Sudden Appetite Changes

[Guest NahlaGreys2]

Has anyone had a grey who just suddenly decided they didn't like their food anymore? Kota is 12 and has been on Purina One lamb & rice from almost the get go with no signs of disinterest. Attacked her food every time (she's fed twice/day) as if she hadn't eaten in days! Now suddenly she has to be coaxed into eating. Hoping maybe it was the food - I'm trying something new - have been mixing in Chicken Soup/Senior. She's throwing it up in the morning .. and given the quantity of tossed cookies compared to what's left in the breakfast dish, I'm wondering if she's throwing up dinner that hasn't digested.

 

To add to the mix .. I have an 11 y/o who was just diagnosed with TCC .. go figure her appetite is suddenly better than ever which I'm completely THRILLED about! She's not only eating her own dish .. she'll nibble on any leftovers of Kota's. That's a complete switch .. usually Kota is the one making rounds to to finish what others leave behind (which further stupifies me why she's suddenly so picky).

 

Given Annie's recent diagnosis - I admit I've been in a bit of a fog the last couple of days so I'm a unsure what my next step should be. Bloodwork for Kota? Try another food? Any advice would be greatly appreciate.

[greyhead]

For how many days has she been throwing up in the morning? It could be a bad batch of food, certainly, but the fact that she seems to keep one meal a day down suggests otherwise perhaps. I made the mistake of letting an intestinal infection go too long without being diagnosed, meanwhile changing foods, etc. My dog wound up with permanent IBD and now can't eat anything but venison. So I wouldn't wait a long time before consulting a vet.

Edited December 19, 2010 by greyhead

[Guest NahlaGreys2]

For how many days has she been throwing up in the morning? It could be a bad batch of food, certainly, but the fact that she seems to keep one meal a day down suggests otherwise perhaps. I made the mistake of letting an intestinal infection go too long without being diagnosed, meanwhile changing foods, etc. My dog wound up with permanent IBD and now can't eat anything but venison. So I wouldn't wait a long time before consulting a vet.

 

I started mixing in the Chicken Soup Friday evening .. she threw up yesterday morning and this morning. And her spot of choice? Next to my bed. Yes you big loveable mutt, I get you don't feel well, but right where I put my feet down when I get out of bed every morning?! lol (not to make light of her getting sick)

[greyhead]

Well, I'm from the better-safe-thans-sorry school of thought -- now that I've reformed from the errors of my past! I'd have an exam by a vet with "good hands" as well as bloodwork done. That might show if there's a sensitive area that needs further investigation, because there are a lot of organs involved in digestion. Bloodwork couldnl't hurt. I'm sure there's a lot on your plate right now.

 

Hopefully someone with more focused personal experience with see this and reply too. My only experience with morning eating difficulty is the dog with the eventual IBD. He used to not want to eat in the morning, and he'd have lots of stomach gurgling. That turned out to be hookworm, and treating it took care of it ...more or less. He has never been a "morning dog." He maintains the morning food refusal now when his IBD is bothering him, like if I over-fed him the night before and gave him gas. But actually vomiting puts it in a different category, one where a vet consult sounds like a good idea to me, especially considering his age. I hope you'll let us know how things progress.

Edited December 19, 2010 by greyhead

[TheFullHouse]

I visit the vet. At her age and her past history of eating, it could be something medical. Our 11 1/2 year old started the not eating and it turned out to be some bad teeth in the back of her mouth. I think at the age of 12, I'd rule out anything medical before I started switching up foods.

[Guest NahlaGreys2]

Definitely planning to get her to the vet this evening - hadn't considered the bad tooth/teeth idea. However, even as she turned up her nose at her food dish this morning - she was still gung ho about her morning dog biscuit. And I agree - changing foods would not be my first choice.

[TheFullHouse]

Gee would eat her dog biscuit but not her food. After the dental and losing some teeth she went back to eating her food as well. Guess they'll do anything for a treat, even if it hurts.

[Guest avadogner]

Hi NahlaGrey2,

I went through this last winter and this winter with my 11 yr old Ava. She had always been a great eater (ProPlan Salmon Sensitve GI) and last winter she started pushing her bowl away and flat out refusing to eat. Several vet visits and a Vet Ortho visit later, we were told she had been born with a hip defect (she never passed training for the track) and the hip defect combined with age related arthritis was causing pain thus poor feeding. She improved with pain meds and when the cold weather passed went back to eating like a champ. This winter has been worse. She's on her meds but she refuses to eat her meals but will devour the hardest greenie dental bone or treat. She pushes her bowl away so hard, she had sores on her nose. I now feed her Grain Free Blue Buffalo Salmon (highest kcalorie content per cup so I can get more calories in her with smaller portions), half a bottle of lactofree vanilla Ensure Plus, Brewers Yeast, digestive enzymes, and her meds mixed in. I'm lucky to get one bowl in her over the course of literally Coaching and Coaxing her through it in 4 or 5 small meal attempts. Our vet said teeth are good, labs are good and it's just age and pain related. I just found a High Calorie Paste to add in that is made by GNC's new pet vitamin line. It's not meant for daily use but for when she skips a day, I can put 1 tablespoon on a treat and it gives her 2400 calories and all her daily vitamins. I know something's off with her but I refuse to put her through more stressful, invasive tests. We had everything checked and even had her put under anesthesia to clean/eval her teeth and get the hip xray's the Vet Ortho needed. I hope everything checks out well with your baby at the vet!

-ava and augie's mum

[Guest Swifthounds]

Especially at that age, I would have the vet give her the once over. It could be teeth, pain from ortho changes, stress, etc.