Salmon can definitely make pets gain weight. You might decrease the amount and give it to her more regularly throughout the day, just 1 teaspoon full 3 times per day. Chlor-tab pills are usually compatible with dogs and cats to treat allergies, but you can call your vet to make sure. Our cat gets a lot of relief from 1/2 of a Chlor-tab we coat with butter and then use water syringe for the cat to help swallow. You can also hide it in the food. You might consider increasing her exercise to help her with the weight loss. Don't let her lose weight too quickly or it is bad on her liver. If she is an older dog, I wouldn't worry too much about the weight at this point and just try your best to keep her happy and comfortable.

Check the ingredients in her food. Just because it's a 'high-end' food doesn't mean it's the best food for her. A food high in legumes is now being shown to be a cause of heart disease. Check out this site.

If she's getting a lot of legumes in her diet, she may be getting bloated/gassy thru the day. Look for a food that has high protein with lower fat and a few veges. You may also want to consider giving her boiled chicken and rice in between some of her other feedings. The higher protein and starch from the rice will help her feel full.

How many times a day does she get fed? My elderly dog does best on being fed small amounts every 3 hrs

Has a vet checked her heart? The swelling and coughing concern me.

has she had a recent blood panel done? how old is she? i'm with Allison, i would be very concerned about a heart issue. if you haven't done so yet, i'd talk to the vet about having a cardiac ultrasound done.

The cooked chicken is a good idea. Giving your dog protein several times a day might help with weight loss. I myself have some of the same things going on namely lots of food allergies. I eat protein throughout the day and I very seldom eat grains. I stay away from red meats as it is fatty. Good luck!

Rescued a dying cat by simply putting her on Taste of the Wild. A complete turn-around for her. They make canine versions too.

• I have tried raw food I have made homemade dog food which my vet didn’t agree with until I gave her the recipe she did pretty good on it for a year but her allergies started up again and she was sick of it. I feed her 280 calories a day this is what the nutritional vet told me to do .she has been on the 280 cal for a few months still no weight loss. I had her thyroid checked it was good and the vets 3 different ones think she is just fat.Allison I’m worried about her heart she is 4 years old the swelling goes up and down and she gets tired walking to the point that she will go dead weight and I have to carry her she pants and passes out when she gets home.

Her food has no grain /legumes I give her allergy pills she is on yeast meds and she has needle for allergies once a month and they gave her apolquel for a week.this was 3 weeks ago still no change in her

I would find a new vet ASAP. That is not normal for a 4-year-old dog, and if she does have a heart problem she needs to be on the appropriate meds. Did any of those vets check her heart?

And apoquel is something she has to stay on. My dog takes it for her seasonal allergies. It works great, but you have to give it to her daily.

She was on apoquel last spring for a few months and she also has a needle can’t remember the name but it lasts a month or so , no Allison I have suggested it to this new vet and I have taken her to 2 different clinics and 3 vets have treated her. The last 2 vets in the same clinic think I’m crazy because I basically forced them to check her thyroid she almost laughed when test came back good and told me she just needs to lose weight .i tell them I have had friends notice that her sides swell and they just look and say nothing.

thanks everyone for your help and suggestions

Perhaps your dog is lacking some vitamin if she is digging and eating dirt, and acting starved?

Could she be allergic to something?

From what little I've read, your Yorkie should be getting 150-200 calories a day, so if she's getting 280, that's why she's not losing weight. As you've been told by vets, 13 lbs for a Yorkie is huge, so it's not surprising that she's having health problems. Does she get only the dog food, or is she getting any treats inbetween? Like others have mentioned, I would first have her heart checked, then find a holistic vet to help you with her weight loss. IMO, she needs to be on a high protein diet.

I know from experience it's not easy to help a dog lose weight. My dog reached a weight of 29 lbs and his ideal weight is 20 lbs. We changed his dog food to a higher protein, stopped all treats (and him raiding the cat food) and after 6 months he was down to 22 lbs. Weight loss doesn't happen quickly, but with some exercise by walking or play, and cutting the callories, it can happen.

I agree with @Allison Rogers, it's time to get a second opinion.

Not a vet so not a professional suggestion but possibly unsalted, plain green beans to help fill her up. I would check with a vet you trust to make sure this is safe for her. It sounds like there is a lot going on with her, poor baby.

its so frustrating to try and help dogs with severe allergies… I hope and will assume that shes been checked for heart worms? Also, parasites… not all parasites are contained in the poo… theres a specific test for other parasites that can be done in a centrifugal spin… i always would rule out parasites because its a number one concern in pets… if you want further information and research on parasites in dogs; please let me know… the constant begging for food is the main thought here … also, my dog eats hydrolyzed highly digestible dog food… its so easily digestible… little dogs have very sensitive bellies

Hi guys, thanks Again .i have given Sadie green beans to help fill her and pumpkin I have mixed oatmeal a teaspoon in with each meal and that didn’t help fill her .i decided to divide her 280 cal into 3 meals a day and she has me up at 4:50 am starving.she has been on her yeast pills for 2 weeks and I can feel a difference in the swelling .her paws are a mess which I think maybe environmental allergies so I’m washing her feet off when she comes inside and I have antifungal antibiotic spray from the vet and she has a few hot spots on her that I spray it on.

i have been checking her poop for worms as I have asked if they think it could be something like that and they didnt think so but I have to push them to give me yeast pills and I have noticed the swelling going down. The only good thing from this corona virus is that I know she isn’t getting food from my small grand babies so she is sticking to the right calories. The last time she had yeast pills it helped but after a couple of months the swelling was back again .i have noticed her breathing is getting better she isn’t coughing and her breathing is calmer. With no one feeding her but me . The kids are really good about not giving her anything to eat they drop food though so I didnt know if she was getting something that didn’t agree with her.i have had her to the vet twice since this virus started .im on disability and I have tried so many times working with these vets with diets home made food everything it’s just frustrating when they assume she is just fat and I should watch her more carefully. So same amount of calories the only change is two weeks of yeast meds like before and I’m starting to see swelling go down .i just wish it wouldn’t keep coming back this yeast problem.

i tried the hydrolyzed food for 2 months and that didn’t help.

im going to make them check her for parasites as I have questioned that myself.i don’t think they checked with any test for parasites , thyroid was checked it is good , I honestly think they just like taking my money and I have spent hundreds since Christmas.

i also wanted her to be rechecked for lymes as she was positive at Chrismas and was on antibiotics for a month which also helped with the swelling.i wasn’t thinking that this is the cause as it started a year and a half before she got the tick.thats for all your help and I would like to know more about this parasite stuff

Annztoo she is a taller yorkie and I have taken her to a nutritionist vet and she told me how many calories to feed her , she is on high protein diet and I have never bought treats and she never had a problem with weight the first couple of years I have tried for two years to deal with her weight made homemade food with salmon portions fruit veggies vitamins researched diets etc .my sister has a yorkie and she is not as tall as mine ,i have had the nutritional vet figure out just how many calories to give her , she is watched closely when kids are around they have been taught not to feed her but they do drop stuff.sadie also digs in the lawn and I have to watch her or she eats stuff dirt don’t know if it’s bugs or not. I do walk her but I have to watch her feet because the pads are so red and sensitive and they can bleed so she gets exercise inside as well chasing balls etc.i know I have been fighting her weight for half her life she isn’t grossly over weight and I’m concerned that it’s fluid and not fat I’m dealing with

https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/parasites/

here is a good article on parasites … it explains it all… the test for the internal parasites is quite expensive unfortunately… around 250.00 … so i would start with the heartworm test and regular poo test…

As mentioned before; small dog bellies are super sensitive… you should not feed or substitute anything with your dogs food… the only thing that is recommended is a little pumpkin with wet food in cases of runny poo… dry kibble is extra hard on digestion because the food tends to swell in their bellies and is harder to digest…. dogs have an innate ability to heal their bellies… to aid in healing their own belly though; food has to be withheld for a full 24 hours… this is tough as a pet parent to do; but this helps reset the digestive track… then slowly re introduce wet food three tines a day…

the spray for your dogs feet will help… i have to do that too especially in summer heat… i use beta iodine to disinfect the feet because it does not burn and is a disinfectant. i just use a warm mix in a small tray and let it soak for a minute and then pat dry…

if you are looking for a more natural holistic approach for supplements, check out this website: askariel.com…. they used to be able tp provide advice but can no longer do so legally… they will respond to email inquiries and make recommendations… i hope this information is helpful to you and keep us posted on progress!!

ps do you do heartworm meds and flea and tick meds?

No I don’t give flea and tick meds that’s what really got her allergies going so I can’t treat her with vet meds for fleas and ticks

She has all other shots though.its been crazy here cops looking for a shooter in my community he just got caught and killed .he shot 17 and 11 died so far , scary day

she did so bad with tick med revolution or advantage can’t remember she was lifeless for days and then started getting sick allergies started etc . She was bit by a tick at Chrismas this year and tested 6 weeks later it was positive she went on antibiotics for a month and her swelling went down again.i have a natural safe tick and flea meds I am going to be using now. I will call and take her down with a poo sample and get her checked for heart worm see how that goes

I have asked before I will have to be firm .hard to change vets in the middle of this virus

I’m sorry about what happened in your town. Such a tragedy.

oh my goodness… my heart sank to hear the tragedy in your town… i’m so sorry and so sad about this horrific event…. i just wish the world would be at peace… please talk to us if you need too…

i understand about the flea/tick meds … i agree they are horrible… please share what natural remedies you will use…

your vet should have agreed to the heartworm and parasite tests… hope you can get that done and yes everything is so difficult to manage now during these difficult times… best of luck to you and you are a such a good pet parent…

take care and update us when you can … prayers to all in your town

Was researching things and found this interesting article: https://www.askariel.com/collapsed-trachea-supplements-s/1896.htm

idk if this even related but it might just be worth checking it out

We have a pug that had the worst allergy flare up after her booster shots and annual medications. She ended up at a hospital hours of getting three shots that were more than her little body could deal with. After almost two years of vet appointments and specialist and thousands of dollars we were considering putting her down. As a last resort we stopped the vet prescribed food and cooked for her adding one ingredient at a time figuring out what she could not tolerate. We also stopped all the sprays and shampoos we had been prescribed for her skin. We figured out she was allergic to beef, chicken and grain all very common. She does well with duck and rabbit after several years of cooking for her we have been using Stella and Chewy freeze dried duck or rabbit for her food we add water a spoon of raw pumpkin and a bit of canned salmon. The other big change is we do not give her baths with any kind of shampoo ever. Instead we soak her her skin weekly with a mixture of distilled water and brown listerine from a spray bottle. This kills all the yeast and bacteria on her skin our sweet gal is over 16 years old now she has a bit of arthritis, but no skin or diet issues, no hot spots, no yeast, no extra weight.

The mixture of distilled water and another of distilled water with a few drops of witch hazel were tips shared with us by a lady that stumbled on it after similar issues with her dog. I am not a vet and would never suggest you give up the vets advice for this just wanted to share what worked for us after we had tried literally everything else.

Diane I did that for a year and I ended up very sick and started her on dry food limited ingredients as she never completely got better .its so hard with her 2 days ago she seemed like she was coming around this morning her eyes are so swollen her sides are swollen she’s itchy her paws are red , I put fudicen cream on her and socks and I have also questioned the shampoo I switch up with apple cider vinegar rinse .i am getting her back to vet for tests but I’m on low income and this is all very expensive.i don’t mind spending money to help her but so far it hasn’t helped her at all.i panic when it gets bad and take her for a needle she is still on yeast meds I give her greet yogurt and pumpkin .i will try the food you suggest and see how that goes.thanks

thank you for your concern guys , this is so sad and I really wish there had of been an alert sent out .i followed friends sharing the night before wondering where the fires were , it was so terrifying my daughters and grand babies knew nothing about it until I told them in the morning .my other friend was in her yard beside shubie ramp playing with the kids they heard shots and didn’t know what it was.i know von workers I used to work there and my daughters know many of the victims friends family .its not over yet I just hope they find no more bodies .i know people that watched as Heidi was shot sitting in cars or in their yard , horrific she was a special lady god love them all and I am so great full I do not have to plan any funerals and so unbelievably sick about this

prayers for all🙏

checking in on you guys

A thought from an actual vet - perhaps ask if they can send out a GI panel to the lab at Texas A&M. This is about the only place that can run reliable diagnostics for things like exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, IBD, and other GI abnormalities. Usually it requires both a blood and a stool sample. But it's easy for your vet to submit and they're good about supporting interpretation. If they're not familiar, the link to their services is here:
https://vetmed.tamu.edu/gilab/

Most dogs aren't as much "allergic" to food as they are suffering from a leaky gut. If diseases like lymphangiectasia have been ruled out, try a good quality fatty acid supplement for at least 90 days at the max dosage on the label for the product. My personal favorite is Wellactin, but there are others on the market.

Home cooked diets are problematic. If you feel you must use one, visit the Balance It website to make sure you're not introducing nutritional deficiencies.

https://secure.balanceit.com/index.php?rotator=Front#

I'm not too worried about cardiac function in this case. Any cardiac issue that was severe enough to cause abdominal distension would not "come and go" as the owner indicates. And it would be accompanied by a significant cough. Much more likely that this is a primary GI issue. However, radiographs would be beneficial in either case. And a "dog-o-graph" is easy enough to do on little dogs, addressing both issues at once.

Yorkies are prone to a number of metabolic diseases, genetically. Lymphangiectasia, porto-systemic shunts, and EPI, just to name a few.

Wow thank you Holly .i live in Nova Scotia so I will give my vet this information.I have researched and have the raw food diet checked by a vet here that specializes in nutrition.She seemed to do better but was still swelling and hungry all the time .her seasonal allergies are bad now to and she is wheezing pretty much all the time .she tested positive for lymes last year and went through a month of antibiotics she seemed better than she had been in along time her belly wasn’t swollen etc . Now I’m back to fighting yeast running eyes raw paws itching etc her belly is very dark she’s been on yeast pills for 16 days now creams allergy pills jjust had an allergy needle 16 days ago. I’m at my wits end and health expenses of my own .i took her off homemade and have her on limited ingredients fish diet she acts starving all the time as I only give her 280 calories a day .im lost I’ve gone to 3 vets over the last 2 years .thank you for you input I really appreciate it

hiagain how are things going?

She has finished all meds no difference .im going to get a second opinion on the 15 th , thanks

ok thanks for the update… and good continued luck

have you had blood work done on your yorkie? bad breath is a common symptom in dogs with kidney and/or liver disease.