My 4 Yr Old Boy Refuses To Eat Any Kind Of Kibble!

[JohnF]

Peggy isn't too keen on eating all her kibble up but then she does have some sore teeth that need doing soon. However, I moisten the kibble, top it with a nice wet food and the real secret is to get a bag of grated cheese. I put this on a plate and snack from it myself, adding little bits to the dog's bowl to encourage eating and a small handful at the end so the dish gets cleaned in anticipation.

[Guest Energy11]

For those of you who don't know Dee (we've never met, I just know her from past days on GT) she was often the "go to person" on here for lots of animal / hound medical issues. If she is posting this, then she has probably tried everything in the play book at least once and maybe twice! . I felt it might help to let those of you who don't know her just how bad this problem with her boy must be. She must be on this one.

 

Good to see you back and hope you can resolve this for both you and Dom.

Thank you. I loved being on here before, but got called out, accused for "practicing medicine without a license." That upset me totally, because at the time, I was working at a vets, and I always told folks to ultimately check with their vets. I also stated I was a retired Paramedic and vet tech, NOT a vet. Anyway, I may come back on here, because i used to love trying to help folks. Yes, I have pretty much tried everything on my Dom. I now have it down to mixing canned food with cooked ground turkey, and he is eating and for now, holding his weight. My original five have all gone to The Bridge.

Just to add to the suggestion box - my girl isn't a fan of kibble either but will eat it when mixed with lots of canned dog food as well as cooked chicken, beef, etc. I have to really coat it with the canned food or she picks out the kibble and makes piles of it under the raised feeder . She is a skinny minnie so the extra calories are not a problem.

 

Also, have you tried the Thundershirt for stress? It works really well for mine during thunderstorms and the dreaded fireworks. It is like a comforting hug. Maybe it will help your boy, Dom.

I tired mixing the canned food and cooked meat with kibble too. I love Halo's Spot's Stew because it is quality and small, but alas, he will even pick THAT out of his food! I was thinking of a Thundershirt for Dom. He shakes like a leaf when it storms, and we are always there with him. I never leave him alone, period.

[greyhoundlady]

I am getting a good sense of your frustration, and I would think if he is eating what you are making him now, just stick with that. Maybe he will be happy without changing things up too often. In the future you might want to try Wellness Core grain free turkey, chicken liver and turkey liver formula canned. I just picked a couple cans up the other day and my girl, Lia, is licking the bowl and looking for more. I mix with Acana duck and pear kibble. Since she is now my only grey, I tend to spoil her. I also rotate her food to make it interesting.

 

Do try the Thundershirt if you can. Lia came to me as an extremely shy little girl and most things frightened her. The Thundershirt has really helped her. She lays on her bed during storms etc., and while alert, she doesn't have the panic attacks of running from room to room. I am like you, and she is never alone either.

[Time4ANap]

We went through lots of stomach issues for several years with Rocket before he was diagnosed with Stress Colitis. Tylan got that under control along with finding a food that worked well for him. On the occasional mornings that he still wakes up with a bad tummy, I usually give him half a can of Evanger's Organic Cooked Chicken. Usually if he gets that in his stomach, a few hours later he will eat his regular meal with no other issues. It is cooked chicken and a little water only, nothing else, so isn't a meal. I use it instead of having to cook chicken and other meats when I need them for a bland diet. It sort of "primes the pump." I have also just mixed some around in his kibble at times to get him to eat and that seems to work as well.

 

I have used it in place of the bland diet for several years now by having a big bowl of rice or over-cooked pasta in the frig when I need it, and mixing it with the Evangers at meal time. The newest cans that I just received have an expiration date of 2020 on them, so I like having something with a long shelf life that I can pop open on a moment's notice when needed. I think the consistency of it allows it to digest much better than cooking my own chicken for him. If you ever need a quick bland meal for a hound, this works well.

[greysmom]

If he's been on the Prozac for any length of time and there is no overall improvement, it might be time to try a different drug to help with his anxiety. The biggest problem with anti anxiety meds is that they suppress the appetite as well. Even if they help him, it could cause problems with his eating and keeping his weight.

 

Trazadone was the only drug we tried with our spook that made a dent in her "weather" fear, and yet allowed her to keep eating.

 

I also agree with just keeping him on whatever is working right now, and for as long as it does work. There's nothing sacred about kibble, as long as what he's eating is providing all the nutrients he needs. This is one reason for going with a commercially prepared food.

[Guest Energy11]

So far, so good with Dom, FOR NOW! Thanks for all of your suggestions, BTW. I will be using some. He is eating cooked ground turkey mixed with Wellness turkey and sweet potato canned food, and likes it ... FOR NOW. :0 He is holding his weight, so we shall see. I have ordered digestive enzymes for him (vet said it was worth a try). The weather is supposed to be calming down for a while and Spring may actually get here. We are taking them all out a few times this week. He loves a good walk, and I was able to get permission from a local church to use its grounds. It is quiet for him and away from the road.

[Hubcitypam]

Great news!

[RachelV]

Would he still refuse food if the kibble was ground up and mixed into his wet food? I have had to do that with dogs who can't chew hard foods. Maybe it would disguise it enough that he would eat it?

[GeorgeofNE]

I'm with Needlenose Jake on the Rescue Remedy.

 

Google it. There isn't a single study other than ones they have done themselves showing it does ANYTHING. Waste of good money. You're better off giving them a shot of brandy.