Why is the dog thin? This question is asked by many pet owners, worried about the appearance of the pet. If a pet, despite proper nutrition, loses weight, it is necessary to understand the causes of what is happening. It’s not necessary to immediately run to the veterinary clinic, but you should try to study this issue more quickly.
If you just do nothing and leave it as it is, the consequences may turn out to be the most unpredictable. A thin dog has a miserable look. Immediately the impression is created that she is poorly looked after, although this impression is not always true.
Causes
A very thin dog attracts the attention of people around it. Some individuals, not understanding the situation, immediately begin to blame the owner for not monitoring the health of his pet. It is important to find out the reasons why the dog is thin. Only by dealing with them, it will be possible to completely solve the problem. Several options are possible here. Let's consider them in more detail.
Lack of nutrition
The most obvious conclusion that in many cases I want to draw is poor feeding of the animal. Lack of nutrients is a good reason for weight reduction. In this case, the animal begins to gradually "melt before our eyes." It happens that a person believes that for his part he does everything necessary to nourish his four-legged pet. If you start to understand this issue more deeply, it turns out that he is not feeding the pet very well: leftovers from the table, cheap dry food.
Therefore, it is not surprising that the dog is thin. After all, it is important not only to feed your pet, but also to do it right. Lack of nutrients in the body always affects negatively on well-being and appearance.
Worm infection
This can happen if a person gives a four-legged friend too much raw fish or meat. When such food prevails in the dog’s diet, the risk of infection with worms is high. As a result, the dog is thin, and the owner believes that there is no reason for this. That’s why you need to pay attention to your pet’s nutrition. The presence of worms in a dog is a serious sign. The owner needs to urgently take action until the situation begins to get out of control. Regarding helminths, it should be said that all pets (even not thin) should be given anthelmintic tablets every three months for prevention.
Digestion problems
If the animal began to lose weight dramatically, there is a possibility that it has certain disturbances in the body. When the gastrointestinal tract begins to work incorrectly, the pet feels discomfort. He may have pains in the epigastric region, indicating the need for treatment. Digestive tract disorders are not recommended to be ignored.
Some symptoms (nausea, constipation and diarrhea) indicate a clear dysfunction with the gastrointestinal tract. Digestive problems in some cases lead to the fact that the pet loses weight, becomes too restless and irritable.
Weakened body
If the dog significantly lost weight after suffering an infectious disease, then with full confidence we can say that this happened as a result of weakening of the body. The resources of a dog, like a person, are far from endless. If the animal has had any infection, then some recovery period is necessary. It is necessary to give the pet vitamins, to feed him in a quality manner. Walking in the fresh air should be long, lasting at least 30-40 minutes.
If the dog is taken out to the street only so that she has time to relieve herself, then do not be surprised at her unhealthy appearance. Daily walks with the animal are the owner's direct responsibility.
Oncology
When a malignant tumor takes place, then any animal is very thin. All the forces of the body are thrown to fight the disease. However, in neglected and hopeless cases, thinness cannot be avoided. The animal’s strength is rapidly exhausting, it becomes lethargic, apathetic, and often refuses food. In oncology, neither a dog nor a cat can fully enjoy life. Their thinness is natural. In this case, it is very difficult to change anything, but you cannot leave the animal. A true master always fights for his life to the last.
Viral diseases
These are serious diseases such as hepatitis and adenovirus, which are always accompanied by changes in body weight. As a rule, such ailments require extensive treatment. Against the background of severe intoxication of the body, the pet can significantly lose weight. For this reason, it is recommended that you always seek help from a veterinary clinic. Viral diseases are life threatening to the animal. They cannot be neglected or pretend that nothing is happening. The owner must mobilize his strength and help the pet recover to the required level.
Breed features
In some cases, the lack of weight does not indicate pathology in the body, but the normal condition of the animal. Tall thin dogs can have enviable health. A person who understands these issues will be able to determine the difference. It is worth remembering that some dog breeds naturally have a lightweight exterior.
These include: greyhound, Dalmatian, Chinese crested, Great Dane, Italian greyhound. These animals are never well fed, no matter how they are fed. Their elegance looks quite graceful. Only in this case can a long thin dog look beautiful. Owners of dogs of these breeds should not force-feed their pets.
Host action
The owner of the animal, having noticed thinness, should begin to take certain steps. If this is not done, then at some point you can be left without a four-legged friend. If we are not talking about specific breeds of long thin dogs, you need to analyze your care for the animal and draw the appropriate conclusions.
Proper nutrition
It is known that a dog cannot be fed food from the table. However, many negligent owners still can not learn this rule. Proper nutrition is the key to health and longevity of a four-legged pet. No matter how busy you are with your daily chores, you need to take the time to choose the right high-quality food for your little friend. There are many options on the market today that you can focus on. If you do not want to buy professional feed, then cook specifically for the dog. You need to find time for this, even sacrificing your own leisure and entertainment. Food should be of high quality, as for himself. No need to save on a dog, this is a big mistake. Subsequently, treatment of a pet will cost much more.
Veterinary examination
It is necessary in order to exclude any pathology in the body. A full veterinary examination is not very cheap. But it allows you to understand the state of health of your pet.
If it was noticed that the dog is losing weight for no good reason, a complete diagnosis should be made. Only in this case it will be possible to understand the situation. Without an examination, nothing can be determined. Old animals lose weight, despite proper care and timely intake of special additives. Dogs are very sensitive to various changes in their health. The more attention they get, the better.
Vaccinations
For the health of the dog, the owner is obliged to take preventive measures in a timely manner. One of these important steps is vaccination. They need to be done regularly to eliminate possible unpleasant consequences. It is most reasonable to consult a specialist about how often they need to be put and at what time. Vaccinations prevent the development of many diseases and reduce the risk of infection by several times. If the dog has noticeably lost weight, it is not superfluous to pay attention to this point.
Timely deworming
It allows you to avoid many unpleasant consequences that can inevitably arise if you do not follow important rules. A very important factor is the deworming of all pets, regardless of their appearance and feeding methods. She should not be neglected, hoping for a happy occasion. After all, life can be quite unpredictable; we cannot always predict the development of events in advance. Preventive treatment of animals should be, as noted above, once every three months. If helminths are found in the animal, the medicine is given immediately. after two weeks, the drug is repeated. Anthelmintic medicines are also given to animals two weeks before vaccination. A person should take responsibility for his pet. The dog always feels when taken care of. You can be sure that she will answer you the same.
Wool condition
The appearance of the pet must be monitored. A thin black dog will look very miserable and produce a not very good impression from the outside. People around her can start to feel sorry for her only because she looks groomed most of the time. It is unlikely that a self-respecting owner wants a similar development. The coat also needs to be looked after so that the pet looks neat and clean. The dog will respond with devotion and gratitude. The condition of the coat directly reflects the dog’s well-being. The more the owner takes care of her, the better the animal looks. Longhaired individuals need to be combed regularly. The appeared warlocks are best carefully trimmed so as not to accidentally injure the delicate skin of the pet. The main thing is that you need to regularly treat animals from fleas and ticks. These blood-sucking insects are carriers of many diseases that cause dogs to lose weight.
There are many reasons why a dog significantly loses weight. It should be remembered that a large thin dog almost always looks messy and soiled. Looking at it, it seems that the owner simply saves on the content of the animal.
The worst dog in the world is the dog William in England. Being quite large, it weighed only 3 kg. It was in this state that he was taken from the shelter. Now he has grown stronger, even accompanied his mistress to the altar.
Every prudent person must take responsibility for the well-being of his four-legged friend.