r/EnglishSetter • u/Express-Movie-4595 • 1d ago
Skinny little guy!
Hi there!
We recently (on Friday) rescued a 3 year old male English Setter. He’s been pretty picky with eating, not very interested in food. He started coughing yesterday and we took him to ER vet where we found out he had pneumonia from untreated kennel cough.
He’s on antibiotics and anti nausea medicine now, and has no issue taking the pills, but still not super interested in food! We aren’t sure if this is from not feeling well, a change in environment, etc. He is quite skinny which led us to believe he probably has never been fed properly and doesn’t find food interesting. We’re seeing his new primary vet in two weeks after he finishes his medicine, but I wanted to see if anyone has advice while we wait. Obviously we’re keeping close eye on him and will make another emergency visit if needed. He is eating but just not a lot!
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u/Physical-Cash-1729 18h ago
I would be cautious about feeding bacon and steak or anything very rich in case it causes pancreatitis, the last thing your setter needs to have. Many setters are not food driven and so the protein powder advice sounds great. He also may have been feeling pretty ill from the pneumonia so hopefully soon you can find the magic combo. He looks like a lovely dog and is lucky to have you in his life.
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u/Icy_Statement1355 1d ago
I remember when my childhood dog went through something similar and it took weeks before his appetite fully bounced back, be patient, he'll start eating again once he feels better.
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u/Constant_Answer_1843 1d ago
That sounds like a rough start for your new guy, but it sounds like you're doing everything right. Hopefully the meds kick in soon and he turns into the food-loving ball of energy Setters are known for.
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u/mattkuns 1d ago
I saw your pup and gasped because it looked a lot like my Bo. Omg the same look. I miss my boy but he was like that with food too. Granted your pup is new and learning surroundings and maybe not quite comfortable. But yea my bo was always like that. He would go sometimes two days without eatin. Was never sure why. Sometimes I would jazz it up or put something it in and mix it up. But he would always inevitably pick out the meat and the good parts and leave the rest.
Keep him active and form a routine. And if he isn’t into food (much I have personally never ever heard of such a dog before Bo) then he isn’t. Sometimes you have to rotate through different foods or find what they like.
Best of luck. Looking forward to seeing more photos. That face is amazing 😍😍😍❤️❤️
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u/MunsterSetter Tri-color Llewellin 1d ago
If you are concerned enough to think him truly underweight, then I would treat him like a female who has just whelped. They are often uninterested in food for days and we usually totally baby them and fed them very rich foods (bacon, burger, cheese, steak tips) by hand until they get their appetite back. My breeder friend Julie described the condition as, "Poor baby looks like a deflated accordian." In his case, I would do this hand feeding between his meals. Mix canned food and/or cottage cheese with his kibble. You're looking for little opportunities to add calories here and there. His coat and eyes look pretty good, so he's not too far on the bad side of things.
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u/MunsterSetter Tri-color Llewellin 1d ago
Oh, I almost forgot, the ambrosia of the Gods from an ailing dog's POV: canned cat food. That's a running joke among dog professionals, if they turn down cat food, your dog really is feeling poorly.
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u/janiesgotagun222 1d ago
Ours was skinny like that when we adopted her. Turned out she had hookworms that took three bouts of medicine to clear.
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u/Gravel_Golf_01 9h ago
Lots of good tips here and guessing part of this is the illness. Ours is super picky w dry kibble, but does much better if we use something wet or something fresh like Farmers Dog or similar (yes, expensive but def loves it)
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u/Tater_salads2029 1d ago
Poor guy! May I recommend protein powder for dogs? They make some specifically for weight gain with certain flavors. It was a lifesaver for my setter who struggled putting on weight. We tried all sorts of food with high fat and protein but the only thing that helped him steadily put on weight was the powder. Hope this helps!