What to do? - Page 2 - Chihuahua Forum : Chihuahua Breed Dog Forums

ljwilson · #9 11-26-2012, 02:21 PM

Trevor weighed her yesterday when he took her to the groomer, and she's back to exactly 4.0 pounds. That is still on the thin side, but it doesn't make me nervous. I can't seem to get her to be over 4 pounds. I didn't get to weigh her when I felt like she had lost weight, but I could tell she was definitely less than 4. Maybe 3.7-3.8. I could see several ribs very easily. We feed a heaping 1/8 of a cup twice a day. When we increased it, we switched it to two scoops of the 1/8 cup, but we didn't fill them up all of the way. So the difference was probably half of the 1/8 cup or a little more.

jesuschick · #10 11-26-2012, 02:34 PM

I just read that she has just been on it 3 weeks. I would definitely give her body time to adjust. There will be a difference to her system in processing kibble to ZP.

She is about Ruby's size. We also feed her 2x/day 1/8th heaping cup each feeding. She only potties 2x a day. In the morning when she wakes up and again before dinner. She has been on it for almost 2 years.

I'd certainly do what you are doing and watch that she is not getting too thin but I'd not worry about the potty just yet. Her system is adjusting to processing an entirely different type of food.

ljwilson · #11 11-26-2012, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jesuschick

I just read that she has just been on it 3 weeks. I would definitely give her body time to adjust. There will be a difference to her system in processing kibble to ZP.

She is about Ruby's size. We also feed her 2x/day 1/8th heaping cup each feeding. She only potties 2x a day. In the morning when she wakes up and again before dinner. She has been on it for almost 2 years.

I'd certainly do what you are doing and watch that she is not getting too thin but I'd not worry about the potty just yet. Her system is adjusting to processing an entirely different type of food.

She lost weight when I was only feeding the heaping 1/8th of a cup though. So would you keep feeding it to her and when she gets thin give her a little extra for a few days? Or would you increase it slightly everyday? I think I have her too much the last few days, so I will definitely back off of that some.

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jesuschick · #12 11-26-2012, 02:48 PM

I would increase but do it gradually. Ruby and Hope weighed less than they should have Saturday at the Vet so I increased just a few squares at each meal since then. I do not want them overweight nor do I want to bombard their systems.

I would also consider protein source. Hope could not manage the Lamb ZP nor the Fish and Venison yet she does perfectly on Venison. You may have her on the same protein source but that could also be a change for her system.

pupluv168 · #13 11-26-2012, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ljwilson

That may work. But she already eats bully sticks. And I typically give ziwipeak as a treat for training, so that wouldn't really work. I haven't tried giving her carrots or green beans, so I don't know if she likes them. But I will go get some today to see. Isn't that typically for dogs that are trying to lose weight though? That's usually what I have seen them used for. I also don't know exactly what amount she needs to stay a healthy weight, but to also keep it where she doesn't poop a ridiculous amount. When we first started it, we were feeding too much, so she had huge poops. Then when we backed it down she got to skinny. Man it's frustrating! It almost makes me want to go back to Fromm. But I feel like we haven't tried this long enough. It's been 3 weeks. She hasn't had any tummy upset at all. But I feel bad for her since she's having to go to her pad so often.

If you supplement with carrots and green beans she could lose weight, but only if you are replacing other food with them. In this case, you wouldn't be eliminating anything, only adding a few calories. Maybe dehydrate meat or organ and include that too.

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teetee · #14 11-26-2012, 08:36 PM

I don't follow the feeding calculators at all. The little cup that comes in the ZP back, I usually feed 3/4 scoop in the morning, 3/4 scoop at night. She doesn't gobble it all up right away and she's not overweight at all. She's been holding steady at 6.1 lbs since August. I mentioned it to her vet and they said she's totally healthy. I think that if I did follow the ZP calculator, I'd be under feeding for her. She's also very active with walking, running, and chasing the cat

Her poops aren't huge, but they're not small, usually 1-2 times a day. Sorry I'm not much help. I can only give you the info on what I've experienced with Miya. When you increased her ZP, did she eat it in one sitting or does she pick at it throughout the day?

It is weird that Chloe is pooping 4-5 times a day though..hmmm. So you're just feeding ZP and an occasional raw, excluding the few bites of turkey over the weekend?