My dog's ribs show despite eating. What food helps her gain weight?

Question

My dog (1 year old) eats fresh pet food and Acacia dry food mix. I give her more than instructed, but her ribs and hip bones are visible. What should I feed? Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed | 1 year old | 23 lbs

Dr. B. DVM, DACVIM (Oncology) · Accepted Answer

Some young, growing, active dogs require more calories then other dogs. If she feel she is lean then i would up the amount of food you are feeding or add in another meal per day. I typically recommend increasing the amount fed by 25%. You can spread this extra amount over the meals. You can also try supplementing some extra protein sources like chicken or ground turkey. You can also look up the calories (kcal) in her diets to figure out if she is getting enough. The Ohio State University Veterinary Medical School has a good site about determining how many calories a pet needs. If you google Ohio State pet calorie calculator it should come up. This will allow you to figure out her energy requirement (kcal/day) and compare this to what she is eating. Keep in mind that she still may need more then what you calculate if she is not gaining weight as every dog is different. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

My dog's ribs show despite eating. What food helps her gain weight?

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