What food to feed a skinny dog

By Isabella Storyclaire

last updated November 18, 2024

Contributions sourced from

Is My Dog Too Skinny?

If you feel that your dog is too thin, you should consult your veterinarian. They will assess your dog's body condition to either confirm your suspicions or put your mind at ease. And if your dog is underweight, it could be a sign of a larger health problem that needs to be addressed. Apart from starvation and improper care, here are the biggest reasons dogs tend to be underweight.

Poor Nutrition

If your dog is too skinny, one of the first things to check is that you're feeding them properly. Be aware that not all dog foods are created equal in terms of calories and nutritional value. Depending on the manufacturer and brand, one cup of dry dog food can contain anywhere from around 200 to 600 calories, says Tufts University. So while you might think one cup a day is plenty for your pooch, it's possible their food isn't meeting their daily calorie requirement.

Some commercial dog foods also use improperly balanced and/or poor-quality ingredients that don't provide your dog with adequate nutrition. Check with your veterinarian for their recommendation on a high-quality dog food, and be sure to check the number of calories per cup to be sure you're giving your dog the correct amount for their size and activity level. Ask your veterinarian if you're not sure how many calories your dog should be getting each day.

What To Feed A Malnourished Dog (4 Steps To Help YOur Pup Recover)

Key Takeaways

Malnourishment is a serious condition that cant simply be fixed by giving more food to a dog.
Severely underweight dogs need to be fed a diet high in protein and fat, with frequent small meals and gradually increased calorie density over time.
Aside from feeding vet-recommended food, dog owners will also have to take him to regular checkups and provide lots of rest and comfort, essentially treating him as a sick dog until he gets back to normal weight.

Malnourishment, whether in humans or animals, is a serious condition that can be difficult to rebound from. This condition of severe weight loss can set in due to a wide range of causes, from a variety of health issues to lack of nutritious food, or even lack of food at all. The basic feeding guidelines I give to pet owners taking care of an emaciated dog goes as follows:

Choose foods high in fat and protein, as well as minerals such as potassium and phosphates, while being low in carbohydrates.
Feed the dog six small meals a day so as to not overwhelm their digestive system.
Administer broad-spectrum vitamins to raise the dogs appetite and general health.

If the condition is severe enough, you may also need to make use of weight gain supplements to help your dogs body regain muscle mass. I tend to recommend these alongside a high-protein and fat recovery diet for rescues from abusive homes, as it helps dogs regain their health that much quicker. Like other experts, I also find that high-quality puppy food contains all of the essential nutrients a malnourished dog needs to get back on their feet. It may be a good idea to start them off on puppy food, and then move on to fresh or homemade food once they can handle more food intake.

What Does Malnourished Mean?

A dog is said to bemalnourishedif it has lost more than 10% of its body weight. You can often look at a dog and tell they are malnourished because it will have ribs sticking out and hip bones protruding.

Malnourished dogsdont only get skinny, they also suffer from severe conditions like dehydration, skin diseases, and lethargy. While malnourishment can have different causes, it most often occurs because of a lack of food or poor quality food.For many, fresh meals for dogs such as those offered by The Farmers Dog and Nom Nom pet food are the answer to dogs nutritional needs.

Ive seen more than my fair share of dog owners having to deal with an underweight dog, because they put the dog on an ill-advised diet instead of vet-recommended pet food that has all the proper nutrients healthy dogs need.

If your dog is malnourished, you need to take it to the vet to determine the cause. The vet will examine the dog and run bloodwork and other tests to find the underlying cause of the malnourishment.

The vet can also give you advice on what kind of diet to feed your emaciated dog. By ruling out any serious health issues, you will know what direction to take to ensure your malnourished dog receives the nutrition it needs.

Your Dog Has a Health Issue

If your dog suffers from a health issue, resolving it will usually quickly lead to improvements in your dogs weight. As the medical condition receives proper care and your dog recovers, his body will soon be able to take in more nutrients, and he will get stronger.

Your Dog Lacks Nutrients

If your dog lacks nutrients because he has not been eating enough food, your approach to helping him get better is going to be extremely important. Some resort to homemade weight gainer for dogs, however, it is essential you do not feed him too much food in the beginning. Your dog can suffer from a condition called refeeding syndrome [1]. If you feed too much at once, your dog could become seriously ill and suffer a dire health crisis.

Critical Steps For Helping Your Dog Recover From Malnutrition

Keeping a healthy dog takes a concerted effort on your part. I have outlined the critical steps below that will help you protect your dogs health and get it back on track. Taking these steps will help protect your dog from suffering from further health issues due to a lack of food or nutrition.

1. Make Sure Your Dog Sees the Vet

One of the most important things you can do to care for your dogs health is to pursue regular vet visits. You should never try to feed your dog without guidance from the vet. The vet can determine the inadequacies of your dogs current diet and help learn how to help your dog put on weight.

Your vet will need to track your dogs health to ensure it is gaining enough weight and having improvements in its health. It is also important for your dogs vital signs to be checked to ensure improvements. Veterinary professionals can help you plan your dogs diet and figure out how much exercise he needs.

2. Provide Warmth and Comfort

Many people do not realize that a malnourished dog is going to need more warmth and comfort than other healthier dogs. Your dog needs a warm and padded place to rest. An emaciated dog does not have ample body fat padding to keep him warm and protect his joints.

Malnourished dogs are also more sensitive to the environment around them. Providing a safe, comfortable, and calming place for your dog to rest will help keep him safe and happy as he recovers.

3. Gradually Increase the Number of Feeding Times

You need to make sure you feed your dog on a specific schedule. Helping your dog gain weight and improve nutrition begins with adding an extra meal each day. Remember that you do not want to go overboard with feeding. Over-feeding can be just as harmful as under-feeding.

By adding an extra meal, instead of increasing the amount fed at each meal, you will help your dog avoid nausea, vomiting, and other digestive health issues that may arise.

It will also prevent overburdening their digestive systems, letting them make efficient use of the nutrients and undergo weight gain at a healthy pace.

4. Improve the Quality of the Dog Food

The quality of your dogs food is essential for improving his malnourishment. If you want to feed your dognutritionally complete homemade dog food, try adding more organ meats because these are full of vitamins and will help increase your dogs weight.

Talk to your vet and determine which food will be best. Some vets recommend that malnourished dogs eat high quality puppy food because it is higher in nutrients and protein.

There are also weight gain supplements available to help dogs get to a healthier size and improve their nutrition intake. Just remember to follow your vets instructions and start gradually. You should work up to the desired amount by slowly increasing the high-protein dog food over a ten-day period until it is at the optimal level.Note that when you get puppy nutrition right in the first place, malnutrition in older dogs can be definitely avoided.

FAQ About Feeding Malnourished Dogs

I am sure you have a lot of questions and concerns about your malnourished dog and how to help induce healthy weight gain. The following are some of the top questions on the subject.

1. How can I help my malnourished dog gain weight?

Before you attempt to feed your dog, take it to the vet for an evaluation. Your vet will tell you how to help yourdog gain weight. You need high-quality, nutrient and calorie-dense foods to help your dog gain weight.

2. How do you revive a malnourished dog?

If a dog is severely malnourished, getting it to the vet right away is essential. Dogs can die of severe malnutrition very quickly. Your dog may need IV treatments and medications. Finding the underlying cause of malnutrition is critical.

3. What is the best food to feed an underweight dog?

Nutrient-dense foods like whole eggs and organ meats can help your dog gain weight. Make sure to ask your vet about any additions to your dogs diet to ensure they are the correct choices.

How to Feed Underweight and Malnourished Dogs

The term malnutrition refers to dogs that have lost more than 10% of their normal body weight.

They are thin, with prominent bones, especially the hips and ribs. Malnourished dogs will often suffer from dehydration, lethargy, and skin disease.

In most cases, malnourishment in dogs is a result of a lack of food or its poor quality that can't meet the canine's nutritional requirements.

According to vets,

A malnourished dog will show several identifiable signs when he is suffering from nutrient deficiency.
Serious weight loss is the most identifiable symptom that occurs in malnourished dogs.
Dogs that are unable to get enough vitamins and minerals will often experience changes in his coat, coloring, or texture.

Sometimes, the reason is a medical condition that prevents the dog from eating.

When malnourishment occurs, it is necessary to take the dog to the vet to recommend a specific diet and help in recovery.

How to Help a Malnourished Dog Recover

In most cases, malnourishment occurs as a result of a health issue.

Once that primary problem has been solved, the dog will generally regain their original weight back.

It is crucial to start feeding an underweight dog small amounts of food a few times daily.

Providing too much food too fast to an emaciated dog may cause the development of refeeding syndrome, which is just as serious a condition.

Digestive and neurological problems can also occur if feeding too much at once.

Several crucial steps in this process, outlined below, will help the dog recover safely.

1. Regular Vet Visits

Never attempt to determine the right meal for a malnourished dog without consultation with the veterinarian.

After a thorough examination, the vet will give appropriate advice and a step-by-step plan on how to feed an underweight dog and restore them to full condition.

Also, the vet can help you monitor the progress, the dog's current weight, and your pet's overall health during these regular checkups, advising on any dietary or exercise adjustments if needed.

It is necessary to check the dog's body temperature, the state of the dog's immune system, and any possible misbehavior issues during this process.

2. Appropriate and Comfortable Environment

A malnourished dog generally needs more warmth since their underfed body will have difficulty maintaining body temperature within physiological limits.

Without the necessary amount of body fat, the dog will shiver when the outside temperature is slightly lower, leading to additional burning of calories.

Plus, a malnourished dog needs to feel safe and calm as they will be more sensitive to the environment, so it is necessary to provide a stress-free, cozy, and comfortable place for your pet to rest, play, sleep, and otherwise spend their time.

3. Gradually Increased Frequency of Meals

Providing an extra meal for the dog during the day is the most comfortable and appropriate way to help the dog gain weight.

Sometimes, the dog will refuse to eat, and syringe feeding may be necessary.

At the initial stage, the most essential thing is not to increase the amount of food per meal but to add an extra feeding time.

By preventing overeating, the dog won't have digestion or nausea issues.

4. Improved Quality of Dog Food

If feeding homemade, adding more muscle meat in meals will help the dog to put on weight in a short time.

If the dog usually eats commercial kibble, providing an extra cup of food rich in protein between regular meals will help them to add the necessary pounds.

There are certain weight-gain foods that are designed for underweight dogs.

Alternatively, many experts recommend feeding an underweight dog with high-quality puppy food, which is generally higher in protein and fat, but lower in carbs.

After determining the desired daily amount of food according to the dog's size, they should get approximately 25% of the recommended meal on the first day.

The goal is to increase the necessary daily amount of food gradually within 10 days.

5. Gradually Increased Calorie Density

On top of meal frequency and food quality, it is also helpful to choose calorie-dense dog food to help the dog consume those extra calories.

The best solution is to reduce carbs but increase proteins and fat with every meal.

Also, adding weight gain supplements that contain essential vitamins and minerals, especially phosphate, potassium, and magnesium, will support a healthy increase in the weight for the dog.

6. Homemade Dog Food Meals

Homemade meals can be chosen instead of commercial foods or fed in addition to commercial kibble.

By adding nutrient-dense foods like whole eggs to your pet's meal, the dog will get a more significant amount of protein (from egg white), vitamins (from egg yolk), and calories.

You can also add fruits and vegetables to the meal, such as apples, pumpkin, or sweet potato.

Water needs to be available to the dog at all times and constantly changed to keep it fresh and cool enough since dehydration and losing up to 15% of body water can jeopardize an underweight dog's life.

7. Appropriate Exercise Routine

Gaining weight by food intake without proper workouts can be counterproductive.

The exercise route should not be designed for burning excess calories.

On the contrary, it should be regular low-key walks and easy playtime that will improve the dog's appetite, keep the animal healthy, and prevent obesity.

Avoid forcing the dog to run or over-exercise.

The goal is to let the dog's body recover and put on lean muscle gradually.

Just as with a feeding routine, exercise should start with low-impact ones and increase gradually in its intensity.

8. Tracking the Dogs Progress

It is essential to check the dog's overall condition daily yourself, on top of the scheduled visits to the vet.

Feeling the animal along the ribs, checking their body composition, and weighing the animal are the most proper ways to keep track of weight-gaining progress.

If the dog's weight increases over time, the actions taken are adequate.

On the other hand, if your dog's weight stagnates, you need to consult with a vet and change the diet, or increase the calories in the meal, or reconsider the dog's exercise routine.

Best Weight Gain Dog Food for Malnourished Dogs

Dog foods designed for weight gain are generally high in protein and calories and will pack additional nutrients, vitamins, and minerals (similar to weight gainers for bodybuilders).

Some of the best weight gain dog foods for underweight dogs include:

How to Feed an Underweight Dog

Dog's Breakfast

It is the most important daily meal for underweight and malnourished dogs.

If feeding a homemade diet, this meal should include a high protein source, enriched with some carbohydrates like white rice and additional fat and vitamin sources like eggs.

Start breakfast with one cup of food and give one more in case the animal asks for more.

However, careful meal dosing is also important to prevent overfeeding and vomiting.

Dog's Lunch and Dinner

Once again, high protein is the priority for your pup's lunch and dinner.

Adding a cooked egg and rice to one cup of high-protein dog food is an excellent choice.

Carefully increase the amount if the pet remains hungry.

Dog's Treats and Snacks

Except for regular meals, the malnourished dog can have a snack mid-morning and mid-afternoon.

Among natural foods, the best choices are things like cheese, chicken, beef, and similar high-protein, high-fat foods.

Also, your dog will probably enjoy high-calorie dog treats during the day and some dry food overnight.

Probiotics and Weight Gain Supplements

As a result of the lack of food or feeding with inappropriate ingredients, malnourished dogs often suffer from gastrointestinal problems.

Therefore, adding probiotic supplements to your dog's meals will help restore regular digestive function.

Weight-gaining supplements will support the dog's body to restore overall well-being by providing essential nutrition without rapidly putting on weight by increasing the percentage of fat.

The goal is for the dog to regain muscle mass.

Supplements can help the dog regain shape by providing crucial vitamins, minerals, and omega-3 fatty acids, which are normally hard to pack into meals.

Some of the best weight gain supplements for underweight dogs include:

How to Feed Underweight and Malnourished Dogs: FAQs

How do you feed a dog that has been malnourished?

A relatively high-fat, moderately-high-protein diet should be given to dogs who are mild to moderately underweight.

The amount of carbs in these diets should be adequate but not excessive. Consider feeding foods with an 18% fat and 2830% protein content.

What is the best food for a very underweight dog?

Your dog's diet should aim to include more wet food. Consider including vegetables in the diet that can aid in weight gain, such as potatoes or pumpkin.

Try to keep consistent intervals between feedings, and be sure to wait at least 4560 minutes after Fido has eaten before taking him for a walk or other form of exercise.

What human food can I give my dog to gain weight?

Tohelp Fido gain weight, you can offer him safe human food supplements such asroasted chicken without the skin, boiled eggs, canned tuna, plain low-fat yogurt, or plain tinned pumpkin.

Do not feed your dog any human foods like chocolate, raisins, grapes, garlic, or onions since they can harmthem.

Can you add rice to dog food for weight gain?

Dogs can easily put on weight by eating rice. They have a ton of carbohydrates and are moderately high in calories.

If you're giving it as a supplement, your woofer should just eat a small amount because eating too many extra calories and carbohydrates can induce unhealthful weight gain.

How to Feed Underweight and Malnourished Dogs: Before You Go

Dog malnutrition can be caused by various medical problems, such as parasites, dental and mouth problems, metabolic disorders, infections, and even cancer.

You must first treat the underlying cause by taking the dog to the vet.

It's also possible that the dog was neglected by its prior owners.

Nevertheless, the main objective is to increase the dog's weight by eating enough nutrients, regardless of the dog's malnutrition underlying cause.

The next thing is to gain lean muscle by exercising.