Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
cal_dreamer

Friend's new skinny puppy

cal_dreamer
13 years ago

My friend's son bought a puppy from a backyard 'breeder' a few days ago. This pup is 12 weeks old, and is just skin and bones. You can see every rib, every point on his pelvic bones and his spine. How he has such a happy, friendly personality is beyond me.

My friend does not know much about dog nutrition, and probably can't afford to buy premium dog food. I think she's giving him puppy chow four times a day.

I'm gently encouraging her to get him into the vet ASAP instead of just taking him to the low-cost shot cinic. She did de-worm him yesterday though.

I'd like to give them a gift - I was thinking a big tub of freeze-dried liver treats and some vitamin supplements. Anything to be supportive and helpful and I really don't want to cause any hard feelings.

Any other ideas of a good gift?

(And if I ever find out where they got the puppy I'm turning the idiots in for animal cruelty. People should NOT breed animals if they can't afford to take care of them properly!)

Comments (8)

  • ilovedobies
    13 years ago

    I'm sorry to hear about your friends puppy, I hate BYB. You're right these idiots should not be breeding dogs, but your friend should not be buying a puppy from them. Why didn't they do their homework before buying a puppy, and if they can't afford to give this pup proper care why did they get a pup at all. Most of us feel sorry for these pups and want to bring them home. This gives the BYB money and the cycle continues.

  • Elly_NJ
    13 years ago

    Good gifts: buy them puppy food. Buy a trip to the vet. Convince them to give up the puppy if they can't properly care for it.

    They should feed in 4X a day.

  • christine1950
    13 years ago

    The poor pup has worms for sure and over the counter meds will not work, if you want to give a really nice gift and you can afford it why not help her with the vet office visit I agree with elly about that idea. I too HATE, HATE...BYB, most of their animals wind up in shelters or worse because of health issues, sorry about my rambling on. Your a good friend,hope you friend knows it :>)

  • petaloid
    13 years ago

    I agree with Christine -- worms are most likely the cause of the weight loss you describe.

    You say your friend had him de-wormed yesterday. Was that at the "low-cost shot clinic" you mentioned? If so, they may have given him something that works. If not, I agree that a vet visit is in order.

  • sue36
    13 years ago

    Why would someone who cannot afford to care for a dog (provide quality food and medical care) buy a dog?

  • petaloid
    13 years ago

    Cal dreamer's friend's son bought the dog. Young people don't always think things through before they act.
    (Sometimes grown-ups don't either - lol)

    Another thought occurred to me. We had a dobie years ago, and he could not digest anything containing beef -- it ran right through him. It's possible that the dog may have a food allergy. Either way, a vet visit is called for.

  • cal_dreamer
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Yup, it was "look what I bought with my graduation money!" No bed, no toys, no leash, no bowls, no collar. After a while, put him in his room and went to his girlfriends house. Suprise, suprise when he returned a few hours later the pup had peed and pooped all over his new clothes (which of course, were on the floor :) )

    At least the rest of the family is making sure he gets fed, played with, cleaned up after, etc. Little sister is actually doing most of the caring, since who can resist a wiggly puppy?

    Nope, my friend didn't want the dog but now he's part of the family.

    Thanks for all the advice. If we were closer friends I'd just take him to the vet myself - as it is we are more like friends/co-workers and I don't want to insinuate that they can't take care of the dog. They're trying.

    I'll try to find out what kind of worming it was, and suggest he may need something stronger than an OTC med.

  • christine1950
    13 years ago

    At least you care and that makes you a very caring person :>)

Sponsored
MAC Design + Build
Average rating: 4.3 out of 5 stars18 Reviews
Loudon County Full-Service Design/Build Firm & Kitchen Remodeler