Dog won't eat!

Dogs like children can be so up and down!
Took Grace for a gentle 5 minute "toilet" walkie before bedtime and so far she seems much more settled. I wonder if the vet will just try her on a stronger anti-arthritic after all. We shall see.
Good luck hildajennij and ?J

hilda mine would only eat chicken and rice which I believe vets suggest for dogs with poorly tums. Hope whatever it is she/he picks up soon. I have had 3 dogs. 2 had to be put to sleep as they both struggled with breathing and stopped eating when they had had enough (heart breaking but in the end the right decision) the third died from a brain tumour overnight. A real shock. I couldn't believe she really had gone and even though the vet confirmed it, I couldn't bury her for hours until I was really convinced she was gone.

How are things going?
One of my go- to recipes is to cook chicken legs or wings or thighs in the pressure cooker to make a strong stock, take the chicken out and flake it then cook brown rice in the stock until it has all been absorbed. Mix the chicken and by now really chicken-flavoured rice and keep in the fridge or freezer in little plastic takeaway containers. This can tempt most dogs and is really easy.
BTW Grace has been seen by the vet (an extra £80 to come to the house but so worth it) and checked over. I was fully prepared for being PTS but something in me said she was not at that stage yet. Happily I was right. Her flare up of arthritis/rheumatism was already calming down and she seems to be good for a wee while yet with daily Metacam. Temporary reprieve I know as there is no cure for old age, yet.

Fish - cod or some such which is easily boned - with rice makes a change from chicken. Old tums need invalid food. Old dogs do go off their food when approaching the end, but the end may still be several months away.

My old one (15) has started asking them go out in the middle of the night. I daren't refuse him in case he needs to toilet. Then he just stands and stares around or up at the stars....in the back garden...in the middle of the night....and starts barking/howling so I have to dash out, in my dressing gown and wellies (it's often raining) and grab him before he wakes the neighbours.

He's gone through phases like thus before so I wonder if dogs have TIAs like humans?

Hope your old dog is eating better hilda? So when our dear pets get old and we have to start facing the facts that we might lose them.

I so agree about not "calling your dog's bluff" about "needing" to go out in the middle of the night! I have found that actually it can be DH needing to go to the loo which wakes the dog up, so she feels she might as well, etc etc
It could also be that he has heard a cat or a fox of course - probably in the next county by the time he gets out, or that he is just telling other dogs in the area it is time to rouse their humans!

Anya it sounds like your dog may have Dementia, you can get meds to help with this, 1 of my dog is on meds for it and now does not bark in the night (a classic sign of it) as night time is a confusing time for them when they have this, he is settled through the night now, he still does have a few "senior moments" sometimes in early evening but nothing like he was, so hes now alot more settled and happier.

We have a Vet's appointment this evening. Wiser has eaten all her lunch. She likes fish sometimes so I made her whole wheat pasta with tuna and a cheese sauce, which she has eaten. I will describe all her symptoms to the Vet and see what he suggests. I'll give you an update when we come back.

hilda do hope you get some good news from the vet this evening.

Do let us know
Of course she will strut into the vet's looking the picture of health just to put you on the back foot

Well, Wiser has had a good examination, and I've had a long chat with the very nice lady Vet. Her opinion is that Wiser is just suffering the effects of very old age. A bit arthritic, pronounced heart murmur (she's always had that), and probably a brain or spinal cord tumour. She couldn't really give me much advice about diet, just feed her anything she will eat. I've got steroids and Ranitidine to the tune of £39:00 which might help with her appetite and stiffness. We'll just have to see how she goes. Thank you for all the good wishes.

Ranitidine fordogs?? Isn't that for ADHD?? Sad when senility deprives a dog of his pleasure in eating. Whatever, you can now spoil him as often as you like without any worries about overfeeding. Irish Rover dried chicken treats go down well here by the way.

I hope the stiffness eases as being in discomfort can sap the joie de vivre of any dog.
Ours have had Rimadyl in the past or Metacam for arthritis.
?Grace sends a lick!

Ranitidine is for her stomach, it's an antacid and might help her not regurgitate her food. She's lost half a kilo since she was last at the Vet's (but that was two years ago).

Ritalin is for ADHD. ??

Nice photo Hilda what a lovely little dog. Give her lots of cuddles and love.

Glad all was ok at the vets , i am surprised the vet dod not suggest trying vivitonin or aktivate, my dog started on Aktivate 3 weeks ago and i have seen an improvement in his dementia , i buy it online as cheaper than the vets

Of course!! I take it for heartburn! Thank god I'm not a pharmacist dishing out the wrong drugs!
(So what's the one for AFHD? )

Just seen your answer -hildajennij as I said

Hi Hilda, Ranitidine is zantac human medicine and if Wiser is producing too much acid (if she is not eating much) it will make her feel much better. Also usually steroids increase the appetite and stamina-so here's hoping.
I saw another post advocating Lily's kitchen dog food and I agree with them.I have four dogs and this usually works a treat if one of them doesn't want to eat much.
Also scrambled egg is very good,Tinned fish and sometimes just warming their food helps.Love the photo and good luck with everything!

My Daisy is 17 and I relate to all these posts. Her appetite isn't good and she was always a slender dog but now looks emancipated. She I have so many different dog foods in the cupboard as she gobbles some up and then when I buy the same again she wont eat it. She gets some chicken every day and every few days cooked mince steak. She loves mini marrowbone biscuits, thankfully, and I discovered that she will also take some K9 Optimum kibble.

Question: No matter how I disguise them I cannot get her to take tablets. I've crumbled them and hidden them in food but she always sniffs and won't eat it or spits it out. Any ideas?

Love the typo Rosieroe

Lol Christine.

There was another amusing thread on GN on malapropisms - it's even worse these days with texting.

Yesterday I spent another £20 on supplements for her joints, plus roast chicken to 'hide' them in, and yet again have had to lift the spat-out remains off the floor.

Our collie is awkward about taking tablets too . When she was taking Crisax (she sometimes has epileptic fits) we had to hold her mouth open, place the tablet at the back of her tongue, hold her mouth closed and stroke under her throat. Sound cruel, but she had to take them.

I have done that with medication from the vets at times Tricia, and often thought they'd gone done only to come across them later. Unfortunately these joint supplements are about the size of a 10p. so I can't do that with them. They are meant to be chewed or crunched up into powder but she won't take them either way.

'gone down'

I use pate or cream cheese to give tablets to my dogs. They got so very clever at eating meat and shooting tablet out of the side of their mouths.
So far the pate/cream cheese is working well!