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Why is my dog still skinny even after trying to help him gain weight?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Male | unneutered | 0 lbs

My dog is pretty skinny, the woman that we got him from says that its because he is a bull dog/collie. Ive tryed getting him to gain weight but he is still the same as when we got him.

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1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Rebecca, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on April 2nd, 2018

Hi and thank you for using PetCoach. From the pictures it appears that Hugo has a body condition score of 1-2/9. https://oregonvma.org/files/Purina-Dog-Condition-Chart.pdf This is too thin. Even dogs of slim breeds such as greyhounds or collies should not have their bones this prominent. I recommend having Hugo check by a veterinarian. Some issues such as parasites can cause malnutrition and are fairly easily diagnosed and treated. Some animals may have other congenital conditions or illness that prevents weight gain. And in some cases it may be higher metabolism requiring a specialized diet. The vet will perform an exam on Hugo and discuss his diet and activity at home. They may suggest testing for parasites or doing other diagnostics. I hope Hugo is back on track soon.

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