Our New Dog Streets - The Pittie Who Survived Being Eaten

luckylego

luckylego

Experienced Member
Lego is doing much better! We had a couple people bring their sicky dogs into daycare several weeks ago and they infected EVERYONE with kennel cough - Lego included.. Unfortunately the owners didn't think anything of hearing their dogs cough, and we weren't aware that they were sick until they started coughing later in the day and by then it was too late. Her case just escalated a bit into pneumonia.. She didnt actually lose a ton of weight, but because we keep her pretty lean to begin with (as ordered by the vet to help put less strain on her back leg), it definitely showed! She's slowly putting it back on, her metabolism is just so darn high that it takes forever.. But the important part is that she's healthy now :)

Speaking of putting on weight.. We're supposed to be putting some meat on Streets' bones as well. According to her last foster home you can just POUR food into her and she barely gains any weight. We were told to add some brown rice to her food.. Does anyone have any other weight gain suggestions? I don't know if it makes a difference but both girls are fed raw diets.

The 'worried' look is already vanishing, she looks very comfy on the sofa and very hopeful when she's about to get a treat. And she responded so well, o.k. slight slip up, but quickly corrected. She's one smart lassie.
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She's definitely starting to look and act more and more like a normal dog.. It may sound a bit cheesy, but it truly makes my heart happy to see her acting so puppyish these days. She still tends to wander the house looking a bit lost and off in her own little world every once in a while.. But already those moments are getting fewer and further between! I never expected her to make so much progress in less than a week.. In fact, as I was typing that last sentence she just spontaneously hopped up onto the couch with me to nibble my ears and smother my face with kisses.. Gawsh :love:.

At first Lego was accepting of Streets, but incredibly jealous. She would get annoyed with her pretty easily and would occasionally tell Streets off when she got too obnoxious - which we allowed, as Lego was very appropriate with her corrections and Streets took them very well. It seems like it happened overnight though that Lego decided she LOVES Streets, and now the two of them are best buddies and spend their days getting into all kinds of trouble - having 4 legs, Streets can reach all kinds of things that Lego never could! Annd after the new year Streets starts her much needed basic obedience class! Behaviourally, she's an amazing tempered dog.. But she doesn't quiiite have her manners down yet (ie. jumping up for food, counter surfing, coming when SHE decides to come, etc) so this will be yet another new experience for her :D
 
Gordykins

Gordykins

Experienced Member
Has Streets been tested for worms or dewormed? We have had trouble putting weight on foster dogs before, only to find that it was because they had hook worms.

Have you heard of Satin Balls for weight gain? http://www.instructables.com/id/Put-weight-on-your-dog-with-satin-balls/
http://www.holisticdog.org/Nutrition/Satinballs/satinballs.html

I don't have any personal experience, but it is something that I had heard of before, so I decided to google it for you. But to be very honest, I've only read through these sites, I haven't really researched them beyond that, so I don't know if they are as good as I hope they are. I hope it helps though.
 
MaryK

MaryK

Honored Member
I was thinking the same thing as Gordykins, it maybe an idea to have her tested for worms.

That's so lovely that she just hopped up and started to kiss you, I was wondering today, when Ra Kismet and I had a 'love/kissy session' how she reacted to being close to a human face after her ordeal. Seems she doesn't have any fear which is fantastic!!!!!!!!!!!:D

Lego sounds like the perfect doggy trainer!!!!!!!!!:D(y)
 
Gordykins

Gordykins

Experienced Member
I know for an underweight dog, sometimes they will also advocate feeding 4 small meals a day, rather than 2 large meals. They say also to increase the amount of food gradually. I think it has to do with their systemtolerating a regular amount of calories all at one time, and digesting the smaller meals makes it easier for their bodies to properly utilize the calories.

Good luck Streets!!;)

On a side note... Lego is AMAZING! I didn't even realize until I came back to this thread a second time, and watched the video a second time to look at Streets' weight a little more closely, that Lego was a TriPawd!!! She is just so go go go, and holds her own while playing. I honest to pete didn't even notice that anything was different about her the first time I watched! Go you Lego!!! (y):cool::D Much love to both of them!!:love:
 
MaryK

MaryK

Honored Member
Good point Gordykins, I used the four small meals a day with a rescue German Shepherd, worked really well, and he was seriously under weight.

Yes, even though I know Lego is Tripawed, I totally forgot that watching her play.
 
jackienmutts

jackienmutts

Honored Member
Just caught up on this thread. Streets and Lego look they have a friendship made in heaven :love: - they're great together! That's so wonderful to see. Nothing can rehab a dog like a best friend.

When I first fostered then adopted Alfie, he was seriously underweight (about 15 lbs) - I think I was feeding him 4 small/med meals a day for several weeks until he started filling out. If she's playing a lot, on top of needing to gain some weight, she's gonna even need a bit extra (Alfie wasn't at first, he was too shut down and out of it).

You've got two beautiful girls - so glad you got to take her in.
 
luckylego

luckylego

Experienced Member
Has Streets been tested for worms or dewormed? We have had trouble putting weight on foster dogs before, only to find that it was because they had hook worms.
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I hadn't thought about that actually.. We're bringing her to the vet tomorrow for a urine test - we think she may have a UTI, so perhaps we'll ask them about it while we're there. She eats like a horse, and her bowl is usually empty within seconds of putting it down, so it's a bit odd that she wouldn't be gaining weight. We'll see what the doctor says tomorrow! In the meantime, I'll start trying the 4 smalls meals suggestion.. Thanks guys :)

On a side note... Lego is AMAZING! I didn't even realize until I came back to this thread a second time, and watched the video a second time to look at Streets' weight a little more closely, that Lego was a TriPawd!!!
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Hahah, thanks Gordykins! You'd be surprised how often we hear that at the dog park.. Or have people meet her and walk away never noticing that she's missing a leg! I never usually notice until I leave the house, but I always figured it was blaringly obvious that she was different.. It's sort of nice to know that she's adjusted well enough to fool most people - looks like all of that time spent in recovery paid off :D

I just have to say that Streets is a completely different dog after this short week with us. She's goofy, she's mischievious, and she's SO incredibly snuggly and affectionate. Over the holidays she was introduced to two little girls at my parent's house, aged 4 and 2, and she was AMAZING. She spent the day bringing them tennis balls, handing them over to the kids ever so gently, and soaking their faces with kisses. Everyone there was just in awe at how gentle she was with them - she even started a game of tug-o-war with the 2 year old kid and barely pulled at all, instead she just stood there gently tugging while the little girl tried to tug it from her.

We sign the adoption papers to make it official after the new year, and couldn't be happier :love::LOL::love:
 
MaryK

MaryK

Honored Member
FANTASTIC MEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!! Streets is one incredible young lady, I'm amazed at just how quickly she's recovered from her ordeal. Kudos to you for giving her all the love, care and attention!!!!:love::love:

Sure hope the visit to the vets helps and nothing serious is found.
 
sara

sara

Moderator
Staff member
One thing that helps weight gain, and easily done if you're feeding a raw diet, is to add healthy oils. Salmon oil and some sort of vegatable or coconut oil. When my springer lost weight in her old age, I would add a tablespoon of Canola oil to her food (this was at the vet's recommendation) and she did manage to put on some weight. Also you can feed more fatty meats like beef, pork turkey and duck (if you can get it) instead of lean meats like chicken and venison. I would avoid rice, honestly, they just don't need it and it won't help much.
 
648117

648117

Honored Member
With Paris our vet recommended adding broken up crisps to her food. She didn't want to eat and had lost a lot of weight. The vet said the crisps would make the food more appetizing (although I realize this isn't a problem in your case) and would help her put on some weight. And they are oily. Obviousy you wouldn't want to feed it long term though (and they are rather salty).
 
raymond upton

raymond upton

Well-Known Member
luckylego said:
We didn't choose it, and were actually considering changing it, until we learned that she was named after the animal control officer who responded to the scene, Michael Street. From what I've been told, he was the one who had her transferred to Bullies in Need rather than turn her over to the authorities - thus saving her from being held as evidence and very likely euthanized.. Therefore.. We're keeping the name to honour the man who helped save our girl :)


Hahah! Well.. That's just what I call the funny little noises she makes when she's exited. I guess it's moreso just like a growly roaring noise, but the word dinosaur just came to mind when I first heard it! I just wish I had it on camera!


I heard something about bath salts.. But I'm not sure if they ever found out if they were involved in this case. I wish I knew what came of everything.. Whether they determined if he was on drugs or just plain insane. Either way, last I heard he's been banned from owning animals for 15 years!

I promised you guys pictures and a video or two, so here it is: (Don't mind my scrawny little Lego dog, she's been a bit under the weather lately and lost a bit of the meat on her bones!)

Here are my two crazies having a wrestling match in my kitchen tonight:

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awww there just too cute
 
MaryK

MaryK

Honored Member
LOVED the vid!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:love: It's hard to credit that Streets is the same, sad, scared looking dog, of a short time ago!

They sure are 'crazy' in the loveliest possible way.:D I laughed the whole way through:D Made my night!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
raymond upton

raymond upton

Well-Known Member
when i first got my rescued pittie he was only 35 lbs at 8 mos old his ribs were showing he was so skinny someone told me to get some food grade de (diatomaceus earth) and mix a tablespoon into his food and it worked within three days his stool went from being runny and mucousy to being solid and he was vomiting prior to that within a week he started packing on the pounds now he,s 80 pounds at 20 months the food grade d.e. kills all intestinal parasites and is the main ingredient in horse wormer and is not a poison like the wormers you get in the pet supply store there are many websites about its benefits both to animals and humans
 
MaryK

MaryK

Honored Member
Thank you Raymond for the reminder. I've used de on horses didn't know it could also be used for dogs. Will get some for my boys instead of the vet worm tablets.
 
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