, 2018 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2018 GentleLake's........ I will send you a picture and you can put your hands on him all you want. I thought puppies were supposed to be fat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GentleLake Posted August 13, 2018 Report Share Posted August 13, 2018 29 minutes ago, NW_MONTANA_BC said: I thought puppies were supposed to be fat. Nope. Not at all. In fact it can actually be detrimental to their health and especially their skeletal development. It's a very persistent myth though. But, OMG! is he adorable. Seeing all these puppies everyone's posting is giving me some serious puppy envy and longing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urge to herd Posted August 14, 2018 Report Share Posted August 14, 2018 You and me both, GL! A bc pup would probably be the death of me, though. I'd be on life support pretty quick, as I've never raised a puppy of any kind, not 4 legged nor 2 legged. Anyway, from what I've read, if his eyes are clear, he has a good energy level, coat feels good, and he pees/poops normally, he's probably in good shape. Never hurts to ask your vet, though. More pictures would make ME feel better, though. Ruth & Gibbs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amc Posted August 14, 2018 Report Share Posted August 14, 2018 Many US vets have a skewed idea of ideal dog weight because they see so many fat pet dogs. I can't remember where I read it, but I seem to recall that an average-sized Border Collie pup should weigh about a pound for every week of age up until 5 or 6 months of age - so Tucker is right in that ballpark. He looks great in the pics but the real test is how he's feeling and behaving. He's a real cutie - enjoy him! Amy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D'Elle Posted August 14, 2018 Report Share Posted August 14, 2018 14 hours ago, GentleLake said: But, OMG! is he adorable. Seeing all these puppies everyone's posting is giving me some serious puppy envy and longing. Me too!! Ack. And to the OP, I will second, or third, the advice that a fat puppy is not what you want. He looks fine to me. Getting him checked out regularly isn't a bad idea, though, just to be sure. But if he is active and eating, he's most likely just fine. Sure has a bright look in his eyes, and great expression on his face. Just as a baby border collie should look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShellyF Posted August 14, 2018 Report Share Posted August 14, 2018 Our vet has just done third routine check up on our guy at 16 weeks. He is very slim and tall and lanky. When his fur is wet he’s so skinny it’s hilarious. Our vet says that’s exactly how he should be. He says most pet dogs that look normal to us carry too much weight and that skinny looking wild canids on wildlife tv are typically a very healthy weight. Our vet told us how many calories to feed which we calculated for his kibble. We weighed him each week and then vet gave us adjusted calorie count. Vet said from 4 months on we no longer need to be increasing calories. However, they do stress it’s a guide only. We were told that you should easily be able to feel the ribs under just the skin but when looking at the dog, the ribs shouldn’t be sticking out. Hope this helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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