# Now let's talk bout Tuck....



## tuckersmom20 (Dec 12, 2010)

Let's talk about Tuck now...

It's all about weight, i am constantly battling it!!!

Since he turned 2, his metabolism basically went from him burning things off so quickly, to dead stop.

Since he's turned 2, he has gone from 63 lbs (perfect weight for him!) to 70 lbs.
Yes, he is on meds.. and yes they make him scavenge for food... but his intake is limited.

Prior to him turning 2, he was getting 1.8 lbs of food a day and he was 63 lbs and could barely keep weight on.
Now, he gets 12 oz a day and he's 70 lbs... if he looks at food he gains.
Its a huge difference from prior to 2 and now... the food intake and weight.

I dont blame the meds completely.. i noticed him getting fuller right after 2 and began to cut back.. further and further.

He is active, daily playing fetch... daily roaming outside. 
I do admit that walks are 3 times a week (bad mom), and trips to the park are included with walks.
I wanted to start running with him, but I'm afraid of starting right off the bat like that... and if its too much stress on his body cause of epilepsy.

I'm pretty sure, his decline in distant at dock dogs has something to do with his weight... more mass to propel.

Other than upping exercise, what else can i do? Tonight i gave him 5 oz of chicken and 1 oz of green beans (to use as filler).

Help


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## BearMurphy (Feb 29, 2012)

what do you typically feed him in a week?

I would get him out for more exercise. do you have places to hike around you? i feel like a good 1 hour hike really tires murphy out...smelling new things plus exercise and it's not so flat as walking down the street or at a park. if you have a place to swim that would be great too so he doesn't overheat


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

yikes....any other veggie but green beans LOL

green beans are gaseous......that's the only reason not to feed them. they do fill, but they also cause painful gas pockets...

same thing happened to bubba only it was because i was feeding so much red meat. when i stopped doing that and started feeding him some chicken again, and upped his exercise, he lost weight again.

now i can feed him red meats because chicken is one of those foods that make him itch...probably and soy and corn fed to the chickens, but he only eats 4 3/4 or 5 ounces at best these days.


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## Liz (Sep 27, 2010)

I know you don't want to hear this but has his thyroid been checked recently? That is just very little food for a big guy on a regular basis.


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## tuckersmom20 (Dec 12, 2010)

Tucker had his thyroid checked when then did a complete panel at the neuro.

His is perfectly fine....

I just don't get it, I can up his exercise immensely and still weight goes no where.
He's on phenobarbital and I know that messes with his body completely, but he's now 70 lbs... He's perfect at 65 and it seems even if I up exercise, and maintain food... We still go nowhere.

I'm going to call for another thyroid panel done...


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

if you're going to get a thyroid panel, may i suggest hemopet.com and dr. dodds?

i'm thinking he needs more regulated exercise....more than three walks a week.....


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## KittyKat (Feb 11, 2011)

Have you tried biking with him? You can go slow and keep him at a trot (so not an outright run).


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## wolfsnaps88 (Jan 2, 2012)

For Dozer I started giving him all chicken. And less of it. We walk 30 minutes 5-7 days a week (depending on weather, errands to run, etc.)

It can be a challenge but I think more exercise and a leaner protein might help. 

Don't beat yourself up because of how he placed recently.


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## Unosmom (May 3, 2009)

is he getting 12 oz total for the day? seems very little for a 63 lb dog. Uno is 60 lbs and when he was on full raw, he would get 20 oz per day split in 2 meals. 

Keep in mind that underfeeding can be counter productive since the metabolism drops by trying to conserve energy levels. Also underfeeding causes body to start breaking down muscle tissue thats vital for staying fit. 

Also, look at alternate means of exercise, biking is a great option(although watch out for the heat) and swimming is a great low impact exercise.


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## tuckersmom20 (Dec 12, 2010)

Unosmom said:


> is he getting 12 oz total for the day? seems very little for a 63 lb dog. Uno is 60 lbs and when he was on full raw, he would get 20 oz per day split in 2 meals.
> 
> Keep in mind that underfeeding can be counter productive since the metabolism drops by trying to conserve energy levels. Also underfeeding causes body to start breaking down muscle tissue thats vital for staying fit.
> 
> Also, look at alternate means of exercise, biking is a great option(although watch out for the heat) and swimming is a great low impact exercise.


He swims like a fish... many times a week. I also can't do high impact exercise because of his epilepsy it does stress his body and well then we have more problems.

Tuck is 70 lbs. I can't go any higher than 12 oz a day... he would look like a blimp instantly. 
He also gets a mainly chicken diet because i do know that beef will put on the weight more.

Tucker really doesn't get energy out on walks... they really just start him.
We do play fetch a lot at home... my yard is big so it allows for long retrieves. 


Anyway, i spoke to his vet... because it seems tuck wants to lay around a bit more than usual ( which has been this way for a while), and even though he's been eating the same amount of food since this problem started.... he's STILL going up on the scale. 
So they're going to run a full T4 panel to make sure.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

honestly, i'd go with Home and dr. dodds. she is the foremost doctor on thyroid testing for dogs.

all your vet has to do is draw the blood and either you send it or your vets will. 

i know if i ever thyroid test my dogs, that's how i'll do it.


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## tuckersmom20 (Dec 12, 2010)

magicre said:


> honestly, i'd go with Home and dr. dodds. she is the foremost doctor on thyroid testing for dogs.
> 
> all your vet has to do is draw the blood and either you send it or your vets will.
> 
> i know if i ever thyroid test my dogs, that's how i'll do it.


Its just too expensive to send his blood there... the Homeopet package, and then fedex/UPS... 

Today he goes in, it'll be to rule out thyroid problems and they're seeing if its cushings


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

tuckersmom20 said:


> Its just too expensive to send his blood there... the Homeopet package, and then fedex/UPS...
> 
> Today he goes in, it'll be to rule out thyroid problems and they're seeing if its cushings


let us know.


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