For those of us who want to rescue and/or adopt shelter dogs and underprivileged animals, it is often difficult to decide how to start bringing the dog back to proper health if he or she is malnourished.
However, by carefully following the steps below, the dog will hopefully be living a healthy, normal life in no time.
1) Provide your dog with a warm, comfortable, safe environment.
Malnourished dogs often have a hard time keeping themselves warm because they have little body fat.
It is also not healthy for them to shiver because they will burn needed calories this way.
A dog that is malnourished might be coming in off the streets, or from an animal shelter.
No matter how hard a shelter works to make their environment comfortable and safe for the animals, the living conditions can very often be quite stressful for the dog.
When you take him home, make sure he is in a relaxed, safe environment to prevent stress.
2) Don't forget about breakfast.
Provide the dog with breakfast first thing in the morning.
As it is the most important meal for humans, it is for dogs as well.
A good breakfast for a malnourished dog may include a mixture of scrambled eggs, white rice and high protein dog food.
You will want to start out with giving the dog 1 cup of food and another cup only if it wants more.
Avoid overfeeding to prevent vomiting.
3) Snacks are the key.
Feed the dog a mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack.
Acceptable snack include cheese and/or bits of beef or chicken.
Dog treats are also OK but you will want to ensure that they are made from real meat and/or cheese.
To do this, check the ingredients.
This is important because real meat and cheese will help the dog to gain weight more than meat fillers.
4) High-protein lunch and dinner.
High protein meals can be fulfilled by giving the dog high-protein dog food with a raw egg and/or rice mixed in.
There are several other options for this meal-just make sure that the dog is provided with a real source of protein.
Just like with breakfast, start out by feeding him 1 cup of food and increase it if he seems to still be hungry.
5) Give something to munch on.
Set out a bowl of dry dog food for him to much on overnight when you cannot tend to him.
However, don't add eggs to it because they will spoil if left out for a long period of time.
6) Give a probiotic supplement.
A malnourished dog could be having gastrointestinal problems due to lack of food or eating inappropriate foods due to hunger.
A probiotic supplement will help to bring back normal gastrointestinal function.
You can give something such as Fortiflora to help with stomach upset and diarrhea.
7) Regular vet visits.
Make sure to have your vet do a thorough examination of your dog and give you tips on how to help restore him to full health.
Then keep going in for regular checks to make sure h is growing and any underlying health problems are being dealt with.
Caring for a malnourished, abandoned dog is an extremely rewarding process.
You are saving a life as well as welcoming a new friend into your life.