'Elderly dog' update

[user16373]

Sorry I haven't updated sooner, doggo is settling in well and has been wanting non stop snuggles bless him.
The only issue we have faced is food. He just wouldn't eat the food he was on, if I left the bowl out for most of the day he would nibble at it now and then but didn't seem bothered. So we were obviously still really concerned about his weight loss. It was obvious he was hungry though as he was constantly begging for scraps and would wolf our cats dry food down if he got anywhere near it. We spoke to a vet who said to change the wet food and also introduce some dry food. Tried this and he liked the biscuits but would only eat a few at a time and wouldn't touch the wet food.

We got advice from another dog owner and they said to try him on some scrambled egg as it will help him to put on weight and muscle. So today we made the choice to put him on half a chicken breast and one scrambled egg for his first feed and we have the same again for his dinner. He has absolutely wolfed it down and licked the bowl clean! Is it healthy enough for us to keep giving him this? I didn't cook the eggs or chicken in anything so there was no oil etc.

For anyone who didn't see my previous post he is 15, severely underweight and can't walk very much. We rescued him a week ago.

Could you use the scrambled egg and fresh meat as a topper, or one meal a day? I'm sure it won't hurt him for a few meals - and well done for finding something he'd eat - but I would check with a vet before making that his main food source as I doubt it would provide enough nutrients, especially for an underweight dog.

What was he on before? And can you try using a different bowl? Dogs can be real divas about what they eat from sometimes - on occasions I've had to feed my bloody dog from a spoon to persuade him that what's in his bowl is edible (he's eight months old and I've had him from a pup, so no trauma, just a diva).

I wonder if his teeth/mouth are causing him problems and that's why he is enjoying the eggs and chicken. (Although I understand it doesn't explain why he won't touch tinned food.)
Tinned food is a bit more appetising slightly warmed, we found.

Just seen he is eating cat kibble, which does sound like a sore mouth- in that it's generally smaller pieces than dog kibble. I'd get a vet to check him over, and meanwhile try puppy kibble mixed with scrambled egg/chicken as a temporary solution.

I can't find the story of your dog, it doesn't appear in Advanced Search.
Surprised how he turns his nose up at wet food. They usually see it as a treat after kibble.

I can't find original post either. Can you post link OP?

Have you tried something like Butternut Box?

That makes sense. Cold, wet food might hurt his gums, love him.

I asked for the original post to be deleted as it contained too many identifiable things about where we got him from. His mouth seems fine as he is eating treats and is also eating the dry dog food that we have got, albeit slowly. He is just under 2kg though (Jack Russell terrier mix) so the main aim at the moment is to build up his weight and muscle.

I would try him on a raw complete food and feed him twice a day. I'd only leave it down for 20 minutes and then put it back in the fridge until the next meal time. Leaving food down devalues it.

So glad he's doing well. Chicken and eggs are just the sort of food my vet advised us to give our adopted dog to build him up. She said the thing with commercial dog food is it's balanced, and you don't want to unwittingly create deficiencies, so try to make half his food commercial dog food.

I am no expert but from having also resuxed an under weight dog I'd continue with the chicken / egg combo but on top (toppper) some of their usual dry food so they get a mix.
I would also leave a second bowl of dry food out - google free feeding as then they can eat as when they want / feel safe and secure and know it's not going to be taken away - it can help with building up security / trust - knowing there is food
So two meals a day of the good stuff plus kibble and then a bowl of kibble - our dog for some reason liked eating in the middle of the night until she settled
Praise for eating - but from a distance so they don't think it's going to be removed

I didn't see the previous post and why the dog is under weight but if there has been any element of competition for food or food control then free feeding can have a lot of benefits