If You've Had Trouble Getting Your Dog To Eat Due To Illness/meds

[Tracey]

It would not be unusual for the three antibiotics and the lasix to put Cosmo off her food and it has. At least off what she normally eats. What I've had success with is frozen vanilla pudding cups, peanut butter, mixed vegetable and turkey baby food, and to a lesser degree turkey hotdogs and cottage cheese.

 

What hasn't worked is hamburger, potatoes, liverwurst, and of course you can forget dog food.

 

Any other ideas? I'm going to get some Ensure and see how that freezes since she enjoys the cold treats. I'll also be getting other flavors of baby food. Cosmo has always had a sweet tooth, but not for fruit, so any sweet ideas would be especially helpful. I'm trying to keep the sodium down because of the lasix, but at this point she's pretty much getting anything she'll eat.

Edited August 23, 2009 by Tracey

[Guest Energy11]

I would feed WHATEVER works for your baby!

 

Good Luck! LOVE FROM HERE! Dee and The Five!

[Guest Heehoo]

Tripp, ice cream, dog treats. Baby food, sweet potatoes. Catfood, tuna, salmon. This was one with hermangio sarcoma & had gone through surgery & was now not eating anything.

[Guest greytbookert]

You could try canned mackeral or even tuna, anything smelly. If you can find green tripe, that has always worked for us when Booker wasn't wanting to eat. Another thing that worked for us, sometimes, was grated parmesan cheese. It's strange, Booker was the only one of our hounds that we ever had to entice to eat... hmmm.

 

Other things that we tried was Ensure, baby food, cottage cheese oh and grilled chicken, he LOVED that! oh and maybe some pasta, if you think she can tolerate it.

 

Good luck!

 

 

[CaliforniaGreys]

I had good luck with boiled chicken, tilapia, and the baby food meats. I also was able to get her to eat rice if I put chicken broth in it

 

And it was the Nutritional Yeast that got her appetite going

Edited August 23, 2009 by cbudshome

[Guest greytbookert]

Just thought of something else. Low sodium chicken noodle soup in a can. When we first got Mama, her teeth were so bad, that she didnt' want to eat anything but she ate this.

[Guest WhiteWave]

Mine usually always love liverwurst. (YUK!) But since you say it isn't working:

 

Boiled eggs mushed up in the cottage cheese or mayo.

 

Oatmeal with honey or molasses

 

Mc Donalds. Casey (Grey) and Zeus (Dobe) last meal was Mc Donalds quarter pounder after they quit eating everything else.

 

Cooked chicken or beef or any meat

 

tuna or mackeral

 

pasta salads or macaroni and cheese were some of Linus's favorite foods. I would mix things likes cooked pasta, tuna, mayo, boiled eggs, shredded cheese, etc together. Try different combos. Ricotta cheese is good too.

 

 

[gazehund]

Tracey if Pearl has a little upset stomach from her kidney disease, Parmesan cheese sprinkled on her food always does it for her. Antibiotics are a different story, but the cheese is worth a try. Good luck.

[Guest VirginiaGreys]

rotisserie chicken from costco...and package of roast beef

[Tracey]

Add to the list of things she'll eat, ice cream bars. Boy, all the rules go out the window when they're sick, don't they? She ate a whole bar with an enthusiasm I haven't seen in days, though, so screw the rules (plus there's precious little actual chocolate in the shell, I'm sure). Pudding, ice cream, hot dogs, it's like feeding a little kid.

[Guest Greensleeves]

Honestly, when Nelly would not eat ANYTHING on her own, we started syringe-feeding her (blending up kibble or canned in the blender with water, and then squirting it into the corner of her mouth with a huge syringe. Her acupuncture vet showed us how.). I wish we had done it WEEKS earlier. Yeah, she didn't like it one bit, but it was only five minutes of stress (and a little messy!), compared to the hours of coaxing and prodding throughout the day. Feeding Nelly was like a full-time job--trying to figure out what she might want, hours spent home-cooking meals, constantly sticking different foods in her face... She *always* felt better once she'd eaten, but the process of actually getting any food in her was torture.

 

Syringe feeding took care of ALL of that stress. She got the food in her, and we left her alone for the rest of the day. So much better, for all of us.

 

If she's eating something, sometimes... but not enough to really count as a full meal, I'd probably make sure she had one full meal, delivered by syringe, every day... and then try the other treats throughout the day, to remind her that food is fun, but without all the panic of "OMG, she hasn't eaten anything but a spoonful of honey and half a hard-boiled egg in the last two days."

Edited August 23, 2009 by Greensleeves

[Guest VirginiaGreys]

The downside to pushing in canned dog food is you got to make sure that you don't give them "D" from using canned food that they aren't used to. I had to use a syringe too...my vet gave me a big one to use. You might want to try I/D canned food...since it's not too bad tasting and has all the nutrients that a dog needs too. The I/D canned food you can get from your vet.

[gryhnd_adoptee]

When we went through osteo here, and nearly no appetite, I found the following to work. However what worked one day, was no good the next, so don't buy a lot of anything unless you know it's going to work.

 

- Deli roast beef - Lulu would eat a whole lb in one sitting. It was expensive, but this only lasted for about four meals and she quit eating it.

 

- Meat only baby food - chicken, turkey, beef. She would eat several at one time if she was feeling especially hungry.

 

- Chicken livers and gizzards - boiled and kept in the fridge. I would combine these with rice and gravy when she got bored with them by themselves.

 

- Scrambles eggs

 

- Raw - yep, she was never a raw diet pup, but she really liked the pre prepared frozen nuggets, but she would never touch chicken parts. I also had really good luck with Omas raw chicken cut up into cubes. Again, don't buy a lot at once.

 

- Melted peanut butter on her regular food - this lasted for about two meals.

 

- Home made chicken noodle soup made with low sodium soup stock and extra chicken. This also worked as an add in when other options became boring

 

- Satin balls. At first she would eat them raw, but after a few meals of them she preferred them in the microwave for just a few seconds. After that stopped working, she got a little gravy on them too.

 

It was so frustrating trying to find what she would eat. She would not touch the typical stinkys that worked for some others. She would not go near a can of sardines, canned cat food, or cheap canned dog food like might dog. She did like the cheap dog food which looked like waxy hamburger. The name escapes me now, but all supermarkets carry it. That worked for several snacks and meals too. Whatever she would eat, she was allowed to have. Most nights I would sit with her after getting home from work and spend two hours trying to get a single meal into her.

 

Good luck with whatever you try, at a time like this, everything is fair game!

 

Edited to add crispy peanut butter toast cut up into little bite sized pieces. She liked the crunch, and that it was slathered with peanut butter. She also got loads of extra peanut butter with meds too. I went through many many jars of Jiff for the time Lulu had with us.

Edited August 24, 2009 by gryhnd_adoptee

[MaryJane]

One of the few foods that worked for my dog when he was going through chemo was "yogurt and cheerios". I also resorted to vanilla milkshakes a few times.

[Batmom]

Anything with vanilla ice cream, honey, or molasses drizzled on top.

 

Spaghettios -- maybe a lower-salt alternative would be pasta in low-salt tomato sauce (easy to make -- tomato paste and some water)?

 

"Bite for me, bite for you." Could get him to eat almost anything this way. Sat down with a people bowl and spoon, ate (or pretended to) a bite myself, offered a bite to sick doggy. Worked with crispy things (crackers; could also try lower sodium breakfast cereals?), cinnamon bread, pasta, tripett (I did not actually eat any) .....

 

Sending more hugs and gentle scritchies.

 

 

[Tracey]

Got a nice mini-meal in her of half a jar of turkey/veg baby food, 6 ounces of cooked chicken and a cup of frozen pudding. Slowly but surely getting the calories in her today.

[GreyTzu]

Dylan really liked the rotisserie chicken from Walmart during his illness. He actually gained weight during his chemo. He also liked roast beef. Yes, Boar's Head brand instead of the cheap Wlamart brand.

 

It's a tough road when they won't eat.

[ahicks51]

Fish, fish oil, the liquid off the top of the tuna fish can, fish fish fish.

 

Another thing they seem to like the most- beef blood. When the liquid collects at the bottom of the bin we keep the beef heart in, we pour that off into the dish. They will often consume that before starting in on the other treats in their bowl. Mixing that liquid with kibbles has inspired Tito (non-grey) to eat on days when he was otherwise picky. Now he's raw fed, and consumes all with gusto.

[Guest GreysAndMoreGreys]

Force feeding a dog. I can't ever bring myself to do that if there is a known condition that my dog is dying from.

There are so few ways for your hounds to let you know that they are tired and want to call it quits.

 

I'm not putting down anyone who has done it in the past, just saying for me if it comes to the fact that I have to syringe feed my dogs I will peacefully let them go. I will sit on the floor, hold the bowl in my hands, feed them in bed, whatever but they have to want to take that food in their mouth.

 

As far as the foods that have worked for my hounds when cancer was involved. The biggest thing that seemed to spark their interest was fresh cooked foods. Dogs do go off of smell so if it's something fresh cooked their response was so much better.

 

Chicken livers were always a favorite. With a close second of beef liver

Bacon or anything cooked in bacon grease. Remember the smell gets them almost every time.

 

Shrimp, lobster, crab, fish of any kind, again all cooked up just before meal time.

Chicken only again if it was fresh cooked. If I put it in the fridge and reheated it was a no go.

 

Also any food humans were eating just like Batmom said.

[greyhndz]

Force feeding a dog. I can't ever bring myself to do that if there is a known condition that my dog is dying from.

There are so few ways for your hounds to let you know that they are tired and want to call it quits.

 

 

Oh, Heather, so so so true. I just believe that an animal who is preparing itself to die has to be given its dignity at all costs. If you're talking about an acutely-ill animal who has a good chance of recovery if it can be force-fed for a couple of days, that's a different situation.

 

Sadly, I've just been through this, and lost my heart iggy Lexi 2 days ago to renal failure and immune mediated polyarthritis. Over the years, refusal to eat their very favorite foods was one of the criteria I used in knowing when it "was time". I've always found that the jars of strained meat were "go-to's" at end of life, and if the pup were no longer interested in these meats, it was probably time.

 

In the past 2 weeks before her death, because Lexi had gone downhill rapidly, I watched the progression of a little girl who jumped up for a yummy, grabbed treats, roast beef, cheese -- anything -- out of my hand, and gobbled down her dinner -- to eating less and less every day. Everything that had tempted her was dropping off the list. Pizza has always been her weakness, and finally, on her next-to-last day, she turned down pizza, in addition to virtually everything else offered. As Heather said, these were the words Lexi was using to tell me she didn't want to do this anymore.

 

(Don't get me started, I'm am absolute wreck )

 

Foods we progressed through at various times of severe illness and inappetance were:

 

sliced, rare deli roast beef

sliced pastrami

chicken nuggets, or popcorn chicken

rotisserie chicken minus skin

boiled or crock potted chicken

Milk Bone training treats (the bitty ones)

Dehydrated liver snacks (she loved them until her last day)

Grandma something-or-other little "mini-meatballs" - crunchy iggy-sized meat treats in pot roast, chicken parmesan, etc. - found in Petco.

Meaty Sticks - found at "Sittin' Pretty" pet bakery in CA. These were a godsend, and worked until almost the end.

Ensure

Feeding by spoon

Feeding by hand

Feeding by finger

Letting her watch me feed the other dogs - her competitiveness might spark and cause her to eat, too.

 

My feeling was (and has been for all the pups I have lost to cancer or illness): anything, anytime, anyway, but no trauma or drama, which just stresses them even more. Don't get hyped up and start offering the sun and the moon - just walk away, give her some loving, and try again later. If "later" also proves to be unsuccessful, then it's time to look deeply into her eyes and let her tell you what she really wants. And then listen.

[Burpdog]

Fried turkey (in butter), EVO 95% meat--turkey.

 

If she isn't on carafate, that will help.

[Guest VirginiaGreys]

Forced Fed and using a regular syringe to get food to the back of their mouths where they can taste the food and then decide for themselves to chew and swallow is not force feeding. The dog can still spit it out if they have no desire to eat the food.

[mom2four]

Tracey, after Jamey's surgery we put Merrick's canned dog food (human grade, it looked delish!) on his kibbles. It really did help him eat. Luckily, I did not have to try anything else.

[Guest LindsaySF]

Forced Fed and using a regular syringe to get food to the back of their mouths where they can taste the food and then decide for themselves to chew and swallow is not force feeding. The dog can still spit it out if they have no desire to eat the food.

Agreed. Animals react one of two ways to syringe-feeding. They struggle and fight the whole time (and more ends up on the floor, the wall, and you, than in the dog), or once they get a taste they start lapping it up. It is not cruel and it's worth a try. At least one meal a day so you know they have some calories in them. The other meals of the day you can offer all sorts of things, whatever treats they want.

 

 

[Guest TheUnrulyHound]

Batmom posted this in Outlaws thread 2 weeks ago.... It is what got Outlaw eating full meals again!!!! I put everything into a food processor (I have one of the big ones) and bake it like meatloaf. I ran out on friday I think and Outlaw went on a hunger strike I went out immediately to buy more ingredients and he was back to eating.

 

I use about a 1/4c mixed in with his regular soaked kibble, I mash the soaked kibble up with a potato masher to mix it really good and it also makes it look like canned food which fools him a bit

 

Not a miracle recipe, but most dogs seem to enjoy this. I baked it like a meatloaf and used it as a protein supplement or canned food substitute until Batman got sick; then he had to have everything pureed so I cooked it on the stovetop and ran it through my Osterizer:

 

1 lb - 2 lbs chicken or turkey

1 lb ground beef - OK if it's quite fatty because you're cutting the fat with poultry

2-3 eggs with shells (1 egg for each pound meat)

1 cup frozen spinach

1/2 cup frozen peas (must be cooked and then pureed - for the fiber; firms stools)

2-3 tablespoons molasses (blackstrap is best - lots of potassium; also adds palatability)

2-3 teaspoons powdered kelp (optional - for trace minerals)

 

For the eggshells, I rinse them out and zap them in the microwave for 30 seconds, pat dry, zap again if they're still too damp, then powder them with mortar and pestle or coffee grinder (or just crush well with back of spoon).

 

If you're going to bake as meatloaf, thaw the spinach first but no need to drain.

 

If peas are not cooked and pureed, they'll just go through the dog whole. You can puree (= blend into mush) in an Osterizer (might have to add a little water), old-fashioned Foley food mill, Cuisinart, etc. For us, they work better than most anything else at providing fiber for good stools.

 

You can make it with all one kind of meat. If just chicken or turkey, it'll be pretty low-calorie, though. You can also add other things -- a minced carrot or apple, for example.

 

Cook on stovetop until meat is no longer pink or mix all together and bake like a people meatloaf.

 

If you're not feeding anything else, figure 1-1.5 lbs of meat per dog per day.