Need fattening supplement for Cheap...Any suggestions?

[acorn]

Hi, I work at an animal shelter. It's not no-kill, but there's no euthanasias for space, thus some dogs are very long residents (1 year+) and many of these dogs lose a lot of weight. Because the organization doesn't make money, they can't afford to feed dogs expensive food (all of our food is just a little better than generic), and they can't afford expensive supplements to help dogs gain weight. These are all adult dogs, and we can feed them as much as three times a day, but they still don't gain weight, even if they eat all of their food. The only specialty they get is puppy food if they're skinny and canned food if they won't eat the food without it.

What they really need is to get out of the shelter into a home where they can get training and good food and special attention, but they become even harder to adopt when they're skinny.

Is there anything else that is cheap, but healthy, to supplement the dogs' food and won't cause their stomach's to upset?

Any suggestions are much appreciated!

[Mom2Many]

The only thing that really jumps to mind is NutraCal. It is a high energy supplement that comes in a "toothpaste" type form. I am not sure on what the dosage for adult dogs of differing weights and I am not sure if it would be price savvy, but it's an idea to check out.

So sorry to hear about the long term pups, it breaks my heart. I don't think I could ever work in a shelter, it would be so emotionally challenging. Thanks for helping them out and being so concerned about their welfare, it's nice to see shelter workers who really care about their animals.

[acorn]

I'll look into it - any official link I can visit? Also, does that cause higher energy, or just weight gain? Because I wouldn't want them pacing in the kennels any more than they have to...Thanks for your help!

[Crossfire Bulldogs]

For a cheap but great way to fatten a dog up google Satin Balls.

[Mom2Many]

That's a handy thing to have on hand in case you ever get a picky pup Crossfire, glad you pointed it out.

NutriCal may not be along the lines of what you are looking for as it is also used to help out their energy levels. You can read more about NutriCal here.

[GreenleafGreyhound]

Yup, I was also thinking Satin Balls. These are a GREYT way to fatten up a dog, although, if raw meat does not sit well with an individual dog, it'd be a good idea to steam or cook them.

Here's the recipe:


10 pounds hamburger meat [the cheapest kind]
1 lg. box of Total cereal
1 lg. box oatmeal
1 jar of wheat germ
1 1/4 cup veg oil
1 1/4 cup of unsulfured molasses
10 raw eggs AND shells
10 envelopes of unflavored gelatin
pinch of salt

Mix all ingredients together, much like you would a meatloaf.

Divide into 10 quart freezer bags and freeze.

Thaw as needed and feed raw!

Here's another variant of the above recipe, minus the Total Cereal:



1 lb ground beef
1 8 oz pkg cream cheese
1 jar all natural peanut butter
1 jar (smaller of the sizes) wheat germ
1 doz egg yolks
1 cup or so of flaked oats soaked in heavy cream

Mix up, form balls, freeze, feed as treats or food supplement.

Good Luck!

[Crossfire Bulldogs]

Thanks for putting the recipe up Green.

[kazkirkpatrick]

I used satin balls when Rexie had a had a meltdown in boarding and stopped eating for 10 days and lost about 8 lbs (this was when she only weighed 60lbs). It fattened her right up so. Thats a good thing because you cant sing the big bottomed girls song to a malnourished looking dog!

[Crossfire Bulldogs]

LOL Kaz!

[mrsgrubby]

What about plain whole fat yougert?

[GSD]

what about plain old fat. I know of some breeders that throw a chunk of that stuff in with the food for dogs in the winter. There really isn't a more calorie dense food or supplement than fat. Check your local butcher shops and even grocery stores. To me that would seem to be the best and cheapest