Tara Will Not Eat

[Guest alextwister2011]

My Greyhound Tara will not eat .When I put her food in front of her she just stares at it .After a while she will take the food and kick it over the floor. I have changed her food three times and she still not eating or very little. water intake is normal and stool is not loose. No vomiting. I have been to the vet with her three times , She has had a blood work scan, ultra sound, xrays .and physical exam. The vet put her on doxycycline mono hydrate, thyroid medication and Pepcid. He also put her on Hills prescription ID sensitive stomach dog food with some slices of chicken which she ate for a couple of days then stopped. This has been going on for a week .She has had issues like this that lasted for about a day in the past but the next day she finally ate. All the the tests came back negative except the thyroid test which was a bit off. She does not look under weight. I am at a loss what to do next. Any help would be appreciated.

[Guest alextwister2011]

I would like to add to my topic Tara is a six year old female that I have adopted one year ago.

[MaryJane]

Maybe others can chime in and confirm but, I think the doxy is really upsetting to their tummies. Can you give some hamburger (very lean) and white rice and see if she eats that ?

[Walliered]

Has the vet checked her teeth? One of mine had a cracked molar when he came to me and that was after a dental. Also, I put Honest Kitchen (thin like a gravy) in with the kibble. My Galgos do not like dry kibble. I also buy sardines in water at the Dollar General - $1.00 per can- and put a little in each meal. One little can last me about 3 days with two dogs. Mine also love yogurt (plain with not sugar) mixed in their food. I have only used the expensive food sold at the vets one time and that was for a dog that had IBD and I had no choice. I did have a Grey that stopped eating, but she had advanced bone cancer. I learned a lesson on that one and will not keep a dog around for very long with cancer again.

[XTRAWLD]

My first thought is how are her teeth? Were any values in her blood off - liver, kidneys? Does she have a temperature? She could be fighting a mild infection somewhere, possibly in her mouth, that is causing her discomfort and causing her to turn off her food. Is she usually a food motivated hound?

 

You say you've changed her food three times, and that could actually be a culprit for why her stomach might be upset. Our fur kids have really sensitive systems so introductions of foods should be rather gradual. Pepcid is a good idea, but I am not familiar with the meds she is on.

 

Try some broth and some rice for a few days, add some cooked chicken. There is a great slew of things to try to feed your hound and get them to eat, but the important thing as you've likely realized is trying to get to the root of the problem to resolve it.

 

How is her attitude other than not eating? Is she lethargic or still happy and playful and want to go for walks?

I did have a Grey that stopped eating, but she had advanced bone cancer. I learned a lesson on that one and will not keep a dog around for very long with cancer again.

This is heartbreaking, however not every dog that stops eating has a terminal issue. Certainly, it could be a cause, but there are lots of other causes for why a dog might not want to eat.

[KF_in_Georgia]

There's an appetite stimulant (mirtazapine) your vet might be willing to try.

 

Also, try warming the food: it usually smells better/stronger then.

[Hubcitypam]

You might try mixing canned cat food in. If she is an only dog you can also try free feeding her and just leave kibble down. I had one that would only eat in the dark after everyone was in bed, (????)

[XTRAWLD]

I had one that would only eat in the dark after everyone was in bed, (????)

Ha!! Eating anxiety!

[GeorgeofNE]

If her weight is normal, and everything else is normal, might I suggest you try relaxing and letting her regulate for a bit and see what happens?

 

I don't see (read) ANY reason for medication including Pepcid.

 

If she was old, ill, or feeble, I'd be worried. I'd also be looking for a new vet since yours seems to be simply trying to placate you without having any clue what, if anything, is actually wrong.

 

How long ago did this start? Any changes? Things you might not even think about--crazy stuff like a new stove and she can see her reflection and she couldn't before? A new dog dish? A new floor?

 

The strangest things can throw off any creature of habit, like a dog. Have you tried moving her dish? A different type of dish? Warm water in the kibble?

[robinw]

One of my guys would take a break from eating fairly regularly. My vet wasn't worried so I wasn't worried. There's also some stuff like dried liver bits that you can shake on her food to make it more appetizing. I agree that frequent changing of food might be contributing to this. I'm guessing that the Pepcid is to avoid any upset stomach that could result from the doxy? Also, make sure your vet is aware that thyroid levels for greyhounds are different than for other dogs, just to make sure there is actually a problem.

 

You and your vet know Tara best.

You might try mixing canned cat food in. If she is an only dog you can also try free feeding her and just leave kibble down. I had one that would only eat in the dark after everyone was in bed, (????)

Iker will only eat if I'm there to watch.

[greysmom]

Without seeing the test results it's hard for us to do more than guess at what may be wrong, but it does sound as if your vet is not very knowledgable about greyhounds and their unique medical issues.

 

Most greyhounds do not need thyroid medication for even very low T4 thyroid levels. There are numerous threads here about thyroid testing that you may want to search through. How were her kidney/liver values? Why the doxy? Did he suspect an infection somewhere? How are her teeth? Has she ever had any dental work? Is she still taking any of these meds?

 

Will she eat anything at all on a regular basis? Any kind of treat or human food? What kind of exercise is she getting daily? Will she eat at night but not in the morning, or visa versa?

 

Her behavior around food - interested but tipping her bowl - indicates to me that she is nauseous. Any vomiting of yellow bile, or frantically wanting to eat grass outside? Any loud stomach noises or gas?

 

Did the scans - ultra sound, xrays - show *any*thing amiss or were they completely normal? Did your vet do a fecal exam to check for worms?

 

I do agree that changing her food so many times may be contributing to the issue. I would just stop for at least a day - let her stomach and system settle, and give her some space. Make sure she is still drinking water to stay hydrated. Make up some macaroni (or other small pasta) with some low-salt broth (save the cooking liquid when you drain the pasta) - cook it until it's overdone for most people. Cook some low-fat ground hamburger and rinse well to remove as much fat as you can. Offer her a quarter cup of each along with some of the broth, heated just enough to take the refrigerater chill off in the microwave.

 

If she eats that, continue offering her portions in 1/4 cup increments until she's eaten at least a cup of each. Do this about 4 times a day (if you can). Gradually increase the amount you initially offer her until she will eat a whole portion on her own. If she gets to the point where she's interested in food again, you can add in some cooked, mashed sweet potato to bulk up the bland diet - but keep it simple.

 

If she won't eat anything still, it's time to seek out the expertise of an internal medicine specialist to get to the bottom of her issues. If you let us know where you are located, we might be able to suggest some vets we have experience with that may be close to you. You can also contact your adoption group to see if they have any recommendations.

 

Good luck!

[turbotaina]

One of my guys would take a break from eating fairly regularly. My vet wasn't worried so I wasn't worried. There's also some stuff like dried liver bits that you can shake on her food to make it more appetizing. I agree that frequent changing of food might be contributing to this. I'm guessing that the Pepcid is to avoid any upset stomach that could result from the doxy? Also, make sure your vet is aware that thyroid levels for greyhounds are different than for other dogs, just to make sure there is actually a problem.

 

You and your vet know Tara best.

Iker will only eat if I'm there to watch.

 

This. And what Greysmom said.

[LaFlaca]

• My Wendy would not eat unless she was alone in the kitchen.

Try green tripe - . It reeks and they love it! Available from Chewy, Only Natural Pets, etc.

Get those teeth checked.

Does her bowl clatter or move when she eats? Sometimes their tags knock against the bowl and it can be scary. I have to put a piece of rubber carpet padding between the ring on Lola's elevated feeder and her stainless steel bowl so that it doesn't spin around and clatter as she eats.