Not Eating At All; When To Worry

[Guest Greensleeves]

Note: I don't need suggestions for different foods to try to tempt her to eat--we're beyond that point now. Thx!

 

Nelly (kidney disease) hasn't really eaten anything since Wednesday night, beyond a couple mouthfuls of deli meat and this frozen water/milk/sugar concoction we make her. She's taking Mirtazapine as an appetite stimulant. She had her acupuncture treatment yesterday.

 

She's getting 1000 ccs of Normosol fluid subcutaneously per day (500 morning and 500 evening). It contains electrolytes and nutrients. Last week when she wouldn't eat for a day and a half, Doc explained that there were nutrients in the fluids, so I guess she won't *starve,* but he did say the problem when they won't eat is the longer they go without eating, the less they'll feel like eating. We think it's important that she have *something* in her stomach, to help with nausea. She vomited a couple of times very early Thursday morning (so far the only time she's done that. Scratch that--she just spit up a mouthful of frozen milky ice.), but her dinner had digested.

 

She seems to *feel* more or less OK (as OK as she can)--this morning she was *very* cuddly, and she's still excited to go for walks. The only time she seems unhappy is... when we're trying to feed her.

 

We're all really stressed out here, and we're not sure how worried we should be about this. I think tonight we'll grind up some of her prescription food, mix it with water, and syringe-feed her.

 

Does anyone have any information about how long dogs (on fluids?) can go without eating? Information on "force feeding" a dog (I read an article last year about a woman who syringe fed her dog for a while, but I can't find it now)? I think we're going to take her back in to the vets in the morning, but we're so worried and confused and don't know how worried and confused we really need to be.

 

ETA: forgot to mention that last weekend, Doc told us that we didn't need to take her to the emergency vets for more IV therapy unless/until she either couldn't get up, or she wasn't keeping anything down. They did say we could bring her *there* to their clinic next week for outpatient IV, but I'm not sure what our plan is yet (it changes hourly).

 

Help?

 

Thank you!!

Edited September 27, 2008 by Greensleeves

[packmom]

You have my sympathies! We are going through the same thing with Angel and kidney disease. Mirtazapine did nothing for her. I definitely get worried when she won't eat for a couple of days. Angel has lost so much wieght this summer from being on chemo and now the kidney disease. I have a really huge syringe from the vet for Leeanna when she had an esophageal tube. They said to make canned food watered down like a thick soup. I haven't tried to mouth feed Angel yet but I'm ready to try it. Right now she will only eat if I hand feed her. Then barely enough to keep going. I don't know how long they can go without eating but Leeana was in ICU for 10 days and I know she did not eat for 7 days til they put the tube in. It took her several days to learn to eat again. They mentioned giving Angel pred. to stimulate her appetite but didn't yet. She needs her immune system too much now! The Drs. at OSU don't put much trust in any appetite stimulants.

Best of luck to you. If you find a feeding breakthrough please let us know!

[patricia]

Oh how I know what you are going through. When Angel Queenie went through this with her renal failure...we got a special can food at the vet that I mixed with warm water and I syringe fed her...but it was not easy. She also seemed to feel happy until meal time. It is so frustrating and makes you feel so bad when you can't get them to eat. Sending my prayers and hope for your sweet baby girl.

[Batmom]

Might want to email Burpdog (Diane). Believe she's been thru this before, too.

 

Hugs meanwhile.

[ElizabethGPAPS]

When Isabella has gone on her "eating strikes" I find that force-feeding her a little helps to stimulate her appetite - it's like her stomach gets a little food in it and suddenly remembers that it's hungry. I usually poked a couple of turkey dogs down her, half at a time, because they're smooth and cylindrical and it's pretty easy. Refrigerated canned dog food (the loaf kind - it has to be firm) squeezed into tube-shapes is also good. Just remember that the esophagus is on the dog's left, or your right as you're facing her.

Edited September 27, 2008 by ElizabethGPAPS

[Guest MorganKonaAlex]

I had to force feed Morgan a few years ago to get his digestive system working again after a surgery. I found an article and followed it. It worked well. Get Science Diet I/D from the yet. It's a very firm food. Chill it in the refrrig. to make it firmer. Take the whole contents out of the can. Cut it in half across the middle. Now you have 2 cylinders. Put a cylinder on end and cut it like a pie into wedges. These are a good size and shape for force feeding. Hold the wedge in one hand. I used a thumb and middle finger on each side; the index finger behind the end of the wedge. Open the dog's mouth and position the food at the back of the mouth. Then push with food in with your index finger.

[Guest Greensleeves]

Hi, and thanks, everyone!

 

We spoke to the vet yesterday morning, and he said that you start worrying (and see the vet) if a dog is absolutely refusing all food for three days. In Nelly's case, because she's on fluids, he said he might go for 4. We don't actually go four days without seeing the vet.

 

She wasn't totally refusing to taste *anything* until today, but yesterday we decided to start syringe feeding her her prescription diet. She's tolerating it well so far, although of course we'd prefer to see her want to eat on her own. Right now she's trying so hard--looking so hopeful until you actually put any food in front of her, and then she looks crushed and depressed.

 

We're taking her to the vet tomorrow morning for more bloodwork, and plan to leave her there for some IV fluids. She had a bad night last night--so restless and couldn't stay in one place longer than about 15 minutes. Very early this morning she spit up a couple of times. The vets told us on Thursday that "intense muscle activity" could cause creatinine to spike, and I will be really surprised if it's below 7 tomorrow.

 

Sigh.

[Batmom]

I'm sorry she isn't doing better, Stephanie.

 

Keeping her in my prayers.

[CaliforniaGreys]

Lots of prayers coming from here.