Getting pets from a rescue is a good choice as these pets have a hard time finding homes. If the dog your brought home is underweight, you should do what you can to help it get back up to its normal weight. There are many health problems that can cause a dog to be underweight. It may also be underweight because it wasn't fed well when the rescue company found the dog. Below is more information about this so you can help your new dog:

Underweight Causes

Your dog may have an illness causing it to be underweight. For example, your dog could have diabetes. This is because, with dogs, weight loss is one of the first signs of this disease. Other diseases your dog may have include heart disease, kidney disease, or cancer.

Your dog could have dental problems that prevent it from eating well. Pull back its gums and look at their teeth. If you see any that are brown or rotted then this is the problem.

Stress can also cause a dog to be underweight. Because the dog is a rescue, this could be the problem. They were likely already stressed in the rescue being around a bunch of dogs. When you brought the dog home with you this can cause even more stress. Once the dog starts feeling comfortable with you and its new home it should start eating normally again and gaining weight.

Your dog may also have a parasite. For example, whipworms and hook worms absorb the nutrition from the food your dog eats. These parasites can also cause a decreased appetite. Fortunately, there are many treatments to take care of these parasites.

What You Can Do

The first thing you should do is to take your dog to the veterinarian. The rescue may have already done this but you should still take it to a veterinarian that you choose. The vet can determine why the dog is underweight and then treat it for the problem.

The vet will likely suggest a certain type of dog food that has more nutritional value to help it gain weight quicker. They will likely tell you to feed your dog three times per day instead of the usual two times a day many people feed their pets. This may be breakfast, lunch, and then dinner later in the evening.

Because your dog is underweight the vet may prescribe vitamins for it to take until it gets back up to a healthy weight again.

Your dog's veterinarian can give you many more tips on how to help your dog. Contact a vet office like Elizabethton Veterinary Clinic for more information and assistance. 

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