# My new little runt and hips



## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Well... she looks very golden retriever to me. Her back end does look bowed, but I'm not sure if that is something that means a bigger problem or if it is something that fixes itself. 

She DOES look very thin and I guess I would just make sure she has been wormed. 

If you are worried about her inheriting a hip issue from her mother, I would discuss exercise, joint supplements, and adequate diet for her. It would not prevent joint issues, but it would at least make a difference in how bad they would be.


----------



## Rainheart (Nov 28, 2010)

Welcome to the forum and to your little girl!

She must have not been able to get enough to eat! She is very skinny! Your vet said she looks healthy? I would maybe go to another vet. Did they do a fecal test on your girl? You said she has a big belly, which some people may call a 'worm belly'. She probably needs to be dewormed! So, please take a fecal sample in for them to check. If it comes up negative, push for a dewormer anyway because parasites might not always show up.


----------



## Maxs Mom (Mar 22, 2008)

SHE IS ADORABLE!!!!!! 

Yes she is thin. Pups need some fat to grow healthy. Have you taken her to a vet? Worms can cause a pup to not get all their proper nutrients. I would slowly work on fattening her up. Three meals a day, maybe 1.5 cups each feeding. Don't worry if she does not finish just pick up the bowl when she is done eating. 

Letting the pup have ample exercise (play time with your other animals in your back yard or SHORT leash walks) will help muscle growth. Your pup does look a little bow legged in the picture but that could be due to lack of musculature, and fluff. Goldens are very fluffy usually even a 3 month old pup. Nothing to worry about, some have different coats. Mine are less fluffy too. 

I had a "runt" pup, she ended up being a normal size dog and a GREAT dog one of my best. 

As for the mom having a hip problem. That bothers me they bred her. Don't over do with your pup during the first year. Let her be a pup, teach her basic obedience stuff, avoid long leash walks or repetitive activities. Fetch in moderation is fine, avoid frisbees for the first year. Let your pups bones fully grow, before strenuous activity. Don't let your pup get too heavy either. A little extra as they are growing is fine, but when they get over 6 months of age, the growth slows (as does the speed of burning calories) so watch weight at this time. I have an HD dog. I don't think your pup has any issues, but with mom's history I would error on the side of caution. Make sure your vet knows mom's history too. That way if a concern arises, your vet will have some background. 

She is simply a cutie! Good luck and have a ton of fun with her! I am glad you are giving her a wonderful home.


----------



## Noey (Feb 26, 2009)

New vet, and I agree she looks thin for 12 weeks. Is she eating and pooping ok?
My second golden had this sort of puppy fur, his fur was 100% not the same as my first, but it filled in fine....took some time. He was not a fluff ball, but now has feathers that are beautiful and a nice coat.


----------



## Molly's Mum (Apr 1, 2011)

Definitely get a new vet if that last one said she looked fine. I would say she is too skinny, as the others have said either from not getting enough to eat or possibly worms or both.


----------



## lottalita (Jan 16, 2012)

I got her dewormed as soon as she got home.. because she was rubbing her bum on the floor.. so that is the first thing she got. She is eating well and has a big appetite.. could be she did not get enough food fighting with her brothers and sisters. 

The woman at the vet clinic was the vet assistant as the vet was in surgery. but as i was just getting her dewormed i did not worry. I will go tomorrow to see the actually Vet and discuss a little of what you guys have said.


I live in egypt, and here sometimes you have to push a little for them to see the issue.. so thanks all.. now i can go back and tell them to take a better look. 

will keep you posted on her progress


----------



## LibertyME (Jan 6, 2007)

IMHO, She is _extremely_ thin for a 12 week old puppy and needs to see a vet ASAP.
My guess is that she has never been wormed ... 
Doesnt sound like the people that bred these dogs were experienced in breeding or puppy care...

Do you know at what age the other two puppies died?


----------



## lottalita (Jan 16, 2012)

Noey said:


> New vet, and I agree she looks thin for 12 weeks. Is she eating and pooping ok?
> My second golden had this sort of puppy fur, his fur was 100% not the same as my first, but it filled in fine....took some time. He was not a fluff ball, but now has feathers that are beautiful and a nice coat.



Yes she eats and poops at least 2 times a day. Not sure if that is normal or not.. 

I do think she does have worms and have taken measures to fix that


----------



## lottalita (Jan 16, 2012)

LibertyME said:


> IMHO, She is _extremely_ thin for a 12 week old puppy and needs to see a vet ASAP.
> My guess is that she has never been wormed ...
> Doesnt sound like the people that bred these dogs were experienced in breeding or puppy care...
> 
> Do you know at what age the other two puppies died?



I know they knew nothing about breeding... i was a little concerned when i heard that their dog was pregnant... as she has hip problems, but i don't think they will do it again. At least i told them they should not. 

She has been wormed now

The other 2 died soon after birth. they were just too premature


I just called the brother (owner of mother) 

NONE of them have been dewormed not even the mother... so i am happy that was the first thing i did...

Anyway i suggested he gets that done asap, so i hope the other puppies that got adopted have good parents


----------



## Rainheart (Nov 28, 2010)

I would definitely still deworm her again (please do a fecal test). If you dewormed with one product, perhaps try a different one next time since each dewormer is for certain parasites and there is not one that covers everything. 

You definitely need to see the vet, not the vet assistant!


----------



## CarolinaCasey (Jun 1, 2007)

Usually puppies will need to be dewormed again 14 days after the first dose. Make sure that you remember to do so as the worms have a life cycle that you need to interrupt. You also need to drop a stool sample to the vet. There are things they can check for that you can't see with the naked eye. It also will determine what type of wormer to use. 

She does look thin. How much are you feeding and how often and what kind?

Please tell your friends that they shouldn't breed this bitch again. Bad hips are passed from one generation to the next.


----------



## lottalita (Jan 16, 2012)

okay... going to the vet now. My usual doctor is there... 

I will defently follow up on her deworming.. and research some better foods. 

But as egypt has now banned dog food... it's hard to find anything good


----------



## Yuki (Oct 5, 2011)

lottalita said:


> But as egypt has now banned dog food... it's hard to find anything good


if you cant find dog food then there tons of recipes for making your own "dog food" at home if you have the time to buy the ingredients and prepare it. its pretty easy too. honestly its better than dry dog food kibbles and dogs love it. 

I have lived in middle east for couple years and honestly its kinda hard to find dog food or treats there though there is tons of cat food and treats easily available.


----------



## lottalita (Jan 16, 2012)

UPDATE

So saw my usual doctor (thank god) and he said yes she is VERY skinny, and has a distended (puffy) stomach that is probably due to having worms. So he is happy i got her dewormed and said to come back in 2 weeks to get the next dose. 

He suggested to give her better dog food, and suggested royal canine or pro pack. I found some royal canine special blend for golden retriever under 15 months. So will start her on that. 

there is some not so great news though... he did say that her hip is a little protruding, and we can't tell what the problem is until she's 6months to a year, but i guess i will cross that bridge when i get to it... 

on the brighter side, he said that it could also be protruding due to the lack of fat and muscle mass.. so if she is fed well it might be nothing serious at all! 

So fingers crossed...


Thank you everyone for helping me out and pointing out that she was indeed abnormally skinny and to get her checked.. 

lotta


----------



## lottalita (Jan 16, 2012)

Yuki said:


> if you cant find dog food then there tons of recipes for making your own "dog food" at home if you have the time to buy the ingredients and prepare it. its pretty easy too. honestly its better than dry dog food kibbles and dogs love it.
> 
> I have lived in middle east for couple years and honestly its kinda hard to find dog food or treats there though there is tons of cat food and treats easily available.


thanks i found some food but if the Egyptian
government decides to hold up their threat.. then i will be asking for those recipes.. i always have times for my dogs.. they are my family lol


----------



## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Awesome! Good luck with the treatment - really glad you got in to the vet.

It's really saddening to hear about all the hardships that people are living with... and I really hope and pray things get better.


----------



## cgriffin (Nov 30, 2011)

I am glad to hear that you went to the vet and thank you for taking in this little girl.
Has the pup had any vaccinations yet?


----------



## lottalita (Jan 16, 2012)

cgriffin said:


> I am glad to hear that you went to the vet and thank you for taking in this little girl.
> Has the pup had any vaccinations yet?


Not yet, but the vet said wait a week for the worming meds to work and next we we start her vaccinations. 

She is my new angel in my house.. have to say my other little girl (daschund) is sulking a little but she is still protecting her when the cat comes to close. 

:--shyly:


----------



## cgriffin (Nov 30, 2011)

I am curious though: Why does the Egyptian Government want to ban dog food?


----------



## Yuki (Oct 5, 2011)

cgriffin said:


> I am curious though: Why does the Egyptian Government want to ban dog food?


dogs arent very welcome in the middle east. i have lived in two different countries in middle east, i sort of have an idea about it. 

anyway @OP i am really glad your girl's fine. feed her well and take good care of her. 

my previous golden Saya when she was 4 months old the vet noted she was prone to HD and had problems in her hind legs and hip. he had suggested to give her calcium supplements and only simple exercise but no jumping or other rigorous exercise which would put strain on the hips until she grew up and to watch her weight. Saya grew up into a healthy girl  so dont worry i believe your girl's gonna be just fine when she grows up. just take good care of her as i think she needs you right now. give her my love.


----------



## lottalita (Jan 16, 2012)

cgriffin said:


> I am curious though: Why does the Egyptian Government want to ban dog food?


well their reason is everything that is unnecessary to Egyptian in this time of "crisis" so exported chocolate, caviar, children toys, and animal feed ect... i was talking to the pet shop owner and he was bewildered with the announcement.. no one knows if it's just a rumor or the real thing


----------



## Kristin (Nov 16, 2011)

I also had a hip-dysplasia Golden. We 'rescued' him from a shoddy breeder when he was 8 months old after he'd been returned by another family after getting the HD diagnosis and them not wanting to deal with possible repercussions as he grew up.

And... coincidentally, my boy also had worms when he came home from the breeder and was underweight.

As it turned out, this dog was the best thing that ever happened to me, and aside from being a bit slow to get up and start moving when he was past the age of 9 yrs old, his hips never hampered his love for life, nor did he ever require medication/surgery. If I could have him again (health ailments that he had and all) versus a "perfect"-Golden, he would still be my pick over and over again.

I just wanted to reassure you that HD is definitely very manageable if it does end up that your sweet little girl has issues with her hips. I hope she gets a clean bill of health though and that your story has a happy update...


----------



## Karen2 (Jan 5, 2009)

Your baby is so cute, give her a hug and kiss from Lance, Sierra and myself!


----------



## lottalita (Jan 16, 2012)

Hello all, 

So one week later and took my little sophie to the vet. She has put on over half a kilo in a week, so that made me very happy. She also got her first set of vaccines. 

The head vet took a look at her hips and he said that he does not think she has a hip displasia but it may be more rickets, but again she is still young so we will see. though he does agree she is very small, and as she is the runt he suggest that i am more careful with her, and not to take her out until her full vaccination is done. 

Anyway... so goes on the journey and i will keep you updated on her, Or until she is fit and healthy


----------



## Ljilly28 (Jan 22, 2008)

Thank you for taking such amazing care of this puppy! She is very lucky to have you!


----------



## coffenut (Jan 3, 2012)

I look forward to following her progress ... and seeing pictures ...


----------



## Deber (Aug 23, 2011)

Thank you so much for rescuing this beautiful little girl. You are doing so well with her. Keep us posted on her progress and so glad to hear of her weight gain. Think she just needed more food, bad worms to go away and your special love.


----------



## GoldenOwner12 (Jun 18, 2008)

Hi your girl absolutely beautiful. If I was you I would give her some dairy to up her calcium and see if that helps with the bowing of the hips. I would also feed her 4 times a day 1 0r 2 of those meals add some puppy milk or dairy foods for added calcium. Also the vets have told me its a good idea to worm them monthly till there 6 months old then worm every 3 months.


----------



## elly (Nov 21, 2010)

Its great to hear of your lovely girls improvement already, well done for taking such care. I wish all puppies were so lucky. I look forward to watching her journey and seeing her flourish. And photos!!


----------



## Rainheart (Nov 28, 2010)

Thank you so much for updating us! So glad she is improving! I wouldn't worry about her hips right now as much as putting some weight on her. When she gets a bit older, definitely get them xrayed!


----------



## lottalita (Jan 16, 2012)

Hello All 

So week 2 of little sophie, and she has grown a bit and put on another 2 kilo in this week.

Took her to the vet for her second deworming today, and he said she looks good 

Anyway.. here are a few pictures for you guys to see. 

enjoy

thanks all


----------



## Deber (Aug 23, 2011)

Oh Lolitta, Sophie looks so good - YEA!!! She has filled out so well and looks so loved. You have done a wonderful thing and she will grow to be your best friend and companion. Thank you for sticking with ALL the things you had to do to get her on the road to health. Just so proud of you and your little Sophie girl. 

Way-to-Go-Sophie!


----------



## Neeko13 (Jul 10, 2010)

Hello there....just catching up on this thread, she is looking very very good.....thanks for rescuing her....hope to see lots of pics of her in the future....Let's hope her hips are good too!!!! I see a big difference in the past two weeks...and she will be your bff...::


----------



## Vanfull (Jan 20, 2012)

She is very cute! Hopefully once she is wormed she will start gaining weight and be healthy.


----------



## abowman (Jan 5, 2012)

She is progessing nicely. How lucky for her that you came along!


----------



## lottalita (Jan 16, 2012)

Hi all... 

sorry for the delay in updates, it's been a very busy month.. jsut wanted to let you know how sophie is doing.
She has grown A LOT... it almost happened over night, she is doing well and has now started taking walks outside. 
She is super hyperactive and our hosue is filled with her toys.. it's like having a human child. 

Anyway, there is no sign of her hip giving her problems, but we still keep an eye on it, we don't feed her too much as not to aggravate the growing hip. 

Enjoy the new pics, most are of her sleeping, as it's the only time she is still!


----------



## solinvictus (Oct 23, 2008)

Sophie is beautiful. Thanks for the updates.


----------



## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

I just saw this thread for the first time - so read from the first post to then end. What a transformation! She is so lucky to have found you. You're clearly doing a great job with her care. What a cutie.


----------



## Wendy427 (Apr 4, 2009)

Sweet Girl said:


> I just saw this thread for the first time - so read from the first post to then end. What a transformation! She is so lucky to have found you. You're clearly doing a great job with her care. What a cutie.


Same for me (just seeing this post for the first time)! YES, you've done WONDERFULLY with your new pup!


----------



## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Sophie looks great, she's coming along very nicely, she's so darn cute. 

Good job Mom!


----------



## baumgartml16 (Jun 19, 2011)

Wendy427 said:


> Same for me (just seeing this post for the first time)! YES, you've done WONDERFULLY with your new pup!


Me too!! You have done a wonderful job with her, she seems very loved!  Congrats to you and your little Sophie girl. She is a doll!!! Looking forward to her updates in the future!!


----------



## lottalita (Jan 16, 2012)

*Some new pictures...*

:wavey:

Hi all, just updating you on some new pictures of sophie  

hope you are all well x


----------



## Denlie (Nov 3, 2011)

She is gorgeous!!


----------



## Deber (Aug 23, 2011)

Sophie has turned into a real doll. She has grown so much and filled out so nicely. Love the picture of you and your girl sleeping (you have a cute cleft chin - I wish I had dimples!). 

Hard to believe this was once your tiny, skinny girl. She is on her way now, so look out world! Have fun with your beautiful girl, you deserve it and have done so good with her.


----------



## GoldenMum (Mar 15, 2010)

Sophie is a beautiful girl, so glad you found each other. Looks like a match made in heaven!


----------



## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Sophie's become such a beautiful girl, she looks great.


----------



## lottalita (Jan 16, 2012)

*is she to skinny?*

hey all, 

SO, sophie is now 5 months old, she is growing very tall and is super active. 
My only concern is... is she too skinny? people keep mentioning she is thin. 
I feed her the recomended 3-4 cups of dry food a day, and she gets the occasional treat or doggy biscuit. 
She gets 2 walks a day and is ALWAYS playing in the house, either playing fetch with me (i have a very large living room) or with the other dogs and even the cat. 

I have to mention, because of her possible future hip problem, i have been advised to feed her adult food and not puppy so she does not put on weight too fast and she build muscle around her joints. 

SO my question is, does she look malnurished or just a healthy dog on the thin side? 

I hope you guys can help me out  

p.s. trying to have her hold still long enough to get a picture was a mission. at least she seems happy!


----------



## cgriffin (Nov 30, 2011)

Well, aren't the pups at that age kind of leggy awkward looking anyway and don't fill out till later?
I would not be too worried about her weight right now. Once she gets older, she will start gaining more weight and than you have to really stay on top of the keeping her trim. 
She is a cutie!


----------



## lottalita (Jan 16, 2012)

cgriffin said:


> Well, aren't the pups at that age kind of leggy awkward looking anyway and don't fill out till later?
> I would not be too worried about her weight right now. Once she gets older, she will start gaining more weight and than you have to really stay on top of the keeping her trim.
> She is a cutie!


i wish i knew... she is my first large breed... i have had dogs my whole life, but they were always little breeds... so then never have that long gangly look to them... lol.. thanks for your reply though  :wavey:


----------



## Sammy&Cooper (Dec 28, 2011)

she looks healthy to me. what does the vet think of her weight? plus pups go through awkward stages as they grow where at times they will be lanky. she is gorgeous though!


----------



## lottalita (Jan 16, 2012)

Sammy&Cooper said:


> she looks healthy to me. what does the vet think of her weight? plus pups go through awkward stages as they grow where at times they will be lanky. she is gorgeous though!


thank you... thank god she looks like her mom and not her father! 
And about the vet... i don't really trust them in egypt... and the one i do is on holiday for the next week. 

Next best thing is this forum! 

thanks for your comment


----------



## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

lottalita said:


> i wish i knew... she is my first large breed... i have had dogs my whole life, but they were always little breeds... so then never have that long gangly look to them... lol.. thanks for your reply though  :wavey:


Five months old it pretty gangly for most med to large size. At that age they also burn a lot of their intake up by their growth and activity. Are you giving her a high quality food? Not sure what your options are where you live. I have always switched to adult food before 5 months because of growth. 

I had a shepherd that was very thin, until he was about 4 to 5 years old. The vet ran all kinds of tests on him, and he was fine. She did tell me that I was better off having a lean dog because of the hips then a heavy one.

He finally filled out at probably about 5 years old. Unsure because he started to settle down, or because I found a food that actually did him some good.

She has really blossomed into a beauty!


----------



## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

cgriffin said:


> Well, aren't the pups at that age kind of leggy awkward looking anyway and don't fill out till later?
> I would not be too worried about her weight right now. Once she gets older, she will start gaining more weight and than you have to really stay on top of the keeping her trim.
> She is a cutie!


They are leggy and lanky at this age. For some reason it's one of my favorite stages in their growth, not sure why. They're so darn cute at this age, maybe that's why I like this age so much. 

Sophie looks fantastic, she has come such a long way. She's turning into a beautiful golden girl, you've done a fantastic job of caring for her.


----------



## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

She looks lean, not skinny, to me, but the best judge is you because you can put your hands on her. This is a very good description of how to know: Purina.Com | Dog | Caring | Understanding your Dog's Body Condition

She really is pretty and looks very happy!


----------



## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

Wanted to add: at this age their bodies often look odd--legs grow seemingly overnight, the head is too big, etc.  but they all end up the size they're supposed to be if well fed and cared for. 

Also wanted to add as others have said that many dogs live quite happily and pain free with bad hips. My Tess has HD, both sides, and although I would never let her do something like agility, she runs and plays just fine. I give her a joint supplement every day. (but you shouldn't let Sophie have puppies--she'll just pass it along and that's not fair).


----------



## lottalita (Jan 16, 2012)

Hi All 

So it's been a long time since I posted... but I wanted to show you how the little runt grew up

She is still a PITA but I love her!


----------



## Max's Dad (Apr 23, 2012)

Thanks for the update!


----------



## wildcivilization (Jan 15, 2014)

She is adorable! I was reading this thread page by page and was so surprised to see her all grown up. :heartbeat Thanks for the update.


----------



## Willow52 (Aug 14, 2009)

She looks so sweet! Thanks for the update.


----------



## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Thanks for the new picture, she looks fantastic. 

She has become a very beautiful girl.


----------



## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

Nice update! She looks great. Looks like the worms, etc. didn't permanently effect her at all. Hope all is well in Egypt!


----------



## Irishladyo (Mar 15, 2014)

Wow! I read through most of this thread, you have done an AMAZING job with her. She looks great!


----------



## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Wow!!*



lottalita said:


> Hi All
> 
> So it's been a long time since I posted... but I wanted to show you how the little runt grew up
> 
> She is still a PITA but I love her!


Wow!!! She is just gorgeous!!


----------

