Should I be concerned?

[Ninabeana26]

So I switched Dallas over from Eukanuba to Merrick's last weekend. I thought he loved it so much more since towards the end he started actually eating around the Euk & only eating the Merrick's. Plus, the week before he kept knocking his bowl over & not eating it [the Euk] but that stopped with the Merrick's. Anyway, I started noticing early this week that he stopped eating his food quickly, he practically inhaled it before. No biggie. I figured this was finally because he realized he didn't have 4 other hungry pups going for the same bowl. Now he has basically started only nibbling for 5 minutes then walking away from it. The past 3 days or so he's walked away from the food but eventually gone back throughout the day & finished it. We tried locking him in his crate like we had done his first few weeks with us, but after a few minutes he would just whine & whine to get out & not pay any attention to the food.

I am thinking perhaps he doesn't like the Merrick's as much as I had thought? Or am I just looking to much into this? Maybe he would do okay with free feeding?

[lvoss]

It may be that he does not need as much of the Merricks as he needed of the Eukanuba to feel full. Put the bowl down for 5 minutes and then pick it up whether or not he has finished. If he is consistently leaving some kibble in the bowl, cut down the amount you feed in a single sitting.

I would not recommend free feeding. Usually the first sign that your dog is feeling ill is refusing to eat. If you are free feeding you will have no way of tracking his appetite. A healthy dog will not starve itself, so if they are hungry they will eat and if they learn young that food will only be available in limited intervals they will learn to eat when offered food or risk not eating again for several more hours.

[tanza]

Exactly my response... please do not free feed... and remember pups go through many stages... of eating.. and when they are teething (this lasts till they are 7 to 8 months old) they will and do go off their food... Please remember they will NOT starve themselves. The best way to built good eating habits is that they have a set time to eat and a set time limit to finish...

[tanza]

And please continue feeding him in his crate... that is were he should be eating.. (like eating at the table for humans)... and steel yourself that he eats or NOT, his choice...

[Ninabeana26]

Thanks for the tips guys. I actually posted that after he walked away from his dinner again tonight. I picked it up & about an hour after I posted this he walked to his crate looking for it. I said "are you hungry" which he then perked his ears up & tilted his head [his way of saying yes] so I put the food back down but he kind of picked up one kibble & set it on the ground then walked out of the crate. I picked up the bowl again & tried heating it up for about 20 seconds then set it back in the crate. He ate it all & licked the bowl clean. Then brought his bowl out of the crate to me [I trained him to do that when he's done with his food] so it looks like a step in the right direction.

I have been feeding him the same as with the Euk, going by what the bag says but maybe I will try cutting back a little bit.

& don't worry Pat, he will always be fed in his crate. I think it will help when we get a second ;)

[tanza]

For sure it will help... and don't be concerned if he misses a meal.. like kids (human ones)... it makes for better eating habits.... My thoughts are... don't go to extra effort (like heating it).... he needs to learn when the food is there, he eats or not... his choice...

[lvoss]

I have found that if I fed what the bag recommended with most foods half my dogs would be blimps, 1 would probably be just about right and the other would still look thin. So I go by how my dogs look and feel in determining their portion size.

[Ninabeana26]

Yea on the bag it says I should be feeding him like 1 1/2 - 3 1/2 cups per day. We've been giving him about 3/4 in the AM & then 3/4 in the PM. Think I should still cut back a little bit?

[lvoss]

Try cutting back his food a little. If he maintain his weight and finishes his meals then he may just not need as much right now but keep an eye out for growth spurts where he may need a bit extra.

[Ninabeana26]

I switched Dallas over to Wellness last week & he still isn't eating. I called the vet & they said it's because he is getting used to the food but him not really eating has now been going on for over 2 weeks. He will kind of pick at the kibble but then doesn't want it & will leave his crate. If I shut the crate door he will just calm down & wait to be let out. Yesterday he was in his crate for 45 minutes just laying quietly but didn't eat a thing! So I removed the food & tried again later with little sucess. Again he ate less than half of the food...which means about 1/4 a cup if that.

Then this morning he threw up but it wasn't bile it was actually pieces of the kibble...

I just don't know what else to do as far as getting him to eat. I bought the best puppy food there is but he looks at it like it's repulsive or something. I called the vet & he said, try switching to eukanuba puppy...I don't want to have him on that crap food though!!! Help!!!

[LiveWWSD]

Have you considered a raw food diet. It is a little more work at first untill you get used to it, but my dogs have never snubbed their noses at their food.

[lvoss]

Some questions, how long do you give him to eat his food before picking it up? How much food is he eating a day since it sounds like he is eating just not everything? Could he have swallowed something that could have caused and obstruction or stomach upset?

My boy Nicky was a very finicky eater as a youngster. With him we had to put his bowl down and then pick it up after 15 minutes and if he wasn't finished then too bad he had to wait until the next meal. He didn't really get over being a finicky eater until we got Rally and the type of food we fed didn't make a bit of difference.

I would seriously begin looking for a new vet. If Dallas is not feeling well, you need a vet who is going to listen to you and isn't going to get hung up on something like the brand of food you feed as a reason for inappetance and vomiting.

[Ninabeana26]

Some questions, how long do you give him to eat his food before picking it up? How much food is he eating a day since it sounds like he is eating just not everything? Could he have swallowed something that could have caused and obstruction or stomach upset?

My boy Nicky was a very finicky eater as a youngster. With him we had to put his bowl down and then pick it up after 15 minutes and if he wasn't finished then too bad he had to wait until the next meal. He didn't really get over being a finicky eater until we got Rally and the type of food we fed didn't make a bit of difference.

I would seriously begin looking for a new vet. If Dallas is not feeling well, you need a vet who is going to listen to you and isn't going to get hung up on something like the brand of food you feed as a reason for inappetance and vomiting.

Well the time I give him to eat has changed as of late because I am so worried he isn't eating enough. I will put down the bowl in his crate & at first he will go into his crate & be ready for the food. However, after he sniffs the kibble he will just leave his crate & won't really go back. My boyfriend has started leaving Dallas' food out all day because he is also concerned that he isn't eating. At night when I am home I will usually try & give him 20 minute increments. Put it down for 20 minutes if nothing, remove it. Then try putting it down again like an hour later & repeat. This is what Mark was doing at first but now he just doesn't pick the bowl up at all since he says Dallas will nibble on it throughout the day if you leave it out.

We have been putting in about 1/2-3/4 in both the AM & then again in the PM but like I said, he's only been eating half of what we put in. Then when we eat our dinner he acts like he's starving or when we do training with treats he goes NUTS & acts like he hasn't eaten in a month. This may just be a puppy thing though :rolleyes: He doesn't seem too slim to me but I know as a puppy he needs to get the right amount of food to properly develop.

I watched him all last night & he seemed fine. Mark said it was only right after he woke up yesterday that he threw up & assumed it was due to him not eating but when he told me there was kibble in it [not just yucky green bile] I got more concerned.

I guess I am just wondering if it is the food he doesn't like or if there is something more to it...

He goes nuts for training treats & whatever scraps from our dinners we train him with [chicken chunks, bacon, etc.] but the kibble he will sniff, maybe even humor us by picking up a piece or two in his mouth but then he actually spits it out! It's almost like I can hear him saying "ew...I am so NOT eating this mom..." unless he is absolutely starving but even then isn't eating enough in my opinion.

[lvoss]

By leaving the food out all day you may be making the picky eating problem worse. He knows he doesn't really have to eat when you offer food because you will just leave it out all day. This is how my boy was. If you left food out he would eat a kibble at a time all through the day and not really finish any meal. I know it is really hard but though he may end up missing a meal or two at first offer his food for 15 minutes then pick it up and don't offer him any food or treats again until the next meal. The 15 minutes and it goes away and nothing until the next meal. If the dog is healthy it shouldn't take more than a couple of missed meals for them to figure out if they don't eat when food is offered then they are not going to eat. He may not clean his bowl at each meal and that is OK. Nicky really didn't clean his bowl when he was young but I knew he was feeling ill if he refused to eat altogether after he learned that food is only offered at meal times for a short period of time.

If he is repeatedly refusing food meaning more than about 2-3 meals in a row then it is probably something more than just being a picky eater.

When he threw up food, was it chewed or did he literally inhale the kibble whole? If he isn't chewing his food and has whole kibbles sitting in his belly that will also make them not feel like eating. It takes the kibble longer to be digested so they sit in the stomach longer.

[Ninabeana26]

Well that does make sense. I'll have to tell the boyfriend to only leave his food down for 15 minutes in the AM & be sure when I feed him in the PM to do the same. I just don't want the little guy to starve & I know if he is super hungry he will throw up bile, as he's done in the past.

I'll ask Mark whether they were whole or not. We're still mixing the Merrick's in with the Wellness while we transition & I know he said he saw some peas/carrots & kibble. Do you think adding a bit of warm water would do any good?

[lvoss]

A healthy dog will not starve itself. It will eat when it is hungry. You may want to just stop with the Merricks and go with all Wellness. We recently switched our dry foods to Wellness and Evo. I usually switch every couple of months anyway but our dogs didn't really seem very keen on the last bag of Merricks. Because of the different caloric requirements of each of my dogs I always have 2 foods in the house.

Though he may throw up bile because he is not eating, really he should start eating after 1 or 2 skipped meals.

IME the more you try to do to entice them to eat, the more you are doing to create a picky eater.

[lvoss]

A healthy dog will not starve itself. It will eat when it is hungry. You may want to just stop with the Merricks and go with all Wellness. We recently switched our dry foods to Wellness and Evo. I usually switch every couple of months anyway but our dogs didn't really seem very keen on the last bag of Merricks. Because of the different caloric requirements of each of my dogs I always have 2 foods in the house.

Though he may throw up bile because he is not eating, really he should start eating after 1 or 2 skipped meals.

IME the more you try to do to entice them to eat, the more you are doing to create a picky eater.

[Manah]

You are not alone, my 4 month puppy is doing the same exact thing and it has been driving me nuts! It started about two weeks after I got her (I've almost had her for two months now). I've been feeding her Diamond Small Breed Puppy food (recommended by my breeder) and Manah acts like it is the most disgusting food ever! She just picks at her food and drops it on the floor, covers her nose and paws at the air - it's so weird. But she wants to eat my elder dog's food and is always trying to get at it. I have the same concern that she is not eating enough for her age. She refuses to eat her second meal, so I only feed her a 1/2 cup in the AM and 1/2 cup in the PM. She'll eat about half and then walk away. I'm going to also try changing her food. I was going to switch her to Merrick's but maybe I should try Wellness; is that a healthier and tastier brand?
I'll also try the 15 minute time period...

Believe me, I understand your concern and frustration! This is really the only issue I have with my puppy though, otherwise she's doing great - rings a bell when she has to go out, isn't chewing up my stuff, isn't acting wild and crazy. I'm grateful for that!

Tabatha

[Nexa]

Nexa was a very picky eater when we first got her. She would eat a few kibble, then leave and come back, maybe eat a few more. We would pick up her food after 15 minutes or so. When she got hungry enough she would eat more. We tried mixing in some different goodies with her kibble, but she would usually just eat around the kibble. This all stopped the day we go Leo. She eats every kibble/treat/vegetable we give her now. It's like she hasn't had a meal in days every time we feed her. Amazing the difference it made.

[lvoss]

Nicky was our first dog so he didn't have any competition for his food. He also goes back to Serengeti on 1/4 of his pedigree so is related to Dallas. He just wasn't very food motivated as a youngster. He could take it or leave it. Doing the 15 minutes and then picking it up did make it so he ate when given food but he would still leave some kibble and did look thin sometimes even when he was eating plenty.

The day we got Rally his view on mealtime changed. Even though they were fed separately the thought of competition for his food really increased his desire to eat. He is still slower than either of my black and white girls at eating but he licks his bowl clean every day and begs for more. He still sometimes looks thin, he has a high metabolism.

[tanza]

OJ (who is Serengeti also) was a very picky eater as a pup also, but he was not an only Basenjis as we got Maggii at the same time... never made a difference in his desire...... I never chanced feed routine, either he ate or he didn't... he had 15 minutes to eat, if he didn't, he didn't get anything till the next time.... and there were times he would go two days without eating much of anything... When he turned 3yrs.. it was like a light bulb went off.. and from then on, he was like the "starving" pup... never missed a meal or left a crumb unless he was sick....

Moral of the story, don't baby them...

[Ninabeana26]

Thanks for the help everyone! I was just worried about him missing food but he does need to learn, eat when we give you food or you miss a meal. I've talked to the boyfriend & he's going to be sure to pick up the bowl after 15 minutes as well. He said it was weird because today Dallas ate all of his food without leaving his bowl, probably because he didn't eat anything last night. Shows this works huh?

Also, maybe when we add a girl in January he'll snap out of it ;)

[Manah]

I just got back from the pet food outlet and talked to the employees about my picky eater and they recommended "Chicken Soup for the Puppy Lover's Soul". Has anyone heard of this brand? It's made by the same company that makes Diamond Puppy Food. It contains fresh chicken, turkey, duck, salmon, egg protein, fruits, veggies and tons of other good stuff, all organic - of course! Manah is pawing at the bag as I type!

I'll let you know what happens tonite when I feed her dinner.

[tanza]

The Chicken Soup puppy food is a much, much better choice... note on the indredients the first two are Chicken, Turkey, (not by products) and there is no corn....

Here is a list of the ingredients in the Diamond puppy food. My personal opinion it is not the best... really you should look for food that is NOT "by" products for the meat... and note that the second ingredient is corn.. corn is a filler... I think there are much better foods out there...

Chicken by-product meal, whole grain ground corn, wheat flour, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), beet pulp, egg product, flaxseed, natural chicken flavor, salmon oil (source of DHA), fish meal, potassium chloride, salt, choline chloride, vitamin E supplement, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, thiamine mononitrate, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, biotin, calcium pantothenate, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin, vitamin D supplement, folic acid.

[Manah]

Well, I'm glad I switched her to a better food! She actually ate all of her food tonite in just a couple of minutes, which was nice! Do you think the Chicken Soup food is a good choice, or is there something better? I was going to pick up some Merricks but the staff at the pet food outlet talked me out of it and convinced me to go with what I got..

[tanza]

Well, I'm glad I switched her to a better food! She actually ate all of her food tonite in just a couple of minutes, which was nice! Do you think the Chicken Soup food is a good choice, or is there something better? I was going to pick up some Merricks but the staff at the pet food outlet talked me out of it and convinced me to go with what I got..

The Chicken Soup looks to have good ingredients... you should research different foods on line... many on the list change foods every few months and that way you can have some thoughts in mind if you want to change... main thing is "meat" not by products... and not too many grains, especially Corn (again all IMO). And don't let the pet store talk you out of "stuff"... ggg.. they have vested interests in moving different foods.

[khanis]

This is the actual list of ingredients for the Diamond SB Puppy:

Chicken, chicken meal, cracked pearled barley, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), egg product, whole grain brown rice, beet pulp, fish meal, flaxseed, natural chicken flavor, fish meal, salmon oil (a source of DHA), potassium chloride, salt, choline chloride, yucca schidigera extract, vitamin E supplement, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, thiamine mononitrate, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, biotin, calcium pantothenate, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin, vitamin D supplement, folic acid.

I couldn't figure out where you got that other list.. until I looked that is the regular stuff that we don't feed, and I don't recommend it either. Just small breed puppy (which are good ingredients) as well as the lamb & rice.

I've looked at the chicken lovers and it is supposed to be good, but I don't like to switch foods and mine have fab coats on the Diamond SB puppy (& and the adult L & R), eat well, don't stink, and don't tend to get over or underweight.

Manah is just bring picky.. as the rest of the crew here eats like there is no tomorrow (maybe they know something that I don't!!).

[Manah]

Yes, I see what you're talking Kathy; I went on Diamond's website, and looked at Manah's bag of puppy food, and I didn't see any corn or wheat flour in the ingredients either.

[tanza]

Yes, I see what you're talking Kathy; I went on Diamond's website, and looked at Manah's bag of puppy food, and I didn't see any corn or wheat flour in the ingredients either.

Thanks for the other list... didn't know which kind of "Diamond" was being used...

That said, I love the Potato and Duck that I have been using on my kids... I was using Canidae senior (since at home all are seniors) but didn't care for their coats, so switched... and they are staying in good weight and all doing well on that food.

[JennnAL]

I switched Dallas over to Wellness last week & he still isn't eating. I called the vet & they said it's because he is getting used to the food but him not really eating has now been going on for over 2 weeks. He will kind of pick at the kibble but then doesn't want it & will leave his crate. If I shut the crate door he will just calm down & wait to be let out. Yesterday he was in his crate for 45 minutes just laying quietly but didn't eat a thing! So I removed the food & tried again later with little sucess. Again he ate less than half of the food...which means about 1/4 a cup if that.

Then this morning he threw up but it wasn't bile it was actually pieces of the kibble...

I just don't know what else to do as far as getting him to eat. I bought the best puppy food there is but he looks at it like it's repulsive or something. I called the vet & he said, try switching to eukanuba puppy...I don't want to have him on that crap food though!!! Help!!!


Hey there - I have just joined this forum, and I am having the same problem with my 14 year old basenji, and after a week of not eating (after eating Wellness for a few months), I took him to the vet, who did blood work and had some concerns, and put him on I/D and steroids... but after a couple of days he didn't like the I/D any more, and I went straight to canned, as that is all he would eat... and then he didn't like that anymore, and I tried the homecooked chicken and rice thing, and didn't want any of it, and just got him the 95% canned chicken, and seemes to eat that... but is still throwing up randomly, and it is just bile and rice (from the I/D)... so I'm going to call and ask about more information on IPSID...?
Anyone else know about this?

[lvoss]

What concerns did the vet have? What did the bloodwork show?

[JennnAL]

Something about liver levels were high, most of the rest were normal, but it caused him to want to do an xray, and that showed that his liver was a bit enlarged, but not a huge concern... there was no blockage or anything else like that.
So he gave pred and some 4 pack of Cerenia to keep from vomiting...
and it was working until he finished the 4-pack...
but I have had him since January (a BRAT rescue) and there weren't any problems until about a month ago, now...

[tanza]

IPSID is something that would not "just" show up at age 14

How high were the liver values? Most of the rest normal? What rest, what where his kidney values?

[JennnAL]

well, I didn't get the numbers, but I know they have the printout, and the vet has a message to call me in the morning. :)

It's just all so strange, since he ate so well without hesitation for 5-6 months after I rescued him. His girl has always been the picky eater.
I'm a big dog person, myself, having a lab and a golden in the past, who would eat anything on the floor... and they would only refuse food when they were sick.
But I keep reading that pickyness is a trait for Basenjis, but I only feed twice a day, and if they don't eat it, I pick it up, and I did that for a week with him, and he didn't eat for a week. :/

[lvoss]

Actually, it is not really strange, when an organ like the liver is off like that often times the only real sign we get from our animals is loss of appetite. When our cat Spot had fatty liver he refused to eat even though that is what he needed to do to get his liver functioning again. It was quite a struggle to find something he would eat and get enough daily calories from. Even after that incident we had to rotate foods, he refused to eat the same brand of food for more than two days in a row. The checkers at the food stores probably thought I was a nut because I would buy 2 cans of every food they had so he would never eat the same type food twice in a row.

[JennnAL]

Thanks! I'll let you know tomorrow...
should there be something specific I should ask him?

[lvoss]

There is a liver cleansing diet that for dogs with liver damage.

http://www.canine-epilepsy-guardian-angels.com/liver_diet.htm

[tanza]

I don't believe that "pickyness" is a Basenji trait, unless they were sick, mine ate with no problem... as they aged and thing started happen with different organs due to age... they eating totally changed. With Kidney problem as in renal failure, they will not eat because they are usually feeling sick to their stomach... one reason that something like Pepcid AC helps a lot. Same as lvoss said about the liver.. when that is off then they don't want to eat...

[tanza]

You might want to ask your Vet about using something like S-Adenosyl-100 (SAMe) which is given many times to dogs with Liver problems

[JennnAL]

Thank you so much! :)

[barklessk9]

Actually, it is not really strange, when an organ like the liver is off like that often times the only real sign we get from our animals is loss of appetite. When our cat Spot had fatty liver he refused to eat even though that is what he needed to do to get his liver functioning again. It was quite a struggle to find something he would eat and get enough daily calories from. Even after that incident we had to rotate foods, he refused to eat the same brand of food for more than two days in a row. The checkers at the food stores probably thought I was a nut because I would buy 2 cans of every food they had so he would never eat the same type food twice in a row.

This is what I'm going through with Zuki! Although now we've moved onto people food and baby food. Sometimes I just want to pull my hair out trying to find something she'll eat and still have it be a somewhat balanced diet.:D

[lvoss]

In the recent economy, I have been doing a lot of research into how to feed my dogs that best foods that I can without breaking the bank. What I have found is that instead of the canned food that I was using for their dinners, it is significantly cheaper for me to make homemade meals for them. Another benefit to the homecooked meals is that they are made from whole foods and the dogs go wild for their dinner. They especially love it warm, either fresh prepared that day or microwaved to right around body temperature which helps to bring out the aroma of the food.

Here are some online recipes
http://www.halopets.com/resources/homemade-pet-food-recipes/homemade-dog-food-recipes.html

[barklessk9]

Thanks for the link. With the recent turn in Zuki's health I have been doing a lot of research on home cooked diets to a point that I can hardly take it anymore. Unfortunately with her if there is an offensive item in the dish she won't eat the mix and I end up throwing it all out. She would not eat the Spots Stew recipe because she won?t like the sweet potato, and most of the other veggies. She would pick out the chicken and leave the rest. I call this ?chicken pickin?. And the kelp might tick her off as well. I bought some Missing Link powder along with another supplement because I was afraid she?s not getting the proper nutrients. But when I put the powder in her food she won?t eat it. I now refer to the Missing Link as ?poison powder.? :D Luckily the supplement is a tablet so it can be wrapped in chicken.

[lvoss]

I use Nupro which they love because of the dessicated liver.

http://www.nuprosupplements.com/

[kiroja]

I use the Missing Link and my dogs will eat it, although I have one that won't lick his bowl clean. lol You can still "force" feed it in a sense. Just get some velveeta cheese or a slice of cheese and pour the powder onto a piece of it. Then fold it/wrap it/smoosh it together so the outside is all yummy cheese and give it to them like a treat. Now I've never tried it that way, but sounds like it might work? Or does she like hamburger? You can put it on some meat and make a little meatball with the powder inside.

[tanza]

I have been through 4 seniors now, three that have crossed the bridge, one that is still doing pretty well.... and I can say with experience... that the more things you hide in food, they will find it... and they will quit eating that particular things.... I believe that is why it gets so difficult with a Fanconi dog and all those pills. These are smart kids... they can figure out the smell and they know it is in there... so if you are going to hide stuff in food, be prepared for them to figure it out... and decide not to touch it again. Now, again, I want to point out I am speaking about elders... but that is the experience that I had with mine... and I know someone with a Fanconi dog that was good with taking pills for the first month or so, but then didn't trust anything that anyone gave him... looking for pills in it.....

[dmcarty]

Have you tried Satin Balls? THat's the best thing that I've made for my dogs to increase caloric input. You can google Satin Balls and many recipies will show up.

[barklessk9]

I have tried hiding the "poison" in cheese and meat and like Tanza said, she finds it and then gets mad and leaves the room. :D I will look up the satin balls and see what's involved in that. I did order some of the Nupro supplement and will see how that goes over. Today's favorite is hot dogs and mashed potatoes (I tried to slip in some green bean baby food and that pissed her off). I appreciate the support on living with a senior dog and I am thankful for the wealth of information on this forum.

I'm sure time is limited with her. As I may have mentioned in other posts, her liver and kidney numbers are up signifcantly (she had been on the Science Diet L/D diet for years as well as a supplement) and she also has some blood in her urine and the lymp nodes in her neck are quite swollen. She had thyroid cancer 2 years ago and it may be that the cancer has finally returned (I only had the mass removed and opted for no further treatment at that time). She has also been treated with Lysodren for Cushing's for the past year. As far as the blood in the urine (discovered when she had a physical a couple months ago and that she had a UTI) and the swollen glands, the vet said it could be caused by a number of things and that we could do diagnostic testing, but is it really worth putting the old girl through? I think at this point in her life (15 1/2 years) it's best to do what I can with food and supplements to keep her comfortable, happy and stress free- which she currently is (she still demands her daily walk, and weekend coffee runs with her furry pal Zak). :o

Okay - enough! It's nice to get that all down since sometimes I feel like I'm not doing enough and other times I stand back and think I am. I guess you never know.

Thanks for listening!

[tanza]

I have tried hiding the "poison" in cheese and meat and like Tanza said, she finds it and then gets mad and leaves the room. :D I will look up the satin balls and see what's involved in that. I did order some of the Nupro supplement and will see how that goes over. Today's favorite is hot dogs and mashed potatoes (I tried to slip in some green bean baby food and that pissed her off). I appreciate the support on living with a senior dog and I am thankful for the wealth of information on this forum.

I'm sure time is limited with her. As I may have mentioned in other posts, her liver and kidney numbers are up signifcantly (she had been on the Science Diet L/D diet for years as well as a supplement) and she also has some blood in her urine and the lymp nodes in her neck are quite swollen. She had thyroid cancer 2 years ago and it may be that the cancer has finally returned (I only had the mass removed and opted for no further treatment at that time). She has also been treated with Lysodren for Cushing's for the past year. As far as the blood in the urine (discovered when she had a physical a couple months ago and that she had a UTI) and the swollen glands, the vet said it could be caused by a number of things and that we could do diagnostic testing, but is it really worth putting the old girl through? I think at this point in her life (15 1/2 years) it's best to do what I can with food and supplements to keep her comfortable, happy and stress free- which she currently is (she still demands her daily walk, and weekend coffee runs with her furry pal Zak). :o

Okay - enough! It's nice to get that all down since sometimes I feel like I'm not doing enough and other times I stand back and think I am. I guess you never know.

Thanks for listening!

I think you are doing just great... the main think, IMO, is to make their senior years as easy as possible... And while there most likely is a battery of tests you could do... I agree you have to weigh in... "is it worth" putting them through it... when Maggii started with renal failure we did keep her going for almost 2yrs with SubQ fluids which was easy to do and pretty easy on her.. but that was the only thing that we really did... we knew her time was coming and like you, keeping her comfortable and as pain free as we could was the main things to consider.

[kiroja]

Thanks for sharing her story, and hopefully you can find things that work for a while so you guys still have some good time together. Bummer about the "poison", but oh well, you tried! :)

[JennnAL]

Thank you all for the great information!
I still didn't get the exact numbers from the vet, but he said that the blood results ruled out all of the problesm that bloodwork shows, and she he is trying to treat it as IBS, with prednisone and at first had given me Cerenia for vomiting, but now has given me Reglan. (He is 14 yers, and I rescued him for BRAT as an owner surrender at the shelter.)(He has never been a pickey eater until the last month.)

From reading the above post, I think I was messing up his taste for foods, possibly, because he would stop eating something, as the first time I gave it to him straight out of the can, and since I thought he liked it, would put Missing Link in it the second time, and then he would reject it. ( I have been giving him Missing Link since January, and it never bothered him before.)
So now I have been trying the food cutlets in the sealed packets starting yesterday, and today is the firsd day he hasn't thrown up yet, an today is the 3rd day on the Reglan, so maybe a combo of the 2?

I have also figured out that he doesn't like drinking water from the steel bowls I have, as he will go to my boyfriends and drink alot from the plastic bowl there, and not drink much here... and when I put both down, he would sniff the metal bowl and go to the plastic one to drink. Maybe that's contributing to the food as well?
Lord, who knows...
I'm just happy I didn't have to clean up vomit this morning... :)

[JennnAL]

OMG... just read something else...
do you think Frontline Plus could cause some of these symptoms?

[tanza]

I would doubt it is the frontline.... he is a "elder" and they are different as they age.... and yes, Reglan is a life savor... IMO.... and I remember with my Mickii after she had a bout with Vestibular... for a bit she would only drink from the shower... then from a drip water bottle..... when you are dealing with elders... the most that we can do is just make their life as easy as possible. And I agree.. at his age... the missing link is not going to make a big difference... the main thing is that he eats period... just find something that he likes and eats.... period... again IMO

[youngandtired]

You know getting old really su***, in humans as well as our furbabies. So sad for your B, and to know that my B, Sahara tested postive for Fanconi genes.

[JennnAL]

Hi there -
well, a visit to the vet again last Wednesday brought it down to either cancer or severe stomach ulcer, without doing a biopsy and all the extra expensive stuff...
so we stopped the Reglan (it wasn't working) and went back to Cerenia and Carafate, and eating only chicken and oatmeal, and he hasn't thrown up since! He had lost 6 pounds, and in a few days, gained one back. He still doesn't have much energy.
So, I don't know if this is a temporary fix, but it's working so far! :)

[dmcarty]

I would also stop any chemicals like heartworm and flea stuff. If he were to get heartworm - that takes a long time to kill a dog probably more years than he has left. You can treat topically for fleas with some natural things like Lemon and Eucalyptis spray (better for you as well) so that the harsh chemicals don't get into his system. Here is a link to some diet suggestions - have not tried them but they do make some sense: http://www.naturesfarmacy.com/UserFriendlyDiet.pdf

Good luck

[Rita Jean]

Go look at the following websites. When our akita had cancer we used this I found the information by accident as I was going crazy on the internet looking for help. I really belive YoYo would have made it had the vet fround it was cancer sooner and had I found this more quickly.
Go to the following please:
www.angio.org
there is also navy protocol www.specialspecies.com
under Health & Behavior go to Dog Tale of Survival at www.usa today.com

Also go read about colloidal silver just type it in ask questions about it and silver. Buy it at health food stores and only buy the one in glass bottle and glass dropper. Only want up to the 10ppm otherwise be to much.

Good luck and let us know how it is going.

Rita Jean

[Basenjimamma]

I sure hope it isn't cancer, just had two dogs with cancer put down this spring and I don't wish that on anybody. Hopefully he is doing better once you keep him on only chix and oates.. I will keep him and you in my thoughts..please keep us updated.

[Rita Jean]

I also hope with all my heart it is not cancer but if they will go look at the websites there is help. I had to go back to those when they told us granny had cancer. I do so hope much better days are ahead.

Rita Jean

[Rita Jean]

JennAL, How are you and your boy doing today? Are we eating any better and keeping it down? Hope things are better let us all know. Good Luck

Rita Jean

[JennnAL]

thanks, everyone...
no, he is worse, and it hase been gradual, but I just can't get him to eat anything any more. Much has happened since the last post, but last Saturday took him in when he refused to eat again, and the vet noticed his gums were white (why didn't I notice???), and did a blood test again, and said his anemia levels were very low.
Imuran/Azathioprine, but nothing has changed in a week.

Have tried to feed him everything - baby food, vienna sausages, hot dogs, every kind of sandwich meat available, ground hamburger, ground turkey, canned chicken, chicken noodle soup... the only thing I haven't tried is Spam. Eats it once, then won't eat it again.

I think I am going to have to help him cross the bridge. I hate that I can't do any more for him.

[Basenjimamma]

I am so sorry to hear that he is worse..poor pup. WHat does the vet want/think you should do from here on out?

We are keeping all of you in our thoughts and prayers..

[thunderbird8588]

I am sorry you are having a difficult time, if the worst happens at least you know you gave him a home in his hour of need and made him happy.
I can identify with feeding something different all the time. When my Basenji was elderly and ill it was a struggle to get him to eat and life revolved around medicating him. Like you say he would eat something one day and then not the next. Sometimes he seemed too weak to get off the settee and eat so i spoon fed him things like mashed potatoe, chicken and gravy. Once i'd got him going he would often polish off the lot before jumping off the settee and then scoffing his dog food .

[Rita Jean]

I can only wish you the best you and only you can know what you see. I know when our akita had cancer and became anemia it's so hard of a battle after that so hard to watch day after day. My heart goes out to you as you look for that answer. We are all here for you.

Rita Jean

[tanza]

As hard as it is, sometimes the kindest thing that we can do is let them go...

Hugs....

[barklessk9]

My thoughts are with you at this difficult time. Probably not much of an option at this point, but a couple weeks ago I could not get Zuki to eat anything so the vet prescribed Mirtazapine. It is used in humans as an anti-depressant and for dogs and cats as an appetite stimulant. It worked almost immediately. We used it for a few days and then backed off and now use it as needed. If anyone ever has occassion to use this I would recommend giving it in the morning. I gave it in the evening the first time and she was quite restless the whole night. After a couple days that side effect went away.

[JennnAL]

You all are so wonderful.
I helped Fred to go meet Jesus today... the vet did an autopsy right after, and he said he had full blown stomach cancer that had spread to the pancreas and liver. So all that I had done was all I could do.

I was his mom for 10 months, a BRAT rescue, and he will be missed.

[Basenjimamma]

JennnAl..
I am so sorry to hear about Fred..I know you did anything you could've to make him comfortable..
I am glad you had him in your life and home for 10 months, he is now running free with no more pain.
Sending you hugs from us here in Houston..