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How do I nourish a malnourished dog at home?

We live out in the country and this dog casually appeared. I gave her dog food and water, which she ate and drank small amounts of. Later I gave her a leftover shake n' bake pork chop which she ate as if it were the greatest gift. I just made an insulated dog house and tied her where she could sleep in there (it was 45 last night). This morning she had medium to loose stools. I want her to gain her weight back. I have put an ad in craigslist looking for the owner, but if no one claims her by the end of November, my son is going to take her. Please look at the link for pictures of her breed and condition if you can help at all, I really would appreciate it. Ihttp://victoriatx.craigslist.org/laf/1445885384.html am thinking of mixing milk and eggs into dog food or making a beef gravy from scratch to add to her dog food along with chunks of the cooked beef. She has been confirmed to be a black mouth cur. I found this recipe (the first one) http://www.heroswaggintrain.com/health/malnourished.htm and made half of it. She had her first pound of it tonight. She is extremely happy and outgoing, active and alert. She is going to be just fine. This recipe will last a week and I will give it to her once a day and have her bowl filled with puppy food constantly. I appreciate everyone's answers and advice and will put to community vote. Thank you all so much, really.

Public Comments

1. meat lamb
2. For a dog that is THAT malnourished, I would seriously consider talking to a vet, because it's possible that by giving her too much of the wrong food, you can cause internal damage - her system is in severe distress.
3. Skip the milk for a dog with loose bowels otherwise go with the eggs or gravy and beef.
4. a dog shud always be treated as a human being , so generally give all those things which u would do wen a person would get ill...... feed her wid normal home cooked food wich shud not be spicy and let her hve a cosy sleep .....nd ur food is also right............................nd u will be suprised to know that normal homeopathic medicine will also treat her to normal
5. I agree- please take her to your vet, she is in rough shape. I would avoid the milk & anything with spices like Shake & Bake. In her state, both could give her diarrhea. A steady diet of good quality food will help her gradually put weight back on, but she may also have parasites that are contributing to her condition. Good luck, & good of you to take her in.
6. I would stay away from human food...she doesnt need milk or gravy, since you are probably going to be adding salt, spices and other ingredients to it. Give you good dog kibble and some raw meat ...she should gradually gain the weight back on.. Also, like the previous answer said...take her to vet...
7. Oh my goodness, she looks very ill. I would recommend a trip to the vet for this dog. However if you absolutely cannot afford it, try giving puppy kibble. It is more fattening than adult dog food. Feed 3 or 4 smaller meals throughout the day rather than 1 or 2 bigger meals, because her system isn't used to taking in that much food at once. I know you're in the country but it would be great if you could get your hands on some high-quality puppy kibble such as Blue Buffalo which is available at Petsmart. I also agree, stop with the human food.
8. Whatever you do, don't give her any milk. That will only give her looser stools. This dog needs to be seen by a Vet and also checked for worms. Feed the dog SMALL meals about 6 times per day, and Google: *Satin Balls* for a recipe you can make at home for emaciated dogs.
9. Oh that poor dog! Take her to the vet and get some advice. Some vets give consultation and advice for free, that way you could work out a meal plan to help her gain weight back, safely. I hope she will be ok. If the owner turns up and is some awful, mean looking person who looks like he mistreated/starved her, then I'd reconsider giving her back. It wouldn't be fair to the dog.
10. Bless you for taking this dog in. I am going to guess the 'owners' are not looking for her. She either has been on the run for awhile or was dumped. She needs to go to the vet. She probably has internal parasites, worms, no shots and possibly heartworm positive. Take her now, dear.
11. i have never seen milk upset a dogs tummy yet, and i give mine some when ever we have any left over.it is good for them and makes for strong bones. table scraps are a great idea, gravy is an excellent food too. just watch for sharp bones, if your dog is a gulper, if it is a chewer then you will be ok with bones.
12. I took in a stray dog that was almost this bad - poor thing. He came around just fine with a little time. I would not feed her anything exotic (like milk or shake n bake) - I would stick to dog food, maybe three small meals a day, so she can absorb it better, and it is less likely to upset her stomach. A little egg mixed in shouldnt be a problem. A starving animal shouldnt go from no food to rich food instantly - they need a transition. Do take her to the vet - she could have other health concerns. (She looks like a Lab or a Lab mix to me)
13. Many dogs that are rescued from the streets or abusive homes come with health problems, one of the most common being malnutrition. Treating a malnourished dog takes patience, lots of care and a special diet. It is also important to have a veterinarian check out the dog thoroughly for any other health problems, such as parasites, that could be affecting the dog's weight. More dog health pointers - http://miniurl.com/20425