Guest saltwaterron Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 I am becoming concerned about Riley. She used to be so eager in the morning to get up, potty and eat. She has always been food driven. For the last few weeks her habits have changed drastically. She no longer seems eager to get up. It's 11:45 now and she still shows no sign of wanting to do anything but lie around. She doesn't even seem to be hungry. One day this week she turned away from her food and didn't return to eat til 1 in the afternoon and she no longer acts excited about eating. Afternoons seem to be better but this morning thing is bothering me. Any thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheFullHouse Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 How old is she? If she's older, she may just like to sleep in. If she's a younger dog and has been doing this for a while, you may want to have a vet check her out to make sure there's nothing physically going on. Quote Judy, mom to Darth Vader, Bandita, And Angel Forever in our hearts, DeeYoGee, Dani, Emmy, Andy, Heart, Saint, Valentino, Arrow, Gee, Bebe, Jilly Bean, Bullitt, Pistol, Junior, Sammie, Joey, Gizmo, Do Bee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest saltwaterron Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 she will be 6 in august Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mountain4greys Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 I wonder if the thyroid has anything to do with this. I know others will chime in here. I'm curious myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheFullHouse Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 If she's only 6 then I'd probably take her in and have a vet check her over just to make sure she's healthy. You may ask to have her thyroid tested. Low thyroid can cause a dog to have absolutely no energy. Quote Judy, mom to Darth Vader, Bandita, And Angel Forever in our hearts, DeeYoGee, Dani, Emmy, Andy, Heart, Saint, Valentino, Arrow, Gee, Bebe, Jilly Bean, Bullitt, Pistol, Junior, Sammie, Joey, Gizmo, Do Bee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbotaina Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 Has it been hot down there? Many dogs will go off their feed if they're hot. She may also just not like her food. Some of them will just start turning their noses up at their regular feed because they get bored with it. Hope you can get it figured out Quote Meredith with Heyokha (HUS Me Teddy) and Crow (Mike Milbury). Missing Turbo (Sendahl Boss), Pancho, JoJo, and "Fat Stacks" Juana, the psycho kitty. Canku wakan kin manipi."Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities." - Voltaire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LokisMom Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 Is she still excited about treats? Mine sometimes turn their noses up at their food but will still get very excited about treats. I try to use that to judge whether they don't feel good or are just tired of their food. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kydie Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 for me,, I'd make a vet appointment,, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbhounds Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 for me,, I'd make a vet appointment,, Me too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest saltwaterron Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 she seems to be more active in the afternoon. maybe she's just being lazy. i will continue to watch her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KF_in_Georgia Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 Are you free-feeding--leaving food out for her? If so, she may not be in any hurry to eat because she knows it will be there whenever she gets around to it. Perhaps put her food out for 15 minutes, then put it away until dinner. The dish down for 15 minutes at dinner, then put away. (Doesn't apply to her water dish; that should be accessible all the time.) When I was free-feeding (I had only one dog then), my girl sometimes stopped eating. When I got a second dog, she discovered it wasn't safe to let food sit and she never again hesitated to dive head-first into her dish the second I put it down. Quote Kathy and Q (CRT Qadeer from Fuzzy's Cannon and CRT Bonnie) and Jane (WW's Aunt Jane from Trent Lee and Aunt M); photos to come. Missing Silver (5.19.2005-10.27.2016), Tigger (4.5.2007-3.18.2016), darling Sam (5.10.2000-8.8.2013), Jacey-Kasey (5.19.2003-8.22.2011), and Oreo (1997-3.30.2006) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kudzu Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 Vet visit with bloodwork. Changes such as you describe would disturb me regardless of the dog's age. These changes in a dog as young as six warrant a vet visit. There are many things it could be including kidney disease, Lyme disease, etc. A wait & see attitude on some of these can be quite detrimental. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greyhead Posted May 6, 2011 Share Posted May 6, 2011 I wonder if the thyroid has anything to do with this. I know others will chime in here. I'm curious myself. Chiming! Spencer was like this at age 5, and a complete thyroid panel showed him to be hypothyroid. He was later also found to have hookworm. Is there any tummy gurgling, chewing at his sides, jerking his head around as if something has bitten him? Anything else odd? Quote Mary with Jumper Jack (2/17/11) and angels Shane (PA's Busta Rime, 12/10/02 - 10/14/16) and Spencer (Dutch Laser, 11/25/00 - 3/29/13). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BrianRke Posted May 6, 2011 Share Posted May 6, 2011 My 5 yo, Diamond goes through periods where she will do the same thing!! She wont care about her food at all in the morning, and will go back to bed (that is if she gets up at all). Then a couple months later, she will be bouncing around again in the morning barking for her food. Since I adopted my other 2 greys, she is more likely to eat in the morning now because the other 2 will eat her food if she doesnt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest zombrie Posted May 6, 2011 Share Posted May 6, 2011 I wonder if the thyroid has anything to do with this. I know others will chime in here. I'm curious myself. Chiming! Spencer was like this at age 5, and a complete thyroid panel showed him to be hypothyroid. He was later also found to have hookworm. Is there any tummy gurgling, chewing at his sides, jerking his head around as if something has bitten him? Anything else odd? That was my thought, too. Doolin had a bad case of hooks and ever since February he has been a very finicky eater... manuka honey always makes his tummy feel better and then he'll eat I would definitely go to the vet to figure out what's going on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest saltwaterron Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 finally able to make an appt. with vet. she suspects heart problems. ultrasound scheduled tomorrow morning to determine if this is the case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batmom Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 Oh my goodness! Hope all goes well and she is just reacting to the heat. Keep us posted, OK? 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 saltwaterron Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 will let you know after the dr visit in the morning 10:30 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest saltwaterron Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 ultrasound revealed early stages of heart failure. left ventricle not pumping as it should. on medication but no guarantee. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yamaha_gurl Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 Quote Greyhound Collars : www.collartown.ca Maggie (the human servant), with Miss Bella, racing name "A Star Blackieto" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Swifthounds Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remolacha Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 hoping the meds will help, what is she on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
45MPHK9 Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 Thinking about you and Riley. Quote Tricia with Kyle, our senior mutt dog Always missing Murray Maldives, Bee Wiseman, River, Hopper, Kaia, and Holly Oaks Holly“You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.“ -Bob Dylan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest saltwaterron Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 0.25 lanoxin. 2 pills at bedtime. back to the vet friday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJNg Posted June 5, 2011 Share Posted June 5, 2011 (edited) Sorry to hear about Riley's diagnosis. I'm a bit puzzled that your vet only prescribed Lanoxin (digoxin) and nothing else. Digoxin is almost never used by itself to treat heart failure these days. It has a narrow margin of safety and most cardiologists feel that it is not very effective at improving contractility. There is now a better and safer medication available for contractility called Vetmedin (pimobendan). Digoxin does have a place in treating arrhythmias and is sometimes used in conjunction with other heart meds. What made your vet suspect heart disease in the first place? Does she have a heart murmur? Were chest x-rays done to assess for fluid accumulation in or around her lungs? Heart disease usually does not cause clinical signs until it gets to the point where there is fluid accumulation from blood 'backing up' because the heart is not pumping efficiently. The term congestive heart failure is used when there is fluid build-up, and at that point, the best medications to help immediately are diuretics that remove the fluid (ie. Lasix/furosemide). What was the diagnosis on ultrasound? Mitral valve regurgitation? Dilated cardiomyopathy? Was the ultrasound done by a general practice vet or a specialist? I'd suggest a consult with a cardiologist or internist. There may be a lot more you can do to manage Riley's heart disease. Edited June 5, 2011 by jjng Quote Jennifer & Willow (Wilma Waggle), Wiki (Wiki Hard Ten), Carter (Let's Get It On), Ollie (whippet), Gracie (whippet x), & Terra (whippet) + Just Saying + Just Alice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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