I Need Some Advice

[TheFullHouse]

Emmy has stopped eating again. I've tried everything, green tripe, raw meat, different canned dog foods, I even tried to get her to eat bacon and eggs. She's not eating anything. It's been two days now. We still have to puree everything in the blender. Part of the problem is that she is supposed to take her meds for Cushings with food or the side effects are nausea and anorexia, unfortunately she won't eat so I have to give her the medication without the food. She acts like she wants to eat....she will take a few licks and then stop. I feel like I'm going in circles and there is no end in sight.

 

Does anyone know something I can give her to combat nausea if that's what's causing her not to eat? Her consumption of water is quite a bit less, which is either a sign that her meds are starting to work or a sign that she's given up, take your pick because I have no idea.

 

I'm so frustrated. I go from being horribly sad, to angry to just plain bawling my eyes out. I'm trying to hard to help her any way I can. If I can't get her to eat, she won't be alive long enough for the meds to finally be at their maximum strength to help her. It takes 2 to 4 weeks and she's only been on them 1 week now.

 

She hates taking her pill. She's so bad that I had to get one of those pill popper things because she was biting us when we tried to get it in her mouth. So now one of us holds her head and body and the other puts it in her mouth, which she promptly bites the thing but we're getting it down her. To say that mom is not one of her favorite people is an understatement. She won't even take food or treats from me any more. Mike or Kevin has to feed her now, when she will eat.

 

Any advise you can offer about the nausea would be greatly appreciated. I'm pretty sure that's what the problem is since she starts to eat and then stops.

 

update:

 

We heard from Dr. Blackburn, he wants us to stop the Trilostane right now, he wants to break the cycle of nausea first off. If she's not eating anything substantial by Thursday we are to take her in. If she is eating then he wants us to call and he will start her on Reglan and then resume the Trilostane. He says the effects of not having the Trilostane should be immediate so we won't give it to her tomorrow morning and she should start feeling a little better by the afternoon.

 

Kevin just went to the store and bought her some chicken and rice soup, spaghetti O's, vegetable beef soup and we're going to try those tonight and tomorrow.

 

PLEASE PRAY OUR LITTLE GIRL STARTS TO EAT!!!

Edited August 21, 2008 by JillysFullHouse

[greysandmollie]

Have you tried Reglan??

 

I want to send many hugs to you and Emmy both. That is so frustrating...I went thru that with Rascal and it does make you want to cry.

[TheFullHouse]

I haven't really tried anything. I wasn't sure there was anything I could ask the vet for to try and help her.

[kamsmom]

Cerenia is another good antiemetic.

[Guest greytmonty]

Have you tried Reglan??

 

I want to send many hugs to you and Emmy both. That is so frustrating...I went thru that with Rascal and it does make you want to cry.

Absolutely try Reglan. It is a human drug, I think Metaclopromide (sp?) so your vet can phone it into your human pharmacy which may be cheaper. Monty was SO SO SO nauseated last summer when he had staph and was on antibiotics FOR MONTHS. The only thing that stopped his nausea was Reglan. You give it 1/2 hour before the med causing the problem. At the same time as the problem med you give a meal.

Good luck. It is so upsetting when your dog won't eat.....

[greysandmollie]

If it is nausea...reglan did help for me....

[Guest FrostyBottoms]

No advice just

[Batmom]

If it were any other dog, I would suggest temporarily force feeding (Dr. Stack has a good descrip on this page, http://greythealth.com/tips.htm ) , but it sounds like that would go over like a lead balloon with your girl :( :( . Would it be worth trying to syringe semiliquid food into her mouth?

[Guest charmsmom]

I second the Reglan/Metaclopramide route. Let Mike put it in a Pill Pocket or something.

 

And try to RELAX. Dogs pick up on EVERY emotion we're feeling, so if you're anxious, even though she can't see you, she can tell. Take a break and get out for a while. Do something happy...go visit Trish...do SOMETHING to get your mind off it for a while and regroup. SHE needs you to relax.

 

:grouphug

[Batmom]

P.S. Longshot, but. In addition to the reglan, might try feeding some things that aren't like dogfood and aren't like treats you normally give. The couple times B stopped eating, what got him started again were oddball things like cinnamon bread, spaghettios, and my lean cuisine sesame chicken . Strong flavors that weren't normal dog food flavors.

[Guest charmsmom]

P.S.S. Diamond would CHOW down PB sandwiches when she wouldn't touch her kibble.

[Guest nerak254]

I don't know if she can have these, but when Jessica was like this, she almost always would eat Dintey Moore Beef Stew or a mix of rice and ice cream.

 

I'm thinking about her and you.

[patricia]

Sending prayers. Come on honey...eat. How about grilled cheese?

[Guest wmlcml6]

Hope recommends chicken breasts or thighs with a spoonful of ricotta cheese (or yogurt, whichever EMmy likes better). Have you tried putting the pills in a mushy?

[BauersMom]

If anorexia is one of the possible side effects of the meds, could it be that?

 

If so, are there any anti-anorexia type meds available?

[CaliforniaGreys]

I just went through this with Misty. She wouldn;t even eat ice cream and that really scared me. Xan suggested I try Nutritional Yeast. Ran out to the health food store, sprinkled it pretty heavy on her KD and she gulped it. Oh please eat Emmy!!

[MerlinsMum]

Oh gosh, I have no advice as I've never experienced this, just wanted to send you lots of hugs :grouphug

 

Please eat, Emmy!!

Edited August 19, 2008 by merlinsmum

[Guest KRKWMU]

I'm so sorry you're having to deal with this. Bonnie is currently getting weekly chemo and has the same trouble. She takes several medications to help with nausea. One is Reglan (metoclopramide 5mg, x2 or 3/day) filled at our local Sam's Club. The other is Pepcid (famotidine 10mg, x2/day). On the days when she receives the chemo, the vet's office gives her Cerenia. It's an expensive anti-emetic. Probably not something you would give her long term.

 

Bonnie would do the same thing acting like she wanted to eat and she'd start, then stop after just a bite or two. The medications she's on now have really helped her (and us too!). Let us know what you and the vet decide. Another thing we did was change from a dog food bowl to one of our "human" bowls. For some reason that seemed to help stimulate her appetite too.

 

I feel your pain. Good thoughts that something helps (and quickly!). C'mon Emmy!!!

 

Just saw cbudshome's post about the nutritional yeast. We also sprinkle a little on Bonnie's food morning and night as well. Seems to help.

[MaryJane]

When my dog was undergoing chemo the only thing he would eat was was yogurt with cheerios and an occasional vanilla milkshake

[greyhndz]

You might try some Ensure, which she can slurp down, and will give her calories. And I've had great luck with strained Gerber baby meats., when nothing else has worked.

 

Another idea would be to have her meds compounded. A veterinary compounding pharmacy can either create a palatable suspension or treat, or even better, make her meds a transdermal gel, which you rub into her ears. I think if you eliminated the stress of pilling, you'd both be happier.

 

The reglan is a great idea, and you might see if you can get this compounded too!

 

Skritches to that stubborn girl -- I hope you find something that'll get her eating again.

[2hounds]

Many many hugs. When Mia Bella was so sick last year, she stopped eating (and I remember how stressful it was). Reglan and also Prevacid helped her apetite (the prevacid reduced the acid in her tummy so it didn't hurt as bad).

 

One of Mia's favorite meals was boiled hamburger. She also liked stinky canned fish or canned chicken. We gave her literally anything she would eat, even off of our own plates if she would eat it (which meant we had a bad habit to break when she got better and started eating again!)

 

Of course Tippy and Iceman (the white meat boys) thought they were being abused because Mia was getting extra meals and all they got was a tiny cookie.

 

Feel better soon Emmy, you have a very special prezzie on the way!

[Guest VelvetEars]

canned cat food

 

canned spaghetti o's

 

ice cream

 

diced ham

 

bologna

 

braunschwager

 

canned beef stew

 

chicken noodle soup thickened with some cornstarch (like you're making gravy out of the soup)

 

 

I would offer her things on people plates or from people bowls. Make her think she's getting something super special - act like you're eating it, and if she shows some interest, offer her a taste.

 

If you can get your hands on some peppermint essential oil, put a drop or two on her collar.

 

The heavy syrup from canned peaches is also an antiemetic - can you squirt some down her throat w/ a syringe?

[krissn333]

I second the Reglan/Metaclopramide route. Let Mike put it in a Pill Pocket or something.

 

And try to RELAX. Dogs pick up on EVERY emotion we're feeling, so if you're anxious, even though she can't see you, she can tell. Take a break and get out for a while. Do something happy...go visit Trish...do SOMETHING to get your mind off it for a while and regroup. SHE needs you to relax.

 

I second the relaxing...because Emmy is blind, she is even MORE sensitive to your emotions because that's all she's got to go on now.

 

Try feeding her whatever you're having for dinner on any given day. Might turn her into a world class beggar but I am sure you'd much rather deal with a beggar than a little girl who doesn't want to eat.

 

Emmy sweetie, eat for your mom, and for us, please!

[KingsMom]

I don't have any real experience with this but wonder if some tuna might help? Or on the flip side if she's trying to eat but then stopping perhaps the smell is too strong? Maybe some plain rice or pasta if she likes that, something a little less strong that is still human food? I know when I am nauseaus I go for bland foods. Sending good thoughts and prayers for you and Emmy!!

[Guest LindsaySF]

 

I have no experience with this in a dog, but my aunt's cat went through an episode a few years ago where she didn't want to eat. The longer she went, the worse she got. We ended up force-feeding her Ferret-Vite (a high calorie vitamin gel), scraped it onto the roof of her mouth, she had to swallow. It is supposed to stimulate appetite too. After a week or two of just the paste, she started eating again.

 

I don't know if this will help you, especially since Emmy is resisting you and nipping. Good luck.