Howdy A 5 yo greyhound female dog fell into my lap a few days ago and I'm seeking feeding advice. Her history is a complete mystery but for her (supposed) age. She looks to me to be a larger than average female as far as frame goes but I haven't weighed her yet. I think she has seen some neglect as the ribs are much more pronounced than breed standard as near as I can tell. She is very interested in eating as much as I allow. As she is so thin I am feeding more than I expect to when things settle down but could use some practical advice. I'm reading that a twice daily feeding of 2 1/2 cups of dry food (I'm using 23% protein) is about right. Does that sound ballpark? To hear her tell it that's not enough. I supplement her feed with eggs and the occasional milk bone dog biscuits. Any advice appreciated, thanx.
Might try adding a little safflower oil - just a tablespoon or two. Our greyhound had thyroid probs, so her skin was very dry, and the oil helped a bit in keeping it nice and the coat shiny. Ended up hving to give back the greyhound when we moved, but she was very sweet, despite her millions of health problems. Edited to add... Watch out for the diarrhea. They're notorious for it if there is any change in their little lives. A bit of cooked plain macaroni or rice should clear it up alright. Keeping them crated at night helps too.
I feed 1 pint glass of Pedigree at 7am and 7pm. My greyhounds are 11 and they've been with me for 9 years. Their weight has never fluctuated more than 1/2 a lb. in that entire time on this diet. My male weighs about 71 lbs. and my female weighs about 66. They have also had no health problems except the occasional cut or scrape, and my female has a urinary condition from a tipped bladder (hereditary) that we have her on phenylpropanolamine for. Occasionally their coats get a little flaky and I add about 2-3 T. of olive oil to the food. I feed ABSOLUTELY no table scraps or treats except the occasional hard boiled egg, raw carrot, celery stick, or watermelon in the summer. Enjoy your dog--they're absolutely precious. Just make sure any cats around don't start running (my dogs have had a few feral snackies in their day), and kiss your couch goodbye, unless there's room for both of you...
Hey, thanks for the quick answers. I reckon I'll fatten her up a bit then cut back to that pint-ish. She's a sweetheart so far. One of her new house mates is a whippet so I'm at least familiar with the "gas" in gastrointestinal. So to speak. Thanx for the advice.
It depends on the breed as much as the brand. Greyhounds have very low caloric needs, as they have been bred for eons to sleep all day every day and chase occasionally for short periods of time. Mr. Dot-pay special attention to her teeth. That pathetic diet they're served at the track can set them up for a lifetime of nasty-@ss teeth. My male needs his teeth done at least once or twice a year, but my female has never had hers done and they're fine.
I'm feeding "Atta Boy" - a 23% protein feed. Yes, her teeth are a mess. I read that that's common with ex-track dogs. I've called my vet and am now saving for her first visit which will include a teeth cleaning and possibly a spay if I decide to go that route. Braces, however, are out.
As with the individual. I don't know if it varies quite as much as the type of food. Some cases with a brand, the dog wood eat 10 cups, another brand 3 cups!! Anyhoo, I haven't heard of the Atta Boy food. Can't find any info on it either really.
It's a budget brand available locally from Costco & Walmart. This girl, probably having been kennel raised, will wolf down whatever is put in front of her - which makes her harder to peg than the other two k-9's here who prefer free choice. At least they did before greedy gut arrived.
