Not As Good As I Thought!

[Guest lauri]

Will a dog starve itself to death?

 

I really thought things were going good. Miles has only been eating one small meal a day and WILL NOT eat tonight. I tried to see if he'd eat herring and sweet potato kibble, nope... but now he won't Won't eat the Hill's I.D. either.

 

I left him a breakfast of the Hill's, cottage cheese and other kibble he ate previously, and came home to him having not eaten a bite.

 

Sorry...I LOVE my dog but I'm so sick of this crap! I wonder how much is him screwing with me to get me to 'cook' again for him!

 

If all his tests - CBC, x-rays to rule out tumors, lumps and cancerous things, ultrasounds, tick titres, poop tests, urinalysis - and all we can see is anemia, protein loss and bleeding in the stomach, could he still have cancer?

 

He is losing weight but won't eat!

 

What in the hell do I do?

[iluvgreys]

Have you tried an appetite stimulant with him? Your vet can prescribe one...forget what it's called. It might help. Will he drink Ensure or Boost? My picky eater loves vanilla flavored, and at least it's a small meal with fluids.

[greytdogsks]

I'm sorry you're having to deal with/watch this. Unfortunately, I don't really have any suggestions, but I will be watching this thread. My mother's 13.5 girl is a VERY picky eater. Mom is about to pull her hair out trying, all the time (literally) to figure out what Gracie will eat this meal. Most of the time, nothing. She was at least lapping yogurt or cottagecheese. Mom told me the other day she wouldn't even eat the yogurt.

She's so thin...

 

Good luck, I hope someone has a good suggestion for you -- and I might suggest to Mom to see if it will work with Gracie. .

Kay

[GreyAcresMom]

I just posted this not to long ago. I am not sure where the documention is, but the GPA - AZ President (Leah) who is a vet and was a track vet for 20 years, and I just had this conversation and she said that a dog will not start itself to death: but a cat will.

 

Now this is a health dog with no medical problems.

 

[Guest mandm]

I think the general advice to avoid spoiling, to give them food and they will eat it when they are hungry enough, applies to healthy dogs. Sounds like he has some real serious stuff going on in his stomach and he is not eating because it hurts. Probably he instinctively knows that eating what you are offering will hurt more than hunger.

 

Is it the I/D canned that you are offering or the I/D kibble? I find that the canned is easier to digest for bad stomachs. I'd feed him what he will eat and what he can digest properly. Until he is feeling better and you find a diet that agrees with him, maybe talk to your vet about some stomach soothing meds, maybe Carafate.

 

I feel for you. I've been there. It's awful.

[Hubcitypam]

When my Rex was sick and wouldn't eat if I could just get him started by hand feeding him his favorite things like a sardine, hot dog, liver treat, liver sausage, cat food, etc. Then he'd go right on and eat canned, then go right to kibble. I just had to get him to take that first bite. He wouldn't start out of hi bowl, but if I hand fed him to start he'd keep on eating.

 

[Guest lauri]

The Hill's is the canned. He WAS eating it until tonight.

 

I called someone from our adoption group. She's not a vet, but has dealt with MANY greys and these kinds of things.

 

She says YEP!!! If you have to cook for him for now just to keep at it. He needs to not deteriorate. Turkey, chicken, even the lean ground beef if needed, pasta, rice, egg, veggies like peas, green beans and carrots. Says to add some seasoning, ust a tad to entice him to eat.

 

Says when dogs go anorexic or have food issues it's just like us - when we don't eat we get past the point of hnger and then just don't want to eat. THEN the stomach shrinks and you don't get as hungry.

 

I can completely relate to this having gone through chemotherapy. I ate very little. Lost a lot of weight.

 

Sooo...

cooked up some rice and gave him a bunch of left over BBQ'd chicken my hubby made.

 

Basically now Mike has very little left overs for tomorrow.

 

BUT the dog ate!

 

Now I'm cooking veggies to mash up for him to eat. The dog, NOT my hubby.

 

I guess that I need to start cooking! I really don't even cook much for my family.

 

I HATE cooking!

[Guest mandm]

He won't eat I/D canned?! Wow, it must be bad.

 

Cooking for dogs is a drag, but you gotta do what you gotta do. Doesn't sound like you are ready for raw.

 

Just an idea to get you out of the kitchen. If you have a large crock pot, you could make him up a batch of chicken. Cook it on low with a little water added for about 24 hrs, or until the bones get mushy. Then feed it bones and all. You don't really have to add anything like starch or veggies to it. You can feed it "as is." Cook it in the garage or outside if you don't want to smell it all day. It's really easy and you don't have to fuss with it like pots on the stove. Only thing is, because his stomach is in rough shape right now, I would take the skin and extra fat off the chicken prior to cooking it. And that's kind of a yucky job.

 

And another idea -- canned salmon or mackeral, the kind with the bones. Really cheap and really easy. Cheaper than I/D canned and more protein too.

 

Glad to hear he's eating. Sometimes it's best to give in.

[Ragsysmum]

I think at this stage you are right to give in and offer him anything that he will eat. If you can just get him eating again, whatever he will take, you may be able to mix some 'proper' dog food in with the other stuff and wean him back on to dog food again. Good luck!

[Guest IrskasMom]

 

 

 

I have one to .... every Day is a guessing Game ... Eating or not eating . This Morning, he ate a little bit of his Breakfast.

He likes Variety . He had cooked Groundbeef yesterday added to his Kibbles,Rice , canned Dogfood . Today I will buy some

Chicken and cook that for his Meals.

[Guest argolola]

I would tend to agree that you may have to keep cooking. I have had to do this for Lola at times, and poor DH just watches, as I don't cook for him that much.

 

Will he eat treats? There is a bag of "treats" at Petco called Whole Meals (I think.) It might get more calories in him and he think it's a cookie. Lola loves them.

 

Have you tried him on the Ensure or Boost?

 

 

[Fiona3]

Two suggestions that are quick and easy. Get a pound of ground Turkey and a pound of boneless chicken breasts (larger packs can be bought on sale if this works). Just throw the ground turkey in a pan, add water to cover, bring to a boil & simmer for 30 minutes. With the chicken, I cut it into chunks before cooking the same way in a different pan. When the meat is done and cools down, just store in a plastic container in the refrigerator. I shred the chicken into smaller pieces before giving to our dog. I would put this on top of the kibble and even if he didn't eat all the kibble, it got him to eat a portion of it searching for the meat.

 

This worked great for our senior Hobbes who could become quite picky. With chicken at one meal and turkey another, he never got tired of the food. We also fed him a smaller meal at noontime to keep his weight up (which I could do because I was home - not everyone can add this meal).

 

Good luck with your boy - it can be frustrating and worrisome when they don't want to eat.

[Batmom]

I'd probably try -1- a sprinkle of parmesan cheese or low-sodium broth on his ID, proceeding to Fiona's plan if that doesn't work.

 

If I'm going to cook for the dog, I cook a LOT and freeze what I can't use in 4-5 days. Then it's just matter of defrosting.

 

Eukanuba? and Purina both make versions of ID that might be more palatable to him -- ask your vet.

[Guest SusanP]

You've probably thought of this already, but is anything stressing him a lot? My Zippy was starving herself before we got her--she seemed to have decided she couldn't deal with kennel life anymore. Once she was in our house, she began eating and put on weight right away. Just throwing the idea out there.

 

 

[Guest MZH]

What is being done for the bleeding in the stomach, the protein loss, and the anemia? Sounds he has an ulcer or worse. He must feel awful. I was thinking about ulcers in people; I understand it's caused by a bacteria and is treated with an antibiotic. Has an ulcer been ruled out?

 

I did know a greyhound with stomach cancer, but she vomited fluids and a lot of bile frequently. It doesn't sound like Miles is doing much vomiting, correct?

 

Good thoughts coming to CA from SC.

 

Marcia

[Guest MomoftheFuzzy]

Lauri, what about peanut butter? Lots of protein. If you feed him some, a large lump, as a snack or treat and he takes it, then you can start putting globs of it in with his kibble.

 

Best of luck.

 

[Guest lauri]

Miles isn't vomiting. He was given a perscription of 'Sufacrade' (?) something like that. It is used to heal ulcers and other mucous membrane issues. Problem is that it needs to be given 3 times daily which we haven't been able to, as we work. What I will do is ask the vet for more pills and just have to scedule it out to give at different timing. I go to bed late anyway, so I could even wake him and pill him at midnight if I have to.

 

One test he did not have was the endoscopy. We're trying the meds first.

 

One thing I didn't mention is that Sue did tell me that the eating of the sand is what she suspects COULD have irritated the stomach lining. But something started the whole thing off and I'm not sure what it coud be. She also told me because of the protien loss to ask the vet if they checked for 'cushing's'. Also ther is 'protien loss enteropathy'.

I checked through the net for these and it seems he doesn't fit these tow things, but I'll call the vet and put the word out.

 

My husband left a note this morning that while he was bagging up left-over chicken for his lunch that Miles stood there begging. He wrote, 'he ate a bunch of chicken...almost took my hand off! FEED HIM CHICKEN!!!'

 

So I guess what we've got here is a dog that has tummy issues and maybe refuses stuff that he knows will not agree with him now. (?) I'll just give him what he will eat for now. He's NOT a fussy dog, so I'll bet when things are back to normal, maybe I won't have to cook for him...

 

...as much!

 

I'm looking into higher protien to get his strength up. Also for sensitve stomachs. I am going to check out 'Barking At The Moon', (what a lame name for a dog food!), no grains and very high protien. Also, Sandy told me she has to rotate her sensitive stomach dog's food. I've been given a few suggestions, but i'll try this one- I go with my gut.

 

Though my gut told me to get the 'herring and sweet potato' and miles literally used his snout to scoot the plate away from him last night!

 

Sorry that I seem so goofy about this whole thing. It's just that Miles has NEVER been ill or had to go to the vets for other than injuries. I can handle injuries! This just scares me! I must be a complete friek about my greyhound as I'm not even this concerned about my own cancer!

 

SHEESH!

 

 

NICE that there are so many spellling errors. But right nw I really don't care so I won't fix them!

Edited April 17, 2008 by lauri

[Guest MZH]

Is the protein loss coming from the urine, the intestines, or is it showing in blood work? Then there's the anemia.

 

I would think eating sand would cause a major stomach problem. As you say, but what started this whole thing. Might he really have an ulcer that he was trying to soothe?

 

Funny about him scarfing up the chicken. I had suggested boiled chicken in my first response and then took it out. I also might as well put back in freeze-dried liver treats too. I'd go easy on those if you try them though!

 

So sorry you've got cancer. When it rains it pours. Double nuts.

 

Marcia

[Guest lauri]

Protien loss is not from the urine.

[CaliforniaGreys]

I just want to say that you're not goofy, and you're not a freak. You LOVE your dog and thank God that you do. Sometimes this is of no comfort, but you and Miles will remain in our prayers until I read a post that you're both doing well. Please take care of yourself through all of this

[Burpdog]

Remember Magic's chickens? Many times I've said, they eat what they need. If he needs chickens, buy chickens! Baked or roasted chicken will probably be easy on his stomach. I've bought turkey, either whole or breast, and baked in the crock pot. Dogs love it.

 

On the carafate, if you can pill just before you leave for work and as soon as you come home (assuming there are no other meds), pill him before you go to bed. It doesn't have to be every 8 hours exactly. I've also used 2 grams at times when the stomach is very bad.

[Guest paulamariez]

I feed my hounds chicken with their dog chow every meal. I buy the split chicken breasts, they have the most meat on them so I get the most value for my money. I try to buy them when they're on sale. Believe me, I tried everything, thighs, legs, whole chicken etc. and you end up with more bones than chicken. Then I put the whole package of chicken breasts into a big pot of water and let them cook for around 2 hours on the stove. By the time I take them out, the meat is just falling off the bones and you can just about pull all the bones right out when it cools a little. Or, I just stick the plates of chicken in the fridge or freezer (store in ziploc bags) and take them out and zap them in the microwave for a minute or two when I'm ready to feed them and I pick the chicken right off the bones. Heck, I do it twice a day for three hounds, so it's really not that difficult. I also do not feed them the skin, because it's too fatty. Also, save the broth to pour on the dog food too. I just put it into a container in the fridge or freezer, pour it into a microwave safe cup and warm it up for a minute or so and then pour it on the dog food. I hope this helps your poor hound! You might try adding a little cooked pasta too. It's inexpensive, simple to make, stores easily and irresistable to hounds with a little chicken broth poured over it! I will keep your little sweetheart in my prayers for a quick recovery.

[patricia]

Sending hugs! I know what you are going through...and have been there several times.

[Guest lauri]

So...he's had three meals with mike's left-over chicken and I cooked up some rice.

 

I decided to try 'Barking At The Moon' - the same folks that make 'Hundenflocken'. It's a salmon based, NO grain kibble. very 'airy' but crunchy.

 

I know this because I ate some in front of him. . What we do for our greys!!!

 

He ate about one cup alone and dry then ate another with chicken broth and some more of the chicken.

 

 

THEN he ate some of my baby bok-choy.

 

What dog eats bok-choy?

 

Well, he was begging for it and it has a lot of iron and nutrients. He needs iron and nutrients!

 

Perking up even more tonight. I'm not so stressed now that I know I CAN get food into his tummy.

 

The kibble has no gluten. This is good for tummy upset. Now if he eats this until we get him in top shape, I need to figure out what kibble he tolerates. This stuff is around $50 for a less than 20 lb. bag. BUT he would only require about 3 cupas a day. I figure if he only has 2 cups a day and I give him meat and some rice he should be set.

 

Oh WHY do I jump the gun?

[Fiona3]

I'm glad to see Miles is beginning to do better. It sounds like he is willing to try all kinds of food which means his appetite is coming back. How can you not "jump the gun" when you see your pup feeling ill? I think we all do that at times. It's because you love him and want the very best for him, especially to be healthy and happy. You are doing a great job! Keep up the good work.