MattB Posted March 1, 2021 Share Posted March 1, 2021 Nearly 2 weeks ago we lost Charlie, one of our two hounds. Daisy, our remaining 12yo hound is really struggling. Part of this has been some medical issues which have happened at the same time but I'm not sure how much (if at all) grief is impacting her. I should also mention that, behaviourally, Daisy is a spook - we took her 7 years ago as she couldn't be rehomed. She's made incredible process but she still has a lot of neuroses - e.g. she is very scared of new food - for example if I give her some sardines which she has periodically she will run away from the bowl and I'd have to give her tiny bits off my hand, getting her closer and closer to the bowl until she eventually eats it - I'm mentioning this as it still feels like there's some of this going on with the refusing food. It took her years to let anyone apart from me and my wife and my mum to get near her, particularly men, after seeing my dad regularly for 4 years she allows him to stroke her now. She used to freak out on walks if there was a car parked in a different place. Two days after Charlie died blood started pouring (really pouring!) out of Daisy's mouth and I rushed her to the emergency vet - they couldn't find anything due to the amount of blood but this stopped while she was there and they suggested either a tooth abscess, although thought that this was unlikely due to her teeth being so good - but not impossible, or else an injury from chewing something but couldn't see anything - we were sent away with transexamic acid and some antibiotics and told that if the bleeding started again the next step would be to look at teeth under sedation. They also did full bloodwork and nothing out of the ordinary there, she's had recent urine tests after she started to have some incontinence issues and they've all been normal too (and is on propalin as a result). About 3 days after this, around Daisy's eyes swelled up and went all puffy, again rushed her to the vets who now had a chance to have a good look at her mouth - she found 3 ulcers and suggested that Daisy's Previcox might be upsetting her stomach so started some omeprizole and replaced the previcox with some liquid paracetamol. After a very runny tummy the vet suggested taking out the propalin and paracetamol for a few days - the problem here is that she goes nuts licking when she leaks without the propalin, and she has a very stiff back so when we stop pain meds she stiffens up. The vet also suggested her heart murmor has progressed to stage 4 and we're waiting for an appointment with a cardiologist now. Throughout this Daisy has completely stopped eating her food - it has been nearly 2 weeks since she took anything from her bowl, I've been cooking chicken and rice, and beef which I have to give her very carefully (I have to put it in front of her one piece at a time, making no eye contact and once there's a small pile, she will eat some, and then I add a piece every time she eats). She's been walking fairly normally, a bit more tired than usual so I've been driving her part of the way and letting her walk the scenic parts of the walk before getting back in the car. Her weight dropped initially but is back up to normal now. I'd really appreciate any thoughts or advice on getting back to eating. It's really difficult as there are so many things (potentially) going on, in addition to being very sad too. She seems reasonably happy but looks exhausted - I am so anxious ahead of every meal that she's going to refuse and just fade away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Time4ANap Posted March 1, 2021 Share Posted March 1, 2021 Did they check thyroid levels in the blood work? Just a thought because thyroid issues cause some really strange things with greyhounds. Greyhound levels are different from other dogs, so you would need a full thyroid panel, not just a level in traditional blood work. Here's some more info - https://www.greyhoundgang.org/learn/health/thyroid/ For now, hand feeding like you are doing may be the best way to get her to eat. We've had to do it a time or two when the dogs weren't feeling well and wouldn't eat unless they were hand-fed. Also, since she isn't eating regularly, make sure she continues drinking sufficiently. Good luck. Hope she's felling better soon. Quote Camp Broodie. The current home of Mark Kay Mark Jack and Gracie Kiowa Safe Joan. Always missing my boy Rocket Hi Noon Rocket, Allie Phoenix Dynamite, Kate Miss Kate, Starz Under Da Starz, Petunia MW Neptunia, Diva Astar Dashindiva, and LaVida I've Got Life Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnF Posted March 1, 2021 Share Posted March 1, 2021 Perhaps ask the vet for some steroid tablets to promote appetite get her through this crisis. I've needed to do that with Peggy who now has a very easily upset stomach following a bad parasitic episode early last summer, The steroids kick in after about 2 days and the course lasts just over a week, reducing towards the end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattB Posted March 1, 2021 Author Share Posted March 1, 2021 21 minutes ago, Time4ANap said: Did they check thyroid levels in the blood work? Just a thought because thyroid issues cause some really strange things with greyhounds. Greyhound levels are different from other dogs, so you would need a full thyroid panel, not just a level in traditional blood work. Here's some more info - https://www.greyhoundgang.org/learn/health/thyroid/ For now, hand feeding like you are doing may be the best way to get her to eat. We've had to do it a time or two when the dogs weren't feeling well and wouldn't eat unless they were hand-fed. Also, since she isn't eating regularly, make sure she continues drinking sufficiently. Good luck. Hope she's felling better soon. Thank you - I'll speak to my vet about thyroid - might give it a few days to get to the end of the omeprazole and then make an appointment. Yes she's drinking plenty I think - actually she's done ok for food in the last few days, if only because I've been pretty relentless with 3 small meals a day. 1 minute ago, JohnF said: Perhaps ask the vet for some steroid tablets to promote appetite get her through this crisis. I've needed to do that with Peggy who now has a very easily upset stomach following a bad parasitic episode early last summer, The steroids kick in after about 2 days and the course lasts just over a week, reducing towards the end. Thank you - I'd briefly wondered about what at the start - that's a good idea, will take this to the vets as well. Thank you for your replies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cleptogrey Posted March 2, 2021 Share Posted March 2, 2021 She Also may need an anti nausea med. My vet prescribes Zofran. The antacids/nausea and a stimulant might help. Yup, a good senior blood profile including thyroid are in order. Meanwhile try cooking an entire chicken in a vat of white rice. You can quarter the chicken. Debone it after it's cooked and chop. Tasty, soothing and easy to digest. Reheat lightly in the microwave and small servings. It's a canine version of congee. Great stuff...so I've been told by all of my dogs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerilyn Posted March 2, 2021 Share Posted March 2, 2021 Awww, poor Daisy, and poor you too, you've all been through a lot! A painful mouth, even if it's resolved now, might have scared her off eating. It sounds like you are doing the best that you can for now. My one trick is to change the feeding vessel. Food that Lila rejected in her bowl was eaten eagerly off a paper plate. I know how hard food issues can be and the stress and anxiety around feeling like you are spending all of your time trying to feed the dog. Hang in there! Quote Jerilyn, missing Lila (Good Looking), new Mistress to Wiki (PJ Wicked). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FiveRoooooers Posted March 2, 2021 Share Posted March 2, 2021 I am so anxious ahead of every meal that she's going to refuse ... You've received some very good advice above. Just to add that I went through something similar with Zeke-aroni after his littermate LadyBug passed away. If you can, try not to show Daisy or let her know in any way that you are anxious about the next meal. What really helped was to set Zeke-aroni's food down and walk away. Not standing over him or nearby while fretting was key in encouraging him to eat. Good luck with your girlie Quote Old Dogs are the Best Dogs. Thank you, campers. Current enrollees: Punkin. AnnIE Oooh M Angels: Pal . Segugio. Sorella (TPGIT). LadyBug. Zeke-aroni. MiMi Sizzle Pants. Gracie. Seamie . (Foster)Sweet. Andy. PaddyALVIN!Mayhem. Bosco. Bruno. Dottie B. Trevor Double-Heart. Bea. Cletus, KLTO. Aiden 1-4. Upon reflection, our lives are often referenced in parts defined by the all-too-short lives of our dogs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattB Posted March 3, 2021 Author Share Posted March 3, 2021 On 3/2/2021 at 3:11 PM, FiveRoooooers said: I am so anxious ahead of every meal that she's going to refuse ... You've received some very good advice above. Just to add that I went through something similar with Zeke-aroni after his littermate LadyBug passed away. If you can, try not to show Daisy or let her know in any way that you are anxious about the next meal. What really helped was to set Zeke-aroni's food down and walk away. Not standing over him or nearby while fretting was key in encouraging him to eat. Good luck with your girlie Thank you. I am trying hard to be calm. I just feel like she could so easily slip away from us. She's always seemed resilient but it feels like she'd aged several years in the past 2 weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remolacha Posted March 3, 2021 Share Posted March 3, 2021 I agree about trying not to show her you are stressed (hard, I know) Val’s (also 12) appetite has been iffy for the last few weeks, I never know when I put her food down if she will a) eagerly eat it, b) eat it after being coaxed, or c) look at it and walk away. Also, you can’t look at her while she eats . As long as she eats something each day, I try to be ok with that. Daisy’s mouth sores may very well be what started her not eating, now you just have to get her back in the habit. multiple small meals are best, as you have found out. Also, I will say, at this point don’t worry about balanced nutrition, just give her what she will eat. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattB Posted March 6, 2021 Author Share Posted March 6, 2021 Thank you all. Just an update: Daisy is slowly coming round from this, though I don't want to speak too soon. After 2 weeks she has eaten from her bowl herself although I have been hand feeding her as well. Although the vet thinks the ulcers have mostly healed, I'm not convinced there isn't something going on, whether there was some sort of trauma to her mouth, it looks almost like she can't control her tongue sometimes and can't keep the food in, other times looks fine. Either way she seems to be going in the right direction and coming on walks, but quite tired. After not coming upstairs for over a year she now sleeps outside my room and watches me work all day. Thank you all for your support, advice and kind words. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EllenEveBaz Posted March 10, 2021 Share Posted March 10, 2021 Quote it feels like she'd aged several years in the past 2 weeks. You probably feel like that, too. Quote Ellen, with brindle Milo and the blonde ballerina, Gelsey remembering Eve, Baz, Scout, Romie, Nutmeg, and Jeter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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