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Worrying As She Ages


Guest FreddyGirl

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Guest FreddyGirl

Bobbi turned 11 in January and she continues to be a picky, intermittent eater. Since I adopted her 2.5 years ago, she has consistently gone through phases of eating one good meal every third day. This continues to worry me. for the first time in a while, her weight went below 65 lbs, now at 64. And with the last 2 weeks of eating poorly again, really typical of her, I am beginning to worry even more. I'm pulling out all the stops to entice her to eat, boiled chicken, dehydrated tilapia, tripe, parmesan cheese, and she continues to snub

them. I was just thinking that I should bring her in for bloodwork tomorrow and she finally ate 3/4 cup TOTW and 1/2 can Tripe!!! YIPPEE, finally, a real meal. If I am lucky, she will eat another 3/4 cup later on tonight. I did get 2 large milk bones and a few pieces of lamb lungs into her earlier. I just love this girl with all my heart and I just worry at every meal that bad things are starting. She is acting like she always did! I just needed to get this out, thanks for listening to this worry wart.

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Have you tried giving her an acid reducer before meals? I had a picky eater that I practically had to stand on my head to get to eat, but she was much more enthusiastic once she started the famotidene (sp?) for her kidney issues. She didn't become a "hoover-er" overnight but she did eat more consistently.

Chris - Mom to: Felicity (DeLand), and Andi (Braska Pandora)

52592535884_69debcd9b4.jpgsiggy by Chris Harper, on Flickr

Angels: Libby (Everlast), Dorie (Dog Gone Holly), Dude (TNJ VooDoo), Copper (Kid's Copper), Cash (GSI Payncash), Toni (LPH Cry Baby), Whiskey (KT's Phys Ed), Atom, Lilly

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Most greyhounds will eat as much as they need. As they age, they start to get pickier. Free feeding is one way to handle this. You leave out dry kibble all the time. The bowl is never empty. The dog can choose to eat at any time, as much as needed/wanted.

 

Info about keeping them healthy is at - Greyhound Gang - DailyCare

 

 

 

 

 

 

I've found more frequent, smaller meals do the trick. If you have been catering to her for a while now, then she has you very well trained to try everything before she decides exactly what she wants. Ahh, girls. They are...well...girls.

 

Steak, cottage cheese, yogurt, good canned food, eggs are all good items to feed to entice. I also like to put Grizzly Salmon Oil on food. It not only tastes good to hounds, but also helps with immune system, inflammation and skin.

Claudia & Greyhound Gang
100% Helps Hounds

GIG Bound!

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Claudia- there is no way that Nancy can leave any food out during the day as she has 4 hounds and leaving food out is weell, just not an option. Her house set up just doesn't make that feasible. That would be the best option if it were doable.

 

What Nancy didn't tell everyone is that Bobbi (littermate to my beloved Polli) has always been a horribly picky eater.

 

I spoke to Brad Holomek in KS from the farm they came from and he said that every dog in this litter didn't eat. They would go 3 days without eating- even when they were racing. he said he had never seen an entire litter like this!

 

As far as Bobbi goes... Nancy, I feel for you. I would see if she would take some ensure and go through the cycle again with the EVO and all the things she loved at one time. See if you can cycle through it again.

 

I am going to call you now.

 

I also think Aunt Robin needs to pay Bobbi a visit. :)

Edited by RobinM

 

 

ROBIN ~ Mom to: Beau Think It Aint, Chloe JC Allthewayhome, Teddy ICU Drunk Sailor, Elsie N Fracine , Ollie RG's Travertine, Ponch A's Jupiter~ Yoshi, Zoobie & Belle, the kitties.

Waiting at the bridge Angel Polli Bohemian Ocean , Rocky, Blue,Sasha & Zoobie & Bobbi

Greyhound Angels Adoption (GAA) The Lexus Project

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Well, re the free feeding. I successfully free fed up to 20 hounds at a time when i was doing full on rescue and adoption. :colgate Most greyhounds aren't chow hounds. And even those who would, initially, eat a whole bowl at a time, got the idea that the kibble was always there, and there wasn't a need to eat it all the time. For the 10-20 hounds at my home, I'd have 8 raised bowls. Four with food, and four with water. I put them in a laundry like room.

 

 

 

 

Forgot to mention that digestive enzymes -Medizym & Prozyme- will also help with the absoption of the food she does eat. 64 doesn't sound underweight for a girl, and it's better to be trimmer as we age - right? :rolleyes:

Claudia & Greyhound Gang
100% Helps Hounds

GIG Bound!

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You know, we have always had 4 hounds at a time, and we have always free-fed. Dry kibble is not so enticing that they pig out on it. We've never had weight issues or anything in almost 8 years with 5 different hounds. It's still worth a try with multiples. I agree with the above post that once the dogs realize the food is always there, they aren't frantic to gorge on it when they get it. We just keep the bowls full morning and night and let them decide when and how much to eat. A couple even get up for a midnight snack. Of course sometimes I give out special meals, and in that case, no one goes after the dry kibble later. When one began losing weight (we could see it), we experimented with wetting down kibble for him and discovered that he gained it all back with wet kibble--he's going in for dental extractions in a week.

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Well, there has been serious blood shed over a cookie left so free feeding is not an option. And the set up of her house is just not doable.

 

 

ROBIN ~ Mom to: Beau Think It Aint, Chloe JC Allthewayhome, Teddy ICU Drunk Sailor, Elsie N Fracine , Ollie RG's Travertine, Ponch A's Jupiter~ Yoshi, Zoobie & Belle, the kitties.

Waiting at the bridge Angel Polli Bohemian Ocean , Rocky, Blue,Sasha & Zoobie & Bobbi

Greyhound Angels Adoption (GAA) The Lexus Project

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Guest FreddyGirl

Correct, blood drawn over a milk bone. NOT going down that road ever again. Free feeding is NOT an option here. Thank you for the advice re: cottage cheese, steak etc. I gave her some this AM and she ate, although, I believe she will prefer the 4% over the fat free she had this AM. DO you blame her?

the suggestion of paremesan cheese in the Greyhound Gang "I'm Aging" publication is REALLY working... I highly recommend it. Bobbi's eyes light up when I give her cheese coated

 

 

 

 

 

 

kibble:)

 

In true Bobbi fashion, just when I reach my "freak zone" over her intermittent eating, she starts to eat. Last night she ate again, 3/4 c. TOTW kibbie and 2 large Milk Bones!

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Guest Energy11

Correct, blood drawn over a milk bone. NOT going down that road ever again. Free feeding is NOT an option here. Thank you for the advice re: cottage cheese, steak etc. I gave her some this AM and she ate, although, I believe she will prefer the 4% over the fat free she had this AM. DO you blame her?

the suggestion of paremesan cheese in the Greyhound Gang "I'm Aging" publication is REALLY working... I highly recommend it. Bobbi's eyes light up when I give her cheese coated

 

 

 

 

 

 

kibble:)

 

In true Bobbi fashion, just when I reach my "freak zone" over her intermittent eating, she starts to eat. Last night she ate again, 3/4 c. TOTW kibbie and 2 large Milk Bones!

Ah! Good news! I, myself, am not much on Milkbones, but boy, I, personally, sprinkle Parmasean cheese on almost everything! lol.giflol.gif

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Guest FreddyGirl

I prefer Innova healthy baked dog biscuits, BUT, Bobbi will not eat them right about now. In about a week, the same will be said for Milk Bones. How did she ever survive on the farm without me??????

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