Elderly dog question

[Connie P]

One of my poodles is turning 15 in July this year and she just won't eat.

I've had her to the vet countless times - checked her blood - the tests all come back EXCELLENT for a dog her age. I even try hand feeding her to no avail. She has gone from 10.8 lbs down to 7.3lbs. It seems she is withering away - she lays by me ALL the time now and shakes - I think she's cold. I don't know what to do to get her to eat. I have even cooked her up some burger and rice and she just snubs it. I feel as though she is starving and I am helpless to it.

HELP!........................

 

[Sixstardanes]

If you can get some I'd suggest giving some green tripe.

We buy ours frozen from greentripe.com but some people get theirs locally in cans at petstores.

Green tripe is quite aromatic so often encourages those whose sense of taste and smell may be diminishing.

It also packed with beneficial nutriets & enzymes.

All the best to your little elder.

 

[Jill]

Connie --

I'm so sorry about your girl. It's very hard when they get old.

They make a paste you can get at PetsMart or Walmart that is for convelsing pets or ones that need to gain weight. It's supposed to also stimulate appetite, tastes good to the pet, and is super high in calories. There are several brands of it but it's called stuff like NutraCal, SuperCal, PetCal...

Good luck,

Jill

 

[luv2ridesaddleseat]

I have experience with elderly dogs. Please try the Natural Balance "beef" rolled food. It is a well known food for dogs that won't eat. It's the only thing my last elder would eat for the last 9 months of her life. Most pet shops have it. Here is a link to show you what it is. http://www.naturalbalance.net/dogformulas/DFRolls.html The beef flavor is the only one my old girl would eat. it certainly bought her some extra time. Good Luck, and let us know how she's doing.

Joyce

 

[Connie P]

Thanks for the great advice. I am going to make a trip to the Pet Store to see if I can find these products and get her started right away. I REFUSE to have anything this thin on my property......I have even gone as far as to beg her to eat. Please Shelby - eat for mama. Nope - she snubs me everytime. I know her time is probably drawing to a close, but I sure don't want her starving herself to death. It is very frustrating and emotional.

Thanks again for the help! Hugs!

 

[Bess Kelly]

I am so sorry for your old gals declining health. Have you considered getting something to help her stomach? Having cut back this much is surely creating some extra stomach acids -- IMO -- so it may help to get something to sooth her in this respect. Just throwing that out there as I know how desperation feels when we are losing our long time loves. Been there. Prayers to you and her.

 

[minih]

I have even cooked her up some burger and rice

A lot of times on an older dog the beef is too rich, try chicken instead. I had a peke that lived til she was 17 and she would only eat chicken rice with peas and carrots.

 

[Erica]

Probably not the best diet as far as being very nutritious; but I had a dashound live to be 19, and the last few years of his life all that he ate, was hotdogs - sliced very thin.....it's what he liked and could eat with the few teeth he had so it's what he got.

 

[Connie P]

Thanks again! I will try everyone of these to get her to eat! I will also check on something to soothe her stomach acids. I so appreciate the ideas. I hope some of this works. She is still frisky and loves to play - she just WON'T EAT! UGH!

 

[MeadowRidge Farm]

It sure does hurt when our furkids start to get a little older dont it?? I went through the same thing with Shado, he passed away 2 yrs this August. I was baking and doing everything possible to entice him to eat. Have you tried making satin balls for him? If you need the recipe let me know. Satin Balls would be just a supplement to a regular diet and are helpful in putting weight on dogs

 

[Sixstardanes]

There are some people who use Satin Balls as a total diet.

 

[bfogg]

Hi connie,

Email me at home if you wish.

Bonnie

 

[sfmini]

Has anybody checked her mouth and teeth?

 

[RobinRTrueJoy]

Have you looked inside her mouth? Is there a tumor or bad teeth?

My old Rottie tripped up the steps outside and hit her mouth but I didn't realize there was a problem until she didn't eat for two days. There was a broken painful tooth , and when it was pulled she ate like carzy!

I agree with the nutracal. Also I have been told to try a can of smelly cat food. It seems to tempt them more than dog food. ?Hot dogs?

Robin

 

[MeadowRidge Farm]

Bonnie, Can you pm me your email address? I also know of a few people that use it as a total diet for there dogs,...it contains all really good ingredients.

 

[Sonya]

((hugs)) It's so hard when our loved ones age. I was gonna say the same thing...perhaps something wrong with her teeth/mouth/throat. I hope she starts eating..my old guy has no problems eating, but is dropping weight like crazy. Sending prayers.

 

[Katiean]

My older guys will only eat Little Ceasers Felte Minion. We have also had limited sucess with the Porter House Verity. They get it cut into little tiny chuncks. Oh, They also eat dry cat food since it is down all the time for the cats.

 

[flflyingw]

I feel for you and your older friend. My last yorkie, Honey Bun, is now 18 years old as of March 20, 2009. She started to drop weight and had a cough. She also would shake real bad. I think her shaking was due to being hungry as when we got her to eat she would stop shaking and the same for her going to the potty. Well I started her on cooked oatmeal and mixed well with fresh ground beef in the microwave, just pink still. She has been on this diet for almost a year now. This also helped her with her potty. It was soft but firm and moves once everyday. She quit coughing also and I think it was due to when I gave her rice. The rice must have been to rough for her throat and got stuck in it.

She has been blind and can't walk that good but I have the time to help her get around. She sleeps in a child swimming pool by my bed, the kind you can blowup the bottom and the sides. This is very soft for her and I just throw a sheet over it. That way she can't get hurt when she wakes up. I just love my girl so much and we wish you the very best with your dear friend. FLFlyingW

 

[minih]

Please do not let your dogs eat cat food, it causes kidney stones in dogs. My peke I mentioned earlier had to have 3 large stones removed with surgery when she was younger, the vet told us it was from eating cat food since we had it down all the time for our cats. Since then we put the food up on a table or something that the cats have to jump up on and the dogs can't reach it.

 

[Connie P]

Her teeth do have some plaque now because I will not allow them to put her under to clean them anymore. She still has all of them though - vet did check her teeth and mouth and we see no visual signs of anything wrong. Today I offered her some lunchmeat and cheese and she did pick through it. I cooked her up some chicken (just boiled) and she did like that. I will just cook for her seperately so that she will eat. She's always been a finicky eater. I also just had to recently put her on some meds to get her to quit peeing all over my house. That is working - she hasn't wet in over a week now. I REALLY appreciate everbody's help and the wonderful people that even called me! What a great bunch of friends here!

Bonnie I may email you in the morning. I am heading for bed now - my internet was down due to bad weather here today.

Thanks again to all of you.

Satin balls? What on earth are those? I've never heard of them.