How to Tell if Your Maltipoo is Underweight - What You Should Do About It

Maltipoos must maintain adequate body weight to avoid the health consequences that come with being underweight such as: 

Hair loss, hormonal imbalance, slowed wound healing, shortened life expectancy, reduction of bone density, weakening of the immune system, increased susceptibility to infections, as well as skin and coat problems.

How to Tell if You Have an Underweight Maltipoo

While your Maltipoo is standing on all fours, run your hands along the sides and waist of the dog. If you can feel their ribs easily with not much skin for protection, or likewise, you feel the spine and hip joints very easily or notice protruding joints on your Maltipoo, they're likely underweight.

Other behavioral indicators such as lethargy instead of hyper-activity in your Maltipoo paired with a seemingly skinny body could indicate that your Maltipoo is underweight.

TIP: If you're having trouble seeing the hips and other joints due to your Maltipoo's fluffy coat, you can evaluate their body condition during a bath. The fur should lie extremely flat once it's been sprayed off with water.

Why is My Maltipoo Underweight or Malnourished?

Anxiety & Stress

Like humans, Maltipoos can feel the occasional stressor or bout of anxiety. When the stress your dog feels is extreme (known as chronic stress/anxiety), they may lack appetite, causing them to lose a lot of weight in a short period.

Old Age/senior

When Maltipoos enter the senior phase of their life, they tend to have more issues in life as their body deteriorates. This could cause trouble chewing if their teeth begin to decay, or they could suffer from other digestive-related problems due to old age.

Picky Eater

If your Maltipoo has picked up bad habits causing them to be a picky eater, they could refuse food simply because it's not their preference. If you notice your pup begins losing weight after a change in kibble or treats, they may be lacking the calories needed to gain or maintain weight simply by skipping meals.

Sickness

Weight loss, nausea, or loss of appetite can all be symptoms of illness. Many tumors and diseases can cause your Maltipoo to lose weight directly or make it difficult for them to eat, affecting their ability to maintain a healthy weight in the long run.

Stray or Rescue

A Maltipoo may come into your life as a stray or from a rescue organization that saved the dog from abuse or neglect. In these cases, it's not uncommon to find Maltipoos that are already underweight due to their severe lack of nutrition and basic care.

Maltipoo Weight Loss Prevention

Avoid over Exercising

It's no secret that exercising your dog helps them burn calories and ultimately lose weight. To prevent your Maltipoo from becoming underweight, avoid over-exercising them. Anything too strenuous will wear down their joints and build muscle. While that may seem like a good thing, overdeveloped muscles without enough protein will continue to burn calories and fat while your pup is getting their rest. This could cause them to become underweight over time even if your Maltipoo isn't getting enough sleep.

Ensure You're Not Underfeeding

Most owners don't know the answer to the question, "How often should you feed your Maltipoo?" But it's important to note that Maltipoo puppies have very frequent feeding needs. When your puppy first arrives home. If your Maltipoo isn't fed enough, he could become hypoglycemic and even die. At 8 weeks old, your Maltipoo should be allowed to free-feed. Then around 3 months old, you can reduce his food, giving him 3+ regularly spaced meals per day. Never give your dog less than 2 meals per day as you risk having an underweight or malnourished Maltipoo.

Offer a Variety of Food and Treats

Doing so is an excellent method of preventing pickiness in puppies. If you consistently change up the food or treats offered, you can determine what your Maltipoo does best on by observing his coat and teeth. Watch to see which food yields the best results while also introducing lots of flavors and textures to keep your dog from becoming food selective and only eating one particular kind of food. If not correctly introduced, your pup could refuse new food items or even old ones in lieu of wanting another type which could lead to an underweight dog down the road.

Regular Vet Checkups

Having your dog evaluated regularly by your veterinarian and following their professional medical advice will prevent your dog from becoming underweight long term. It will also allow you to detect any medical issues (such as oral pain, digestive problems, or tumors) that could crop up before they cause your dog to lose a significant amount of weight. After all, prevention is the best medicine!

What to Do if Your Maltipoo is Underweight

Give a Higher Calorie Food

Always consult your vet with any questions about your particular Maltipoo puppy's diet, but if your Maltipoo is underweight, consider switching to a higher calorie food. Protein and calories will support your dog's bodily needs and then some. If your dog isn't very active, this could be the extra push he needs to fuel up and gain some weight.

More Frequent Meals

Generally, free-feeding is not recommended past puppyhood since it can cause your Maltipoo to become overweight, but in this case, the goal is to gain weight. Feeding meals more frequently or even all day long will give your Maltipoo the chance to consume more calories during the day, when food would otherwise not be available.

Snacks and Treats

Doing some light training sessions encouraging your pup with treats is a great way to introduce extra calories into their diet while still giving them an activity to do aside from physical exercise. Mental stimulation like this is excellent for underweight dogs because it can replace or supplement your daily walks with your Maltipoo and other forms of excess exercise that will cause them to continue to lose weight.

Wet or Fresh Foods

Using a fresh meat or protein-based kibble, or even a wet food for dogs, can be much more appealing for your dog if they seem to be having trouble consuming larger quantities of food. Having something that smells great and is more enticing can serve as a great tool in combating a weight issue. Sometimes your Maltipoo just needs mealtime to be more rewarding for them to get into it and eat a proper filling.

Visit the Vet

Even if you're past the prevention stage, taking your pet to the vet is never the wrong answer. There may be an issue you're unaware of that can't be fixed by food alone. In cases like this, it's essential to follow up with your veterinarian and create a plan to help your Maltipoo be as healthy as possible. Treating an underlying illness could be the solution to your dog's weight loss.