A responsible dog owner feeds his dog every day so that the animal remains healthy and happy, but unfortunately there are also dog owners who let their dogs fall into neglect and become malnourished and sickly. Anyone who takes in such a dog must nurture it back to health with a great deal of care, as the malnourished dog's disturbed metabolism must be gradually re-acclimatised to normal meals.

 

At the beginning, the dog should be given frequent but small portions per day. Due to the lack of food, the dog's stomach has become smaller and cannot cope with large amounts of food at once. Instinctively you want to give the food a full meal, but this will make him sick and he will probably regurgitate it. It is therefore better to offer him only a little and give him time to digest so that his stomach can slowly expand again.

A complete dog food for puppies is easier for the malnourished body to digest.

A vitamin supplement from the pet shop can be added to the food to help the dog's body regenerate. Amino acids such as glutamine and arginine as well as omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are particularly important.

 

Give the dog fresh water several times a day. In case of malnutrition, it is extremely important that the body does not become dehydrated.

 

How much the dog eats per day should be recorded, as well as its body weight. It is best to weigh the dog twice a day to see if and how much weight it has gained. A dog of normal weight should be given two meals a day, according to its size. The malnourished dog should be given approximately the same amount throughout the day. If he does not eat the food offered, do not force him to do so, he will certainly return to the food bowl later.

A dog that eats very poorly or not at all or vomits frequently should be taken to the vet immediately, as it may need to be artificially fed or may have another illness.