Need Some Responses

[Guest ss556]

Yesterday Alan had a bad day, was yawning, salivating, stretching, gurgling sounds in his tummy and a little weak. Today he was better but not terrific. I give him Pepcid twice a day before all his meds and yesterday I gave him Pepto. Today, b/c of the gas, I have him a Gas-X. He will only eat boiled chicken & rice or beef & rice. He turns his nose up to yogurt, tapioca pudding but will eat a few vanilla mini wafers and will drink some water. My vet said to watch him, like I wouldn't! Any thoughts? I have to go back to work tomorrow so I won't be able to "watch him". Of course if he got really bad, I would take him to the vet or er vet.

[Batmom]

Will he still eat boiled chicken/beef and rice? If so, that's what I'd feed him.

 

Unless he seems uncomfortable, I wouldn't worry too much about gas.

[Burpdog]

Me too. Feed him the chicken or beef & rice and see how he does the next couple of days.

[Guest paulamariez]

Did the vet give any reason why Alan might not be eating? Just something out of the blue? I would keep giving him the chicken or beef and rice, just so he was eating something nutritious. Tiger wouldn't eat after he was attacked by the dogs last summer. The only thing he would eat was the beef and rice combo and the vet said to let him eat that since it was better than nothing. Then little by little we started adding back the chow with the beef and rice (starting with just a few pieces). Eventually Tiger did start eating again, after his tummy felt better. He was on some medications which probably set him off, not to mention he was in pain. Alan didn't get into something, did he? The salivating thing's got me curious, because I remember a few years ago, my husky had some serious salivation going on and not eating. It was so bad we called the vet. He knew right away what it was. Are you ready for this? Nikki licked a TOAD and it was a type of allergic reaction from the toad! The vet asked if she might have been around any toads. We caught her chasing it around in our driveway. The vet had us give her a dose of Benedryl and a little while after that, she stopped the salivating and was back to normal. The vet said he's run into this a bunch of times with dogs in the area, that's how he knew what it was.

[Greytlady94]

You could also try chicken and pasta, the pasta would be a little easier on his tummy then the rice.

[patricia]

Feel better sweetie...I know how hard it is when they just don't want to eat.

[Guest ss556]

I don't know how much is enough of the cooked foods. He seems hungry but still has stomach noises and very loose watery stools, but not often. I don't think he got into something. The vet said that it could be from his medications, something he ate or something more serious and that I should keep an eye on him. I'm concerned and I guess if he is this way tomorrow, I will have to take him to the vet. He just doesn't look right and I'm getting scared. I don't know if the kidney disease is progressing.

[Cully]

Alan, Allie is sending :kiss2 and :bighug

Usually with the homemade food I know that you mix it 2/3 rice -1/3 meat. You can also mix cottage cheese with the rice for something different. Just know that if Alan eats the cottage cheese for a long time his stool can turn orange.

[Greytlady94]

The stomach noises could be because his tummy has been empty. It takes quite a lot of volume of home cooked if you were comparing it to kibble volume. There are some really good home cooked web sites. For protein you can also use eggs and for the carbs you can use potato.

 

These recipes are from: http://www.geocities.com/Vienna/Opera/2167/#dietary

Egg & Potato Diet (low-protein, low-phosphorous, high-potassium, normal sodium)

 

1 egg, large, cooked

3 cups potato, boiled with skin

1 tablespoon chicken fat

1 1/2 calcium carbonate tablets (600 milligrams calcium)

1/2 mulitple-mineral tablet

 

Provides 600 kilocalories, 15.1 grams protein, 18.5 grams fat.

Supports caloric needs of an 18-pound dog

Provides phosphorus at 53 percent, potassium at 322 percent, sodium at 114

percent of dogs daily needs. To feed this diet with a normal amount of

phosphorus, substitute 3 bonemeal tablets for the 1 1/2 carbonate tablets.

 

 

Chicken and Potato diet (low protein low phosphorus, high potassium, low sodium)

 

 

 

1/4 cup cooked chicken breast

3 cups potato, boiled with skin

2 tablespoons chicken fat

1 1/2 calcium carbonate tablets (600 milligrams calcium)

1/2 multiple vitamin-mineral tablet

 

Provides 689 kilocalories, 18.9 grams protein, 26.8 grams fat.

Supports caloric needs of a 21-22 pound dog

Provides phosphorus at 45 percent, potassium at 301 percent, sodium at 54

percent of a dog's daily needs. To feed this diet with a normal amount of

phosphorus, substitute 4 bonemeal tablets for the 1 1/2 calcium carbonate

tablets.

 

 

 

[cowpantslady]

if he will eat chicken and rice give him that

hope he is better by the time you read this

[Guest ss556]

Well its certainly the volume of chicken and rice I'm concerned with. He looks like he's starving. I'm so upset b/c I have to leave for work in a few and he'll be home. No poops this a.m., I'm afraid he will have to go shortly since he just ate. wouldn't eat the beef & rice, had to cook chicken this a.m. He doesn't look good. By the end of today, if no improvement I will call the vet tomorrow morning even if I have to stay home from work. Please send positive thoughts.

[Greytlady94]

Sending prayers for sweet Alan.

[Guest ss556]

After reading the post from Greytlady94 above, I think I am underfeeding him. I'm so upset. And he's not getting the right nutrients. He's been such a picky eater, I can't get him to eat much at all. I just want to leave work.

[Batmom]

{{{{{{{{{{Susan & Alan}}}}}}}}}}

 

From what you're saying, a vet visit is likely in order, but try not to panic (I know how hard that is, lots easier to say).

 

If he isn't interested in eating, it'd be hard NOT to underfeed him!

 

Over the short term (several months), don't overworry about nutrients, except as needed to keep his kidney condition stable. More important for you/him to find some foods he likes and get back in the habit of eating regularly.

 

Might experiment with different carbohydrate sources for him. Remember it takes 8-24 hours for things to "filter thru," so to speak ..... Batman, even when healthy, would never have firm poop on rice; had watery diarrhea on potatoes; and threw up oatmeal and most pasta. Alan's system might have different preferences -- lots of dogs do well with potatoes. I've also found that bread usually goes down well, as does barley (gotta cook it till it's VERY soft, I use @ twice as much water as when cooking it for people).

 

One thing I sometimes do when cooking for the puppers is, keep all the ingredients separate till the minute I'm going to feed, and freeze extras. That way, there's a package of noodles or cooked chicken in the freezer that anybody -- person or pup! -- can eat.