Marla Seems Slightly Depressed, Sometimes Won't Eat.

[Guest nerak254]

Sparks does not add any stress. Don't be silly. He's a perfect boy. As is Gobi, so I have no worries that our guest hounds will cause any problems. Sounds like Willow may not arrive until Sunday. She's no prob either, the little cutie.

 

Gobi is what brought Missy around. he was an excellent host.

[ZoomDoggy]

Yegads, I'm such a big flake.

 

Now I plan to cancel Marla's appointment for today. She ate perfectly normally yesterday afternoon and evening, and again this morning (yes she normally eats three times daily). Eliminated normally also. She still acts a tiny bit off in a virtually indescribable way, but it's so vague that I just can't justify bringing her in yet. I'll wait and see how things go over the next few days.

 

Thanks again for all the replies. I'm sorry to be so flaky. It's just that worry is kind of a natural state for me. I come by it honestly. I'm from a long line of worriers. I'll certainly keep y'all posted if anything changes again.

[Guest SusanP]

Thanks you for the replies. I think I will schedule an appt for her. It's just that I can't really point to much in the way of "symptoms" so I feel sort of vague and alarmist...

 

I would take her to the vet if she were mine. I'd also be wondering it another dog might perk her up. Any chance of that?

 

 

You mean my Tipper-boy doesn't count? Poor Tippy.

 

 

Oops! My appologies to Tipper! Didn't catch that she already had a pal!

[greysandmollie]

Aimee.....

 

I would suggest trying another kibble and seeing if that makes a difference.

[Guest Tenderhearts]

Yegads, I'm such a big flake.

 

Now I plan to cancel Marla's appointment for today. She ate perfectly normally yesterday afternoon and evening, and again this morning (yes she normally eats three times daily). Eliminated normally also. She still acts a tiny bit off in a virtually indescribable way, but it's so vague that I just can't justify bringing her in yet. I'll wait and see how things go over the next few days.

 

Thanks again for all the replies. I'm sorry to be so flaky. It's just that worry is kind of a natural state for me. I come by it honestly. I'm from a long line of worriers. I'll certainly keep y'all posted if anything changes again.

Awww, but you're a lovable flake!!!!!! :grouphug

 

Here's hoping the good eating continues! :hope :hope :hope

 

[ZoomDoggy]

Thanks DeVon. I did cancel the appt. So watch, when I get home, she won't want to eat again.

 

</Eeyore voice>

[Guest Tenderhearts]

Thanks DeVon. I did cancel the appt. So watch, when I get home, she won't want to eat again.

 

</Eeyore voice>

:rofl :rofl

 

Now I'll have images of Eeyore in my head all day (my all-time favorite Pooh character, btw)

 

[Jennifer]

It sounds to me like it's probably a combimation of all those elememts that has Marla a bit out of sorts at the moment. You know how they can be.

 

[nyGreys]

Yegads, I'm such a big flake.

You're not a flake for worrying about your baby. If that were so, we'd all be flakes.

I'm so glad she's eating.

[ZoomDoggy]

Bratty brat brat!

 

She ate yesterday afternoon, no probs. She ate about 1/3 of her dinner. She ate nothing this morning. She watched me fix the food as always, followed me to the feeding area, sniffed the food, and walked away. After several minutes of trying to coax her back to her dish, I dumped her food into Tip's dish to store for his afternoon meal. Then she came back to her dish and eagerly licked out the remaining gravy. So I put one spoonful of her food back in the dish. She sniffed it, walked away. :

 

So if this is behavioral, how long do I let her turn up her nose at meals and starve before I bring her in to the vet?

[Guest argolola]

So if this is behavioral, how long do I let her turn up her nose at meals and starve before I bring her in to the vet?

 

That's a really tough question. After Lola got sick and had to be on canned I/D, she would never eat plain dry kibble again. She is so spoiled that I keep trying other things when she turns her nose up.

 

Big hugs to you and Marla.

[ZoomDoggy]

What drives me batty and makes me think it's behavioral is that there are no other tangible symptoms. No fever, no increased or decreased drinking, no probs with elimination, no limping, no panting, no vomiting, no sore/tender areas, no burping, no gas... She just seems a little down. Doesn't play with her stuffies before mealtimes like she used to. Doesn't do her "yoga" stretches as often. I can tempt her to eat if I offer something really special (yesterday afternoon I added some leftover bits of ribeye steak to her meal and she wolfed the whole bowlful, steak, kibble and all!) she'll eat with no problems.

 

The only thing I can see physically wrong with her is she has a corn on one toe of each of her back feet. They're not new, and rarely do they cause her to limp. I am treating them with duct tape.

 

I really don't want to be forced to find novel foods for her every day (so far nothing I've tried has been effective for more than a few meals) when her normal diet was perfectly acceptable for months up until just a few weeks ago.

 

If it were just a matter of changing the kibble, that'd be fine, but I just can't offer novel stuff every day indefinitely!

[Wonder]

Try giving her some of Sparks food when he's there this weekend. See if she eats that.

When I drove to Bluegrass with Paula, Louis didn't want to eat his food (which was the same as Passion's) so I offered Passion's food in her bowl to him and he ate it

Anyway, give her Sparks food in his bowl and see if she eats it. I will bring extra so Stu can fatten him up again

 

Also, I am going to try to make fatty meatballs so will bring some for her too.

[ZoomDoggy]

Interestingly, I did try offering Marla Tip's dish, but she was uninterested in that too. It is the same mix of food, minus the "extra" goodies, so I wasn't surprised she snubbed it.

[ZoomDoggy]

Marla didn't touch her afternoon meal.

[Guest nerak254]

She's being a stinker isn't she. DQ is waiting if that would work.

[ZoomDoggy]

Oh I've no doubt she'd like ice cream. But ice cream is for two kinds of doggies in this house: Good doggies who eat their food in addition to aforementioned ice cream, or sick doggies who can't eat much else. Marla is neither right now.

 

 

 

 

... at least I hope not the latter...

 

 

Edited September 19, 2007 by ZoomDoggy

[ZoomDoggy]

Marla ate 1/3 of her evening meal last night (after skipping her breakfast and afternoon meals entirely), and none of her breakfast today. I KNOW she's hungry. I keep putting her food down, she keeps sniffing it and walking away. But she came running when she heard the treat jar being opened. Then she stood there looking pitiful, wondering why she doesn't get a treat as Tip crunches happily away at his. So I offered her food dish again. She sniffed and walked away.

 

 

I will not be outwilled by this dog. Not again.

[Guest Tenderhearts]

Have you considered giving her Pepcid about 30 minutes prior to eating just in case there's a bit of tummy upset?

 

I'm just as stumped as you are!

[Guest LolasMom]

Have you considered giving her Pepcid about 30 minutes prior to eating just in case there's a bit of tummy upset?

 

I'm just as stumped as you are!

 

I was having the same thought.

 

[ZoomDoggy]

Might be worth a try. Thanks for the idea.

[ZoomDoggy]

It's been a long afternoon.

 

Good news: Marla isn't sad.

 

Bad news: Marla has pneumonia.

 

We don't know why. We're going to start with antibiotics and wait for a radiologist to examine the xrays to determine if we should aspirate and analyze the fluid in/around her lungs. The vet told me to stay positive.

 

 

 

 

[Batmom]

Well, POOP. That is odd ... and hopefully very treatable. Prayers for your little girlie.

[Guest nerak254]

I had no idea that a dog can get it too. Give her hugs from us and tell her I know just how she feels.

[nyGreys]

Prayers coming for Marla. :candle :hope