# Does my Boston look underweight?



## kerrynyc (Dec 2, 2014)

I rescued my Boston terrier Olive, she was very sick when I first brought her home. She had a nasty case of Giardia that took nearly 4 months to get rid of. 

I have been feeding her Hills Ideal Balance Venison and potato wet food. She scoffs up her food like she is always starving. My vet said that she is fine, she has gotten rid of the Giardia, but her tummy is so sensitive. She is only 7 months old and still has a lot of growing to do, plus she loves to run a play. Her ribs can be seen though, especially at certain angles. She is not emaciated, but I feel like it's bad to see the ribs, no? :doh:

My veterinarian said "better an underweight dog than an overweight dog" but I think the term underweight sounds a bit odd... I just want her to be healthy. I am also a first time dog mom and am very cautious and careful of what goes into her tummy. :redface:

It's also hard giving her treats because I still have yet to find one that she won't throw up or squirt out the back end (for want of a better term.) 

If anyone has any tips for dogs with sensitive tummies please, any help is appreciated. I would like to put a little more meat on her bones. She is toned as far as her muscle, but I think she lacking some healthy fat. I've been adding Omega 3 Salmon Fish Oil to her food for about a week.


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## elrohwen (Nov 10, 2011)

I can't see the picture, but I will say that on a thin coated dog like a boston, being able to see the last rib or two is a good thing.

Do her hip bones stick out? I find that to be a better guage if you're just looking at the dog. Feeling will always be the best way to go, but if you don't know what feel you're feeling for it will be hard. 

What does the vet say about her condition? 7 month old puppies will often look really skinny and that's fine - that's just how they grow and as you've heard, being a bit too lean is better than being a bit overweight.


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## kerrynyc (Dec 2, 2014)

Ahhh, yeah the photo isn't uploading :doh: I can see the top of her hip bones just a tiny bit. They aren't sticking out like crazy.

My vet said that it's probably going to take her a while to gain especially after being sick so long, that and the fact that she's so active. She loves to run, and boy does she run fast. I feel like as soon as she eats she burns it all off! My vet said that according to him, she is underweight, but not unhealthily so... still though, I feel like she always wants to eat even after she has had a nice healthy meal.


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## taquitos (Oct 18, 2012)

She does look a little thin but keeping in mind that she's at her awkward gangly stage at 7 months, I wouldn't worry too much. As long as she's healthy and not LOSING weight, I'm sure it's fine. In fact, my dog probably looks like yours under all his fur. I prefer to keep him on the lighter side as he has a luxating patella.


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## BostonBullMama (Apr 20, 2013)

Yea she's a little bit thin. 

You'll want to be able to feel her ribs easily and see them when she turns. 

Welcome!


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## kerrynyc (Dec 2, 2014)

elrohwen said:


> I can't see the picture, but I will say that on a thin coated dog like a boston, being able to see the last rib or two is a good thing.
> 
> Do her hip bones stick out? I find that to be a better guage if you're just looking at the dog. Feeling will always be the best way to go, but if you don't know what feel you're feeling for it will be hard.
> 
> What does the vet say about her condition? 7 month old puppies will often look really skinny and that's fine - that's just how they grow and as you've heard, being a bit too lean is better than being a bit overweight.


Here is another pic... I hope it works. This was during the Thanksgiving Holiday while I was home visiting family.


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## BostonBullMama (Apr 20, 2013)

kerrynyc said:


> Here is another pic... I hope it works. This was during the Thanksgiving Holiday while I was home visiting family.


She looks perfect here.


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## kerrynyc (Dec 2, 2014)

Can anyone recommend good treats or a different food to add healthy weight? I mean, I supposed that is a loaded question... every dog is different and the trial and error factor plays a huge role... so far the factor has been mostly error. Perhaps I should just ask my vet when I bring her back... The food she loves is the Hills Ideal Balance, I try adding the same brand kibble but it gives her a lot of gas.


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## kerrynyc (Dec 2, 2014)

BostonBullMama said:


> She looks perfect here.


The first photo I posted, the black and white one, that was taken about 4 weeks ago... right after the vet called and said the Giardia was gone. (I also fed her a bigger than average breakfast Thanksgiving morning.)


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## dogsule (Nov 6, 2013)

7 months is young. They are often lean and lanky when they are younger. My Belle was very skinny for a long time but because of her long fur you couldn't tell. Her hip bones even stuck out! I could feel her whole spine easily and every rib. Since, I would guess September, she has finally started to fill in. She is a year and a half now. I remember my cockers being the same way except for the hip bones not being so prominent. I wouldn't worry too much unless she is still really skinny at 2 yrs of age however her breed is on the slim side normally.


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## kerrynyc (Dec 2, 2014)

dogsule said:


> 7 months is young. They are often lean and lanky when they are younger. My Belle was very skinny for a long time but because of her long fur you couldn't tell. Her hip bones even stuck out! I could feel her whole spine easily and every rib. Since, I would guess September, she has finally started to fill in. She is a year and a half now. I remember my cockers being the same way except for the hip bones not being so prominent. I wouldn't worry too much unless she is still really skinny at 2 yrs of age however her breed is on the slim side normally.


That makes me feel a little more relieved! It's funny because my Olive, when she was 3 months, she was super gangly, now at 7 months she's still a little awkward, but she's growing into herself and getting super good on the leash, she just hates the cold but her weight has always been in then back of my head I think I over analyze. It was also hard with the Giardia as well. I'm glad that's all she had. She could have had Parvo and worms etc... that would have been even worse for the little one.

I was walking her a few days ago down my street and I met a girl who had a full grown 3 year old Boston and she was was so stocky in her mid section, you couldn't see any ribs at all, but her legs were thin. 

Right now Olive is just puppy... I think I have to keep reminding myself of that! She's got growing to do.


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

Lots of Bostons are radically overweight, and it is so easy to believe that's what they're supposed to look like.









(the date on the second should be Sept 2014 - obviously)










Those pictures are pretty representative (the afters of course!) of where I like my Boston. The first/before shot? Result of my buying into "Bostons are stocky" stuff. It. Was. Bad.


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## BostonBullMama (Apr 20, 2013)

We've been working on getting Toby into shape too. In the first picture, he's really fat. In the second picture, things were getting better but we still had work to do. 
The most recent picture I have of him without his coat on is this one:









Which was taken October 15, 2014. 


He's still not 100% where I want him to be, but we're getting there. 

We feed Merrick Texas Beef recipe. Toby has a lot of allergies and this has been the best brand for us.


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

Oh, yeah, I guess I could answer the actual question. I just feed less of what my other dogs eat, which is Wellness Core. I would feed the reduced/lite version of that if I didn't also have dogs who struggle to keep weight ON. My Rat Terrier looks like a skeleton right now.


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