Daisy's Mom
Well-known member
Daisy (14 months old) has been through the ringer lately. She started not eating very well about 3-4 weeks ago and has been eating less and less since then. We were out of town and had a dogsitter who was very concerned about Daisy not eating. When we got home, it didn't improve at all.
I took her to the vet last Monday (almost 2 weeks ago) and he gave her some antibiotics and some stomach medicine and told us to call him if she didn't start eating soon. Long story short -- we've had her back to the vet's twice since then, she's stayed over in the hospital 3 nights, had X-rays, ultrasounds, barium series, etc. and she's still not eating. Of course we were scared she had an obstruction, but all those tests ($700 worth) pretty much ruled that out, thank Goodness!
Finally after the last visit, he said "just get her to eat anything, even if it's table food because if she doesn't start eating something, we're going to have to eventually tube feed her." He's very concerned about her. She is also very draggy and lethargic, and generally seems depressed. I am honestly wondering if that is the source of the problem. I asked the vet about that possibility and he said that 3-4 days of not eating could be explained by that, but not 3 weeks.
When we got home from the last vet visit, I boiled 2 chicken breasts and she did eat those with gusto. That seemed to be a positive sign, but the next morning she had horrible diarrhea, just as I feared would happen. Now, she is refusing everything but the chicken breast, which I dole out very sparingly.
I know the routine on not babying them regarding mealtimes, putting the food down and then picking it up 20 mins later and not putting it down again till the next mealtime, etc., but I am pretty scared. She literally ate nothing for about a week! Not treats, not anything. She's lost weight and just is not herself. It's been probably a month since she ate in any kind of normal way!
Her bloodwork came back fine. I just don't know what to do. The vet mentioned at one point giving her an appetite stimulant (valium, oddly enough), but he didn't mention it this last visit.
I just went out and bought 3 new brands of food for her today. All of which she turned her nose up at, naturally. I don't mind cooking chicken and rice, etc. for her, but she always gets the runs so bad that it really doesn't do her much good. Although she will eat the chicken, (not the rice), so hopefully she gets some nutrition out of that before it all comes out as diarrhea! I've tried cottage cheese and yogurt too -- no go.
I wonder if she really needs another dog for a friend. I have thought about bringing her to doggy daycamp, but the only time I did that, she got bullied by some Jack Russells. Plus, if she is actually sick in some contagious way, I wouldn't want her to pass anything along to another dog.
Anyway, please send us your best thoughts that she snaps out of it soon! I'll keep you updated.
I took her to the vet last Monday (almost 2 weeks ago) and he gave her some antibiotics and some stomach medicine and told us to call him if she didn't start eating soon. Long story short -- we've had her back to the vet's twice since then, she's stayed over in the hospital 3 nights, had X-rays, ultrasounds, barium series, etc. and she's still not eating. Of course we were scared she had an obstruction, but all those tests ($700 worth) pretty much ruled that out, thank Goodness!
Finally after the last visit, he said "just get her to eat anything, even if it's table food because if she doesn't start eating something, we're going to have to eventually tube feed her." He's very concerned about her. She is also very draggy and lethargic, and generally seems depressed. I am honestly wondering if that is the source of the problem. I asked the vet about that possibility and he said that 3-4 days of not eating could be explained by that, but not 3 weeks.
When we got home from the last vet visit, I boiled 2 chicken breasts and she did eat those with gusto. That seemed to be a positive sign, but the next morning she had horrible diarrhea, just as I feared would happen. Now, she is refusing everything but the chicken breast, which I dole out very sparingly.
I know the routine on not babying them regarding mealtimes, putting the food down and then picking it up 20 mins later and not putting it down again till the next mealtime, etc., but I am pretty scared. She literally ate nothing for about a week! Not treats, not anything. She's lost weight and just is not herself. It's been probably a month since she ate in any kind of normal way!
Her bloodwork came back fine. I just don't know what to do. The vet mentioned at one point giving her an appetite stimulant (valium, oddly enough), but he didn't mention it this last visit.
I just went out and bought 3 new brands of food for her today. All of which she turned her nose up at, naturally. I don't mind cooking chicken and rice, etc. for her, but she always gets the runs so bad that it really doesn't do her much good. Although she will eat the chicken, (not the rice), so hopefully she gets some nutrition out of that before it all comes out as diarrhea! I've tried cottage cheese and yogurt too -- no go.
I wonder if she really needs another dog for a friend. I have thought about bringing her to doggy daycamp, but the only time I did that, she got bullied by some Jack Russells. Plus, if she is actually sick in some contagious way, I wouldn't want her to pass anything along to another dog.
Anyway, please send us your best thoughts that she snaps out of it soon! I'll keep you updated.