Guest sweetpea Posted July 23, 2010 Share Posted July 23, 2010 (edited) So Sweetpea has always been indifferent about food. It took me a while at first to find one that she would eat and that agreed with her, but I did find one. She gets 1 1/2 cups of Solid Gold Hundenflocken twice a day. Sometimes she eats it all, sometimes she doesn't. I never worried because it always evened out, and she always hovered around 60 lbs, which is perfect for her. The past couple of weeks though, it seems like it hasn't been evening out. Not finishing meals has become her norm, and her hip bones are getting a little too sharp. Nothing has changed on the home front, it's not hot here (high of 70 today), she's not stressed, her demeanor is fine and perky, so I'm thinking maybe she's just bored. The first thing I've done is set up a journal so I can track exactly how much she's actually eating at each meal. (I feel badly that this has snuck up on me ) Second on my to do list is to find a way to make Sweetpea's food more appealing to her without jeopardizing her gut stability. My first impulse is to mix some canned food with her kibble. She actually does like canned food, she still comes running when she hears the can opener, even though she hasn't gotten canned food for at least 4 years! We tried and discarded canned food during our 9 month journey to end her gastric distress, but maybe in addition to her kibble it wouldn't cause her so much trouble. I guess I'm just checking to see if anybody has a "magic bullet" that will make Sweetpea scarf up her food and put some padding back on those hip bones. (Of course if her appetite does not improve, I'll be taking her to the vet. It's not that she's skipping meals, she just eats maybe half of it, or two thirds; and that is not enough to keep weight on her.) Sorry it's so long, and thanks for any advice, Buzzy Edited July 23, 2010 by sweetpea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batmom Posted July 23, 2010 Share Posted July 23, 2010 Working around your knowledge of her gastric tolerances, you might try adding something higher calorie to her food -- an egg-sized lump of ground beef (I prefer to use cooked), or an egg, or 1-2 tablespoons peanutbutter ...... Quote Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in IllinoisWe miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sweetpea Posted July 23, 2010 Share Posted July 23, 2010 oooo peanut butter, she lubs that! Great idea, sometimes I think we're so close to the problem we can't see the obvious remedies. Thanks! Buzzy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sambuca Posted July 23, 2010 Share Posted July 23, 2010 A spoonful or 2 of tuna or another stinky fish will bring on the appetite as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kestrel Posted July 23, 2010 Share Posted July 23, 2010 How about adding some broth to the kibble? That might change the scent of it and make it "newer" and more interesting. Quote Kendra, devoted walker of Henry (Tom Jones: Great Son x Lucia) Missing Badger (Vf Get R Done: Quicksand Slip x Ll Tee el See), 5/04 - 2/14, who opened our hearts and our home to greyhounds; Kenzie (Slatex Kenzie: Randy Handy x Slatex Chrisy), 4/03 - 10/14, who really knew what a good dog she was; Falcon (Atascocita Sabat: Dodgem by Design x Atascocita Barb), 9/10 - 1/20, who was grumpy and snarky but eventually a little bit cuddly, too; Grandpa Grey the Galgo Español, 2008 (?) to 2022, who made us feel lucky to be the ones to teach him about pet life; and Lucia (Larking About x Anastasia, 5/12 to 8/23), our first brood matron and the sweetest speckly girl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ChasesMum Posted July 25, 2010 Share Posted July 25, 2010 (edited) nurtitional yeast flakes? all the B vitamins apparently stimulate appetite... there is a thread in here somewhere about it. those peeps would be able to answer more Q's. for kids, avocado is a good calorie dense food. maybe that would work? if you do canned I'd try the same food you feed but in canned form first. Edited July 25, 2010 by ChasesMum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sweetpea Posted July 25, 2010 Share Posted July 25, 2010 Thanks guys! I've been adding a heaping tablespoon of Peanut Butter, and then mixing it so every little kibble gets some pb on it. She's cleaned her bowl for the past 3 peanut butter meals, I mean it sparkles. And you should see the "I'm so HUNGRY!!!" look she gives me when I'm mixing up her pb and kibble, it's hysterical. I suppose when she tires of peanut buttah, I'll move on to the other things. I love my goober! Buzzy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Vers Posted July 26, 2010 Share Posted July 26, 2010 Good girl to clean your dish like that, Sweetpea! (love that name). I'm still trying to put a little weight on my Stella, who can be picky. Canned sardines added to canned food are magic (and they don't have heavy loads of mercury). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BooBooMama Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 Green tripe did the job for Deeni. Even on hot days when she looks bored of her food I can get her to eat it all up if I mix green tripe in it. I am NEVER without a can or two in my pantry these days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest greyt2love Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 I have the same problem - disinterest in her food, dropping pounds - with Chloe, Buzzy, except for the sensitive stomach, so it's a little easier for me to try something to entice her. Peanut butter, tuna, sardines, flavored yogurt have all done the trick. Also, Ensure. She loves it on her kibble, or by itself, cold from the fridge. She will never in her life see 60 pounds. I'm happy when she holds at 55, so a drop of a couple pounds makes it look as if I'm starving her ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sweetpea Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 Yeah, I was a little over-zealous with the administration of peanut butter, she had gas and pudding poo for two whole days Now I have a container of beef broth that I warm up and splash on her food, she loves it! (And her GI tract loves it too!) Thanks again for all the suggestions, who knows how long this will keep her interested in eating, so it's good to have a back-up plan. Buzzy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saharasmom Posted July 31, 2010 Share Posted July 31, 2010 With Atlas' food, I alternate mixing in an egg, a scoop of canned food and peanut butter. I mix the PB in with a bit of water so it makes a sauce and I can use less of it. He is also a picky eater and is very boney. It can be frustrating when they just don't want to eat! Sahara & Coltrane always gobble their food right up. Quote Rebeccawith Atlas the borzoi, Luna the pyr, and Madison the cat, always missing Sahara(Flyin Tara Lyn) and Coltrane(Blue on By) the greyhounds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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